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DeSantis not returning cash to donor who called Obama N-word

Trump-backed DeSantis is Florida's GOP nominee.png
Posted at 8:23 PM, Sep 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-20 20:23:00-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Republican U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis' campaign for Florida governor says he will no longer accept money from a donor who used the N-word in a tweet about former President Barack Obama.

But campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson said Thursday that money they've already taken from Steven Alembik's company, SMA Communications, won't be returned because it was already spent on the primary election.

The Democratic affiliated group American Bridge provided a screen shot of Alembik's tweet, in which he used profanity to describe Obama as a Muslim N-word. Lawson called the tweet "disgusting."

SMA Communications donated $2,000 to DeSantis' campaign and $2,000 to DeSantis' political committee.

Sean Jackson, the chairman of the Black Republicans of South Florida, was handling calls for Alembik. He said Alembik isn't a racist.

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