Fort Pierce asks for help from recent foe Rep. Brian Mast in paying for Trump trial costs

FORT PIERCE — City officials are asking for help from the federal government — and particularly one of their biggest critics, Rep. Brian Mast — with paying costs associated with the trial of former President Donald Trump.

In a television interview late last year, Mast called Fort Pierce "dilapidated" and called on Mayor Linda Hudson to resign. That followed a social media post in which he criticized the city after the apparent theft of tires and rims from his wife's minivan.

Mast, police chief discuss 'options'

Mimms on Monday told the City Commission that Police Chief Diane Hobley-Burney would meet with Mast "to review the continual costs of security and law enforcement services for the federal trial across the street," referring to the hearings that have been held in the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse.

The two, in fact, spoke on the phone Thursday.

Mast's office was "actively exploring options to assist with the financial burden that (Trump's trial) is causing the department," spokesperson Savanah Bustin said in an email Thursday.

At issue are the significant resources the city and its police must use for each hearing in the federal classified-documents case, particularly when those hearings are attended by the former president and current presumptive Republican nominee.

The city's budget is just $58 million, Commissioner Michael Broderick noted on Monday, a number that he said leaves people "stunned." Money to pay for the trial costs are coming out of the city's emergency fund, Broderick said.

"The city is going to put out hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in the protection of the city, its citizens and all participants of this event, and simply we're not in the financial position to do that, so we need the federal government's help," Broderick said.

The discussion came as Broderick brought up another meeting — held about two weeks ago between Mast's local staff and the city's grants team — aimed at helping secure other federal funds.

"We all know that there has been some significant criticism of the city of Fort Pierce from our congressman, Brian Mast," Broderick said. "In an effort to seek cooperation, I requested a meeting with his local representatives and our entire local grants team."

'Start of greater things to come'?

If Mast and the city can work together to gain some federal reimbursement for the trial costs, maybe it can lead to a healing of the rocky relationship, Broderick suggested.

"If we can break the ice on working with Congressman Mast's office in that vein, maybe that's the start of greater things to come," Broderick said.

In general, Broderick said, he hopes Mast can help address some of the problems for which he's criticized the city.

"If you're going to criticize the city of Fort Pierce and our operations, let's get everybody at the table to participate in fixing the problem," Broderick said.

Mayor Linda Hudson, who did not address Mast directly in her comments, said the strain put on the Police Department is more than just financial.

More: Rep. Brian Mast trashed Fort Pierce and its mayor, Linda Hudson. The question is: Why now?

More: Trump arrives for third hearing in Fort Pierce courtroom, first as presumptive GOP nominee

"In addition to the financial cost, it's taken a big toll on our Police Department, all the overtime and the hard work that they've had to do, and I think we all need to be mindful of the strain it is putting not just on our finances but on our personnel," Hudson said.

Previously, in response to Mast's criticism, Hudson has said she shares his goal of making the city better.

Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at wicker.perlis@tcpalm.com and 504-331-0516.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Will Rep. Brian Mast help the Fort Pierce officials he has criticized?