ORLANDO, Fla. – As Donald Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention Thursday night, the GOP presidential nominee mentioned a prominent Orlando attorney while discussing fundraising efforts for the victims of Saturday’s shooting at a Trump rally.
“A friend of mine just called up. He sent me a check. Right here. I just got it,” said Trump as he waved the check in the air. “One million dollars. From Dan Newlin. Thank you, Dan.”
Newlin’s donation is intended to help the family of Corey Comperatore, a former Pennsylvania fire chief who was fatally shot while attending the campaign rally. The $6.3 million raised so far will also be used to assist injured spectators David Dutch and James Copenhaver, Trump said.
“For me, it was one American giving back to another American,” Newlin told News 6 as his law firm’s private jet returned to Orlando Friday. “It wasn’t Democrat, Republican, Independent. I had no idea the president even had the check with him. I took it up there because I made a commitment to help the family. I was overwhelmed.”
[RESULTS 2024: Want to vote in Florida? Here’s how to register and make sure you are eligible]
While in Milwaukee, Newlin said he had dinner with Trump and heard first-hand about the bullet that grazed Trump’s ear.
The attorney, who hosted a fundraiser for Trump at his home in April, described Trump’s speech at the convention as “electric” and compared it to watching Michael Jordan playing basketball for the Chicago Bulls in a playoff game.
“I’m so excited about the Republican Party coming a little bit more to the left and meeting people in the middle, the middle-class people the president has always supported,” said Newlin. “So I’m going to do everything I can to help the president get elected in November.”
Newlin is not the only high-powered Orlando attorney who will be assisting presidential candidates this election year.
Longtime Democratic donor John Morgan, who has previously hosted fundraising events for presidential candidates at his Central Florida home including Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, was making plans for a Biden fundraiser later this summer.
But Morgan told CNN last week that he is temporarily pausing those plans amid chatter and uncertainly about Biden staying in the race.
“I’m ready to go full steam if I can,” said Morgan, who indicated he still supports Biden as the Democratic nominee. “(I’m) ready to go full tilt.”
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: