This text initially appeared on JoeHoft.com and was republished with permission.
Florida is furious. They wish to know why Governor DeSantis handed up good candidates to select a controversial candidate for Sheriff of their county.
The native St. Lucie press reported on the transfer this week.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointment of Lt. Keith Pearson to be sheriff after the abrupt resignation of longtime Sheriff Ken Mascara shocked native Republican leaders, who requested DeSantis to rethink the choice.
DeSantis, a Republican, on Friday tapped Pearson the identical day Mascara, a Democrat in his sixth term, notified the governor about his sudden retirement.
In a letter Mascara launched Friday afternoon to the general public, he cited ongoing “health issues.” A number of makes an attempt to succeed in Mascara for remark since Friday’s announcement had been unsuccessful.
By Monday, Pearson had filed paperwork as part of running as a Republican within the 2024 sheriff’s election.
Kenny Nail, chairman of the St. Lucie County Republican Govt Committee, stated he was “speechless.”
“Pearson’s name made no sense,” Nail stated, including he questioned how a lieutenant may very well be promoted previous increased rating people on the company.
He stated DeSantis’ workplace didn’t talk with native occasion officers earlier than Pearson’s appointment, which he stated was uncommon.
“Every state Legislator in this county is Republican, Toby Overdorf, Dana Trabulsy, Gayle Harrell, Erin Grall, all four of them are, and for him not to consult any of them or the chairman, something smells like fish,” Nail stated.
An area GOP group within the county held a press convention to encourage DeSantis to vary his choose. They ask why did DeSantis choose a controversial sheriff of their county.
Right here is the native GOP members’ place:
We Demand the Elimination of Sheriff Pearson! The brand new St. Lucie sheriff has been appointed by our governor with zero discover, no open applicant course of skipping over increased ranked deputies, in what appears like a scheme by former sheriff Mascara to place his most well-liked man as incumbent for the 2024 election. And the following enterprise day after discovering out half-hour earlier than it was introduced, Pearson filed to run for sheriff in 2024. Wow that’s fast. Did we point out the Florida Division of Legislation Enforcement report implicating Sheriff Pearson in a scheme to illegally affect the end result of the 2020 sheriff election in St. Lucie. Why was Pearson, an worker beneath Sheriff Mascara, putting out campaign signs for Mascara’s opponent on the course of Mascara himself?!?
From the FDLE Report: “On multiple instances from May 15, 2020 through November 3, 2020, Keith Pearson, knowingly conspired, confederated, abetted, and aided Ken Mascara while he was the incumbent St. Lucie County Sheriff and seeking re-election for said office in the 2020 election cycle, to facilitate Kevin Carter’s “ghost” candidacy within the 2020 St. Lucie County Sheriff race, to wit: asisting to create Carter’s marketing campaign propaganda indicators, which he assisted in inserting via St. Lucie County. Keith Pearson carried out stated actions as a way to help Ken Mascara to siphon votes from established Republican candidate Wealthy Williams within the 2020 St. Lucie County Sheriff race.”
Right here is the investigation into Pearson that began this yr.
