DeSantis and Neal
NEAL BUNDLES CHECKS TO DeSANTIS AT MANATEE PRESS CONFERENCE
After Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made a speech in Bradenton on 7/24/2025 to announce an audit of the Manatee County government, amid the board of county commissioners’ hardline stance against development interests, DeSantis took the time afterwards, according to Pat Neal to receive checks in a bundle put together by one of those “developer interests”, Neal.
THE 8 AM DeSANTIS BREAKFST WITH NEAL AND LOCAL “DEEP STATERS”
Prior to the Bradenton press conference and receiving checks from Neal, DeSantis had a 8am private breakfast at the Capital Grill in Randy Benderson UTC Mall, which was closed to the press.
At the early morning meeting, local “Deep State” attendees included recently appointed Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Blase Ingolia, New College President Richard Corcoran, Gary Kompothecras of 1 800 Call Gary, former Florida Senate President Bill Galvano, Carlos Beruff, Neal, and other local developers.
Kompothecras received $2 million in a no bid contract to his First Physicians company for hand sanitizer back in Covid 19 days. Gary K. has been in more than one Neal bundle to DeSantis over the years, as have those involved in the present Neal bundle to DeSantis.
Gruters
Florida State Senator Joe Gruters, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump to be Chairman of Republican National Committee (RNC) was not invited to the DeSantis breakfast.
When Neal invited those to the meeting with DeSantis and on the day of the meeting, Gruters was still a candidate for the CFO position against Ingolia with no mention of the RNC position for Gruters. Was this meeting the beginning of an Ignolia for CFO organizational meeting?
Both DeSantis and Ingolia refused to answer questions asked by Susce of the Sarasota Phoenix about what the meeting was about, as they rushed off to an undisclosed meeting and site. Neal stated that meeting was a discussion about lowering property taxes.
No checks were made out to DeSantis at the breakfast meeting while he was present, but after the event checks were put together by Neal to deliver to DeSantis at the press conference announcing an audit of the Manatee County government.
Concerning the DeSantis audit, why was an audit not requested by DeSantis during the period when Neal and his associates were managing Manatee County government through their handicked Commissioners defeated in 2024? Why is an audit now being conducted following changes in leadership and control IN 2024?
Pedicini
In 2024 a Neal and Beruff political operative out of Tampa’s Ybor City, Anthony Pedicini lost all four Manatee County Commission seats and the Manatee County Supervisor of Election positions that had turned Manatee County in a political Shit Show.
The new leadership has no problem with the audit. On 4/15/2025, Manatee County Commission Chairman George Kruse received unanimous support from his board (5-0) with two commissioners absent) to direct county staff to draft a letter Governor and an accompanying resolution voluntarily committing to participate in EOG DOGE review/audit as outlined by the Governor DeSantis's executive order.
NEAL THE “SEAGULL”
Neal, who sets up an early breakfast’s meetings with DeSantis and later hands checks to DeSantis, which are bundled together from his fellow developers has stated in a recent Forbes Magazine article that he sees himself as a "seagull with "the right to swoop down on any chicken bone.”
Maley
Mitch Maley of the Bradenton Times believes, "most folks around here would be more likely to see him at this stage of his career as a vulture, one who has scarfed down enough chicken bones to choke a whale.” Maley was addressing Neal’s unchecked development, providing insufficient infrastructure and vital environmental resources. TAKE A LOOK Poor, Poor Pat Neal - The Bradenton Times.
NEAL THE “BUNDLER”
Neal can also be called the bundler, due to Neal’s M.O of always bundling checks together in one envelope for politicians to stuff in their pockets and becoming like with Governor DeSantis, his “Go to Guy.”
NEAL BUNDELED CHECKS TO DeSANTIS
Neal was the bundler last Thursday, as DeSantis recived checks fom Neal, Beruff, Galvano and other unnamed developers. Neal stated that to he handed bundled checks together to Governor DeSantis.
Neal said the checks were issued to a recently formed PAC on 4/24/2025 called Florida First. The PAC has Gabriel Llanes as Chairman and Eric "The Prince of Dark Money PAC" Robinson as the Treasurer.
The most recent report filed with the Florida Division of Elections on 7/10/2025 by Robinson, as Treasurer of the Florida First PAC indicates that there were no contributions or expenditures recorded, as of that date.
QUESTIONS UNANSWERED
Questions have been raised about the purpose of the Florida First PAC. It should be clarified what the purpose of this Florida First PAC is and if contributions from Neal and other developers were linked to DeSantis signing the Florida SB 180 amendment. DeSantis receiving contributions from Neal and other developers after signing the Florida SB 180 amendment raises the question.
Calls and text messages to Governor DeSantis press office to confirm or deny that DeSantis received checks bundled from Neal for a PAC called Florida First PAC have been unanswered. In addition, if confirmed, the purpose of the Florida First PAC was also questioned.
Additional attempts were made to contact Neal via phone calls and a text message inquiring about the purpose of the PAC; however, no response was received.
NEAL THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND SB 180
Pittman
Neal is said to have been the driving force behind an amendment to the controversial Florida SB 180, as Craig Pittman of the Florida Phoenix has written, “The word in Tallahassee is that its major proponent is a big-time developer in Manatee County named Pat Neal.". TAKE A LOOK Legislature wants to make it impossible for local governments to build back better after hurricanes • Florida Phoenix
Neal wanted this year’s Legislature to block local governments from making any changes in their development codes that would better protect people from hurricane damage. With the Senat Bill 180, Neal got what he wanted, as DeSantis signed it into law.
Pitman stated that under this legislation, ”buyers of Neal-built homes will continue to face the same flooding risks as before.”
McFarland
Neal got assistance to block any changes in development codes from Representative Fiona McFarland of Sarasota, who wrote the amendment to HB 180 and DeSantis signed it into law. McFarland raised most of her $250,000 2024 campaign fund from developers and related PACs.
PROBLEMS WITH AMENDMENT TO HB 180
The amendment to HB 180 will prohibit counties and municipalities that were listed in the Federal Disaster Declarations for hurricanes Debby, Milton, or Helene from enacting construction moratoriums on redeveloping storm-damaged properties or more "restrictive or burdensome" comprehensive plan amendments, land development regulations or procedures related to development approvals from August 1, 2024, through October 1, 2027.
Levine Cava
Daniella Levine Cava Mayor of Miami-Dade County stated, “The bill will “not only limit our ability to responsibly manage development, flooding, and ensure public safety … but also could expose local governments to attorney’s fees and costly litigation if local government regulations, enacted in in good faith, are challenged.”
“THE PELICAN MAN NEAL” SWOOPS DOWN
As the “Pelican Man” Neal bundles checks to DeSantis, Pitman writes, “Now that the Legislature has said no local government can pass any “burdensome” post-storm regulations, the Manatee moratorium has been murdered in its crib. All you little Floridians must kneel to Neal and his needs! Give him all your chicken bones!”
Jon Susce
The Sarasota Phoenix team is the last media guardian in the Sarasota/Manatee area and beyond laying bare for all to see how the Sarasota/Manatee area and beyond is controlled by a UNI Party financed by millionaires and billionaires turning Florida into Paradise Lost...
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