Newly released records show top DeSantis adviser used private email and alias to coordinate migrant flights
DeSantis has said the flights were designed to draw attention to the Biden administration’s southern border policies.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ top safety official helped write language that helped a former legal client secure a state contract to oversee a controversial program to fly migrants from the southern border to Martha’s Vineyard.
In the process, the official, Larry Keefe, used a non-public email address that made it appear that emails were coming from “Clarice Starling,” the main character from “The Silence of the Lambs” novel.
The newly released records show that Keefe, who served as a U.S. Attorney in the Trump administration, used encrypted messaging apps and a private email address from “Clarice Starling” when communicating with James Montgomerie, CEO of Vertol Systems, a Destin, Fla.-based company the administration paid at least $1.5 million to coordinate the migrant flights. They also show Keefe helping Vertol, who he represented when in private legal practice, draft invoice language the company used when submitting its proposal to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The bizarre twist in the ongoing saga was revealed in records released by the DeSantis administration last Thursday, just days before the holiday weekend. The records were first reported by CBS Miami . They shed light on the layers of secretive steps the DeSantis administration was taking when coordinating the flights, which included sending about 50 mostly Venezuelan asylum-seekers from the southern border to Martha’s Vineyard in mid-September. Additional flights to Delaware, the home state of President Joe Biden, were planned, but never occurred.
“See signal,” Keefe emailed Montgomerie on Aug. 28, a reference to an encrypted messaging app that can be set to automatically delete messages.
It was in response to an email from Montgomerie with his “suggestions” for draft invoice language that would later be sent to the DeSantis administration transportation agency.
“Short and sweet,” Montgomerie wrote.
Keefe and Montgomerie did not return a request seeking comment.
The Keefe email came from the email address “[email protected],” a private email account not tied to Keefe’s taxpayer-funded state account that has messages sent under the name “Clarice Starling.” The “heat19” moniker was a “call sign” given to him by Lt. Gen. Donald Wurster, a retired U.S. Air Force Special Operations commander, Keefe told administration officials.
On Sept. 1, Keefe used the personal email account to send Montgomerie draft language that the Vertol Systems’ CEO would, nearly word-for-word, submit to the Florida Department of Transportation as part of his proposal for the state contract, which was ultimately approved.
“This appears to be a purposeful attempt to evade Florida’s public records laws. It’s not surprising that the Governor’s office wanted to keep these records secret because they suggest that a public official helped draft a bid by a private company for government services,” said Ben Wilcox, co-founder of Integrity Florida, a nonprofit government watchdog. “That’s bid-rigging and it’s potentially illegal.”
DeSantis’ office replied to a request for comment by including a note from the Office of Open Government, a state office tasked with providing the governor and agencies guidance on open records. The note from the Office of Open Government states that it discovered the emails linked to Keefe and turned them over to the governor.
“According to Mr. Keefe, he created and sometimes used this account while in private law practice to communicate via email in this setting,” the Office of Open Government replied in the note.
DeSantis’ administration has generally been reluctant to voluntarily release details about the program. Along with being sued over public records requests, the administration still has not released the Vertol contract or specifically how the $1.5 million was spent.
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.@GovRonDeSantis top public safety adviser used email alias "Clarice Starling" (sound familiar?) in private email discussion about Florida's migrant flights
Also used encrypted communications app to talk w/CEO of vendor used to coordinate the flights
— Matt Dixon (@Mdixon55) December 28, 2022
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