This text initially appeared on JoeHoft.com and was republished with permission.
Florida is furious. They need 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 “well being points.” A number of makes an attempt to succeed in Mascara for remark since Friday’s announcement have 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 Government Committee, mentioned he was “speechless.”
“Pearson’s identify made no sense,” Nail mentioned, including he questioned how a lieutenant may very well be promoted previous increased rating people on the company.
He mentioned DeSantis’ workplace didn’t talk with native social gathering officers earlier than Pearson’s appointment, which he mentioned was uncommon.
“Each state Legislator on this county is Republican, Toby Overdorf, Dana Trabulsy, Gayle Harrell, Erin Grall, all 4 of them are, and for him to not seek the advice of any of them or the chairman, one thing smells like fish,” Nail mentioned.
An area GOP group within the county held a press convention to encourage DeSantis to alter 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 Removing 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 to be like like a scheme by former sheriff Mascara to place his most well-liked man as incumbent for the 2024 election. And the subsequent 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 below Sheriff Mascara, putting out campaign signs for Mascara’s opponent on the course of Mascara himself?!?
From the FDLE Report: “On a number of situations from Might 15, 2020 by way of November 3, 2020, Keith Pearson, knowingly conspired, confederated, abetted, and aided Ken Mascara whereas he was the incumbent St. Lucie County Sheriff and searching for re-election for mentioned workplace within 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 by way of St. Lucie County. Keith Pearson carried out mentioned actions with a purpose 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.