OAN Commentary by: Theodore R. Malloch
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
In what conservatives are calling a blatant act of political persecution; the Biden Justice Department’s Middle District of Florida launched a legal assault four days before the change of administration on former State Representative Carolina Amesty — a young Latina Republican who has quickly become a rising MAGA star in Florida and national politics.
Amesty, a former Florida state representative and a proud supporter of President Donald Trump, is known for her bold advocacy on conservative causes, including religious freedom and anti-human trafficking efforts. As a prominent Latina voice in the GOP, she symbolizes the growing wave of Hispanic Americans rejecting progressive politics and embracing the America First movement.
Now, Amesty finds herself in the crosshairs of Biden’s remanent DOJ in the middle district, which has filed federal charges accusing her of mishandling COVID-era small business loans tied to religious institutions governed by boards. It is clearly political lawfare — the use of the legal system as a political weapon to silence, intimidate, and discredit high-profile Republican figures.
Amesty is represented by Brad Bondi, a high-powered litigator who is considered the best defense lawyer in the country. Over the years, Bondi has represented some big names like Trump Media Technology Group, Tesla, Vice President Cheney, Carnival Corporation, Lincoln Financial Group, and Trevor Milton. Bondi is a warrior’s warrior, a combination of a brilliant strategist and a real street fight. He has represented wrongfully accused on both sides of the aisle, and he has been a champion for individual liberties. Although Bondi is not political himself, he is widely respected by the administration and was reportedly on the short list for Chairman of the SEC.
Bondi and his all-star team at Paul Hastings argue the loans made to Amesty were legitimate, repaid and secured with collateral, point out that the businesses suffered no losses to taxpayers. It is very clear through public records that the organizations in question existed years prior to the covid-19 pandemic and are governed by board of directors. It’s also clear that these organizations became targets because of their unwavering support for President Donald J. Trump in the 2020 and 2024 elections. Furthermore, her legal team emphasized that Amesty proactively sought guidance from the Small Business Administration to ensure compliance, spending hours on the phone to clarify loan use — never the actions of someone engaged in fraud.
What stands out to critics is the selective nature of the prosecution. Across the country, countless cases of actual COVID relief fraud — some involving millions — have been quietly settled or left uncharged. Yet, a conservative Latina, affiliated with evangelical religious institutions, is aggressively pursued by federal prosecutors. The loans in question are of religious organizations who have never missed a payment and were used appropriately to sustain the board led religious organizations operations.
Florida’s conservative circles view the charges as part of a broader campaign by the Biden administration to target vocal Trump allies and religious conservatives. By going after a young, charismatic Latina Republican, critics say the DOJ is sending a chilling message: minority conservatives who defy the progressive narrative will be punished.
This isn’t the first time Amesty has faced legal harassment. A previous state-level case fabricated by the Orlando Sentinel sought to defeat her at the polls. To her supporters, this pattern of repeated legal attacks signals an intentional effort to damage her reputation and derail her political future.
Despite the mounting pressure, Amesty has remained defiant, vowing to continue fighting for conservative values and religious freedom. Her supporters, including national MAGA leaders, see her as a symbol of resilience — a young Latina woman refusing to be silenced by a federal government they believe has been weaponized against its own citizens.
As calls grow for Interim U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe to drop the politically charged case, the broader question remains: Will the Department of Justice in the Middle District of Florida continue down the path of targeting religious organizations and MAGA leaders, or will it uphold its duty to end the weaponization of government.
For many watching this unfold in Florida and beyond, the answer signals just how far the Biden administration’s remaining loyalists inside the DOJ are willing to go to silence political opponents and crush political opposition — and how determined this new generation of conservative leaders is to put a stop to political weaponization and the attacks on Christian organizations.
The charges against Amesty reportedly stem from a fabricated dossier by a private investigator hired by a political rival. It is a classic playbook used many times by the Biden administration as cover for its politically motivated prosecution. This is reminiscent of the infamous and widely discredited Steele Dossier behind the infamous Russian Hoax. The outstanding Ed Martin and his task force are focused on rooting out this sort of corruption within the DOJ. It cannot continue.
(Views expressed by guest commentators may not reflect the views of OAN or its affiliates.)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT MALLOCH, scholar, diplomat, strategistwas a professor at Yale and Oxford. He was to be Trump’s ambassador to the EU but was made Persona Non Grata by that body. The only American with that credit. His memoir, Davos Aspen & Yale is a best seller. His new book, GREATNESS, The TRUMP REVOLUTION and Coming Golden Age of America is out in September.