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Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, who heads the state’s Division of Consumer Services, is threatening to levy fines on an organization associated with a former Trump attorney.

The Division alleges Defending the Republic Inc. has been soliciting donations from Floridians without registering with the state.

Defending the Republic’s website is full of information questioning the safety of COVID vaccines and the legitimacy of the 2020 election.

On the front page is the name of former Trump attorney Sidney Powell, known for claiming she would ‘release the kraken’ during post election-litigation.

Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried alleges the organization has been unlawfully soliciting donations from Floridians, by failing to register as a charity.

“My job is to hold everybody accountable regardless of the mission of that organization and regardless of where their money is allegedly going,” said Fried.

The Division of Consumer Services is threatening a $5,000 fine for the alleged violation and additional $10,000 fine for deceptive practices.

“They posted a disclosure, claiming to be registered in the State of Florida,” said Rick Kimsey, Director of the Florida Division of Consumer Services.

When we Googled the West Palm Beach address listed on the organization’s website it appeared to direct donations to a mailbox at a UPS store in the city.

Fried said when the Division confronted the organization, Defending the Republic gave this response.

“They intimated, ‘Oh, that’s not us. You’ve got the wrong people’,” said Fried.

The Commissioner had this message for Powell.

“If you take advantage of Floridians, if you think the rules don’t apply to you, we will release a kraken of our own,” said Fried.

Defending the Republic has 21 days to respond or come into compliance with state law if it hopes to avoid fines and further consequences.

The Division of Consumer Services said it is not aware of how much money Defending the Republic may have solicited from Florida residents.

We contacted an attorney representing Defending the Republic, but he said he wasn’t prepared to issue a statement, as he claimed when we sent the the subpoena and administrative complaint filed by the Division, it was the first time he had seen documents.