(DCWatchdog.com) – Steve Alembik, a 72-year-old donor to political figures such as President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has reportedly taken his own life in a bizarre attempted murder-suicide. The incident occurred in a BurgerFi parking lot in Delray Beach.
The other victim, an unidentified woman in her 40s believed to be Alembik’s wife, survived after being shot by Alembik. She sought refuge inside the burger establishment with gunshot injuries to her arm and back and was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Alembik had gained attention due to his political donations, having contributed over $200,000 over the past two decades. This included significant amounts to both Trump and DeSantis.
However, Alembik became notably controversial in 2018 when he made a derogatory remark about former President Barack Obama and expressed an offensive sentiment about then-Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
In response to criticism, Alembik defended using the “n-word,” referencing comedian Chris Rock and stating, “So somebody like Chris Rock can get up on stage and use the word and there’s no problem? But some white guy says it and he’s a racist? Really?”
In light of his controversial remarks, political figures like Rick Scott and DeSantis distanced themselves from Alembik. Scott redirected the donation he received from Alembik to the Shriners Hospital, while a PAC supporting DeSantis returned $11,000 from Alembik.
However, it was later revealed that DeSantis’s re-election campaign and an associated PAC accepted over $5,000 from Alembik in subsequent years.
In 2017, Alembik also garnered media attention for relocating a charity gala for his pro-Israel organization, Truth About Israel, to Mar-a-Lago after several charities withdrew their events from the venue due to comments made by Trump regarding the Charlotteville incident. During this event, Alembik expressed his support for Trump, highlighting his stance on Israel.
Alembik’s fundraising efforts resulted in over $7,500 in contributions to committees supporting Trump. Both the Trump and DeSantis campaigns have been approached for comments.
Regarding the shooting, its underlying motive remains uncertain. However, individuals acquainted with Alembik highlighted his past mental health challenges. Notably, Alembik had a prior arrest in 2018 on domestic violence charges, which were eventually dismissed.
