Sayfie Review Roundup - July 25, 2015
Florida's top headlines that attracted the most
readers on Sayfie Review this week
Marc Caputo - Politico - July 22, 2015
...In his highly touted speech on government reform this week, Jeb Bush accused President Barack Obama of waiting too long to remove tainted appointees, saying he would take on "Mount Washington" in the same way he made "Mount Tallahassee" more accountable when he was governor of Florida.
"Don't get me wrong: During my time in Florida, government wasn't perfect," Bush said on Monday. "But part of being a strong leader is accepting responsibility when things go wrong. ... And when senior people in my administration violated the public's trust, they were removed from their jobs."
But Bush's eight-year record shows he often stood by appointees who were mired in scandal or mismanagement until long after damaging revelations emerged, and in only three reported instances clearly fired agency heads - including one in the wake of a sexual harassment allegation and another who was implicated in a kickback scheme.
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Associated Press - July 23, 2015
... Scott and the three elected members of the Cabinet voted to hold a formal search for the jobs because they were criticized over how FDLE Commissioner Richard Swearingen was initially picked. But after reviewing applicants they voted in June to interview only Swearingen.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, however, said she wanted to interview other applicants for the DEP post held by Jon Steverson.
A spokesman for Bondi's office said Thursday she had changed her mind. Whitney Ray said that Bondi had done an "extensive review" of people who applied for the job and decided against interviewing other candidates.
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Citrus Department Director Doug Ackerman Resigns After Arrest
Kevin Bouffard - Lakeland Ledger - July 20, 2015
...Doug Ackerman resigned Monday as executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus following his Wednesday evening arrest on a misdemeanor drunken driving charge and several traffic citations stemming from a traffic accident in South Lakeland.
The resignation came at the request of Marty McKenna, chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission, the department's governing body, who told Ackerman he had lost confidence in him because of his conduct during and after the arrest.
McKenna noted Ackerman failed to show up for work Thursday and Friday at the Citrus Department's Bartow headquarters and refused to take McKenna's call Saturday morning. They talked later that day, at which time McKenna asked for his resignation.
