Donalds backpedals on Askar accusation over text blast, asks FBI to investigate

Reporter: Rich Kolko
Published: Updated:
byron donalds
Florida State Rep. Byron Donalds announces candidacy for U.S. Congress. (Credit: Byron Donalds campaign video))

Republican congressional candidate Byron Donalds has officially filed a complaint with the FBI over a text message blast that was sent the morning of Florida Election Day primaries.

It all started with this text message that said Donalds had dropped out of the congressional race for the U.S. District 19 seat.

“Last night we finished our internal investigation as a campaign and we’ve given all that information over to the FBI and we’re going to let them take it from here,” Donalds said.

He did a Facebook Live the morning of the election after the texts were sent. In it, Donalds claimed the Casey Askar (R) campaign may be behind the attack. But,  three weeks later, Donalds is backpedaling that claim.

Donald’s also said, “Honestly right now, I don’t know, I think when I made that statement. It was at the end of a long campaign, to be honest, I was a little ticked off when you get $2 million of negative ads tossed at you from one direction, you kind of get your back up a little bit.”

He still feels the text messages that went out claiming he dropped out the race was dirty politics and criminal.

Donalds ultimately won the Republican primary and will face off against Democrat Cindy Banyai for the November general election.

We’re still working to confirm the FBI will investigate this incident.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.