The Blubber

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez received $500,000 from an online flower shop operating mostly out of China, per Bloomberg.

A watchdog group focused on campaign activities has raised concerns regarding a $500,000 donation made to a super PAC supporting Miami Mayor Francis Suarez's (R) potential 2024 presidential campaign. The Campaign Legal Center has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) accusing PassionForest, a relatively unknown company primarily involved in selling artificial flowers online for about eleven months, of making the substantial contribution to the SOS America PAC, which supports Suarez.

The complaint contends that PassionForest lacked the financial capacity to make such a significant donation on its own. It suggests that the company might have been part of a "straw donor" scheme, which aims to conceal the true identities of the actual contributors and violates campaign finance laws.

Additionally, the complaint raises suspicions that the donation might have been made using a false name to hide illegal contributions from foreign nationals. It's important to note that political contributions from foreign nationals are strictly prohibited.

Although PassionForest is registered in Delaware and has disclosed a Florida address, the watchdog group points out that other information suggests its primary place of business might be in China and that it could be owned and operated by individuals residing in China.

The complaint urges federal regulators to investigate the donation thoroughly and, if any violations are found, to impose appropriate sanctions.