Navigating race for governor

What to know about ethics complaint, FBI probe,

ORLANDO – Democrat Andrew Gillum and Republican Ron DeSantis are locked in a fierce battle for governor of Florida.

The two men have very different agendas.

But they also have something in common — headlines that would make you think both have been under investigation for their behavior in their current offices:

USA Today: “Rep. Ron DeSantis' resignation ends ethics complaint that raised questions about donors' ties”

CNN: “FBI investigation looms over Democratic nominee for Florida governor” But headlines can be deceiving. The truth is that there’s no proof that either man has even been investigated, much less found culpable of wrongdoing.

But that’s probably not what you’ll hear in the attack ads. So here’s what you need to know.

DeSantis and his condo

Last spring, Politico revealed that, after DeSantis was redistricted out of his Jackson ville area congressional district, he moved into a condo “owned by campaign donors who are top executives at a defense contractor that lobbies the federal government.”

That seems sketchy, right? I mean, the man’s congressional district has about 765,000 people in it. You’d think he could find a landlord who didn’t need things from the government he helps run.

But just because it seems fishy doesn’t make it illegal — espe--

cially if DeSantis paid a fairmarket price in rent.

DeSantis said he did — about $2,000 a month. His campaign said the owners never lobbied him and that the congressman only lived there a few months.

But a Miami attorney filed an ethics complaint, claiming the rent was “well below” market rate and noted the owners did lots of business with the federal government.

Still, anyone can file a complaint. Here’s the key part: There was never any indication that House officials even launched an official investigation into the matter.

So, while it’s technically true that DeSantis’ resignation from Congress to run for governor “ends” any potential probe, there’s no evidence one ever began.

Gillum and the FBI

For nearly a year, the city of Tallahassee has been under the cloud of an FBI investigation.

Details are scant. But the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper — which has been all over this story like honey on a biscuit — reported that the feds sought information about a city development deal connected to a pluggedin lobbyist, Adam Corey — who happens to be a buddy and traveling companion of Gillum.

Gillum has acknowledged traveling with Corey — including one trip to Costa Rica, where Gillum says he paid his own way.

Just like with DeSantis, I’d argue the mayor could find a whole slew of travel pals more appropriate than a lobbyist who wants something from the city Gillum runs.

But there’s been no indication that Gillum is a target of the FBI probe. In fact, the Tallahassee newspaper quoted a defense attorney who said: "I took a client before the grand jury and they didn’t ask one question about the mayor. The mayor’s name never came up."

And after the Tampa Bay Times studied all the details, the paper concluded: “There's currently no indication that Gillum is in any way directly implicated …”

In other words: The FBI clearly seems to think somebody in Tallahassee is up to no good — but there’s no evidence Gillum is that somebody.

What to take away

Well, I’ll start by saying that both these guys seem too cozy with lobbyists — a problem we often see in politics.

Most of us go our entire lives without ever renting property from or traveling with a lobbyist. So it doesn’t seem like too much to ask our elected officials to do the same, even if they claim the lobbyists are friends.

That said, no agency has determined either man did anything wrong.

If a smoking gun later surfaces, I’ll care — no matter who it points at. But right now, as far as concrete investigatory conclusions go, there doesn’t look like much difference between these two guys.

There is, however, a world of difference on these two men’s policies and track records.

DeSantis has crusaded on lowering taxes and offering businesses fewer regulations. Gillum has issued calls to improve public education and protect the environment.

Gillum has said he wants to join the majority of U.S. states in expanding Medicaid coverage for the uninsured. DeSantis continues to oppose that measure.

DeSantis has vowed to be a strong ally of President Donald Trump. Gillum has vowed to fight Trump whenever possible.

In other words: The differences between these two are so stark that the choice should be a relatively easy one for most Floridians … without getting distracted by unfounded accusations.