Race Day Live Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently addressed concerns over accusations against Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
Speaking at a roundtable event on January 28 at Florida Gulf Coast University, DeSantis discussed illegal immigration and the consequences for law enforcement officials who fail to uphold the law.
He also responded to questions about a federal investigation involving Sheriff Marceno.
DeSantis made it clear that he has the power to discipline or suspend elected county officials if they are found guilty of wrongdoing.
He listed reasons for suspension, including neglect of duty, incompetence, or misconduct such as drunkenness. However, he emphasized that action would only be taken based on solid evidence.
“You gotta have the facts laid out,” DeSantis said, warning against misleading media reports. He pointed out that he has removed officials before, referencing his decision to suspend Broward County officials after the 2018 Parkland school shooting.
The tragic incident left 17 people dead, and DeSantis said the officials responsible for the failure to act should have been removed sooner.
DeSantis has also taken action against other officials in the past. He suspended former Cape Coral council member Patty Cummings over election fraud charges.
However, when asked about the accusations against Sheriff Marceno, he said he had not yet received a full briefing on the situation.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the governor’s comments in a statement, saying DeSantis has the authority to remove public officials if there is enough evidence.
However, they dismissed media speculation and said Sheriff Marceno remains focused on serving the people of Lee County.
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The controversy began when Marceno’s election opponent released a recording of a former sheriff’s office contractor in 2024.
The recording included accusations that Marceno laundered taxpayer money through a relative. A federal grand jury is now looking into construction permits related to the sheriff’s office and Marceno’s home.
Despite the ongoing investigation, Marceno has not been charged with any crime. He has strongly denied the accusations, calling them politically motivated.
His attorney, Donald Day, previously stated that he expects Marceno to be cleared soon.
Marceno was reelected as sheriff in November, winning by a large margin with 90% of the vote. He was sworn in for his new term on December 5 in a private ceremony.
As of now, the investigation is ongoing, and it remains unclear if any action will be taken against him.
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