WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — We usually see the merchandising of t-shirts, hats, and coozies at rock concerts, with logos of a band on the front, and tour dates on the back.
The Republican Party of Florida is using this kind of merch to raise money and Alligator Alcatraz is selling.
WATCH BELOW: WPTV's Dave Bohman talks with Florida GOP Chair Evan Power
"I think we're over $50,000 on the first couple of days on this,” said Florida GOP Chair Evan Power.
He sees opportunity in the phrase and the concept of “Alligator Alcatraz.”
So much so, the party hired an artist to design merch that was launched on its website a few days ago.
"We've sold thousands of shirts, thousands of hats, and thousands of cozies since then," said Power.
"We're demeaning a lot of people by doing this and it just seems the kind of thing Floridians shouldn't be proud of," counters political analyst Brian Crowley, who notes critics call the facility cruel, unnecessary, and set close to land Native Americans call sacred.
Crowley is concerned about the fundraising by using the backdrop of a detention facility where some inmates have committed no crime other than entering the country illegally.
"The idea of making money off of people because they get excited about a new gimmick that they've got, you know, it's the Walmart of politics: sell, sell, sell, sell, sell," said Crowley.
Does Florida GOP Chair Power have any ethical concerns over the merch?
“No,” responded Evan Power. “It fires up our voters because they're just tired of the Biden Administration prioritizing illegals over residents of Florida and residents of the United States of America."
Power says the “Alligator Alcatraz” merchandise is even outdoing its last best seller, the “Florida’s Man” series, showing a map of Florida surrounding a profile of President Trump.
Power points out that the t-shirts, the hats, and the coozies are all made in America.
