I guess we should start with the FDLE. That's the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. In some states, that would be called the state police.
The Tampa Bay Times has the story.
Times/Herald interviews and public records reveal that:
• Scott's campaign asked Bailey to take part in a June conference call to discuss "the governor's platform for the next four years." Bailey considered it wrong for him, as a law enforcement officer, to engage in partisan politics and emails show he refused. On Tuesday, Scott's chief spokeswoman, Jackie Schutz, said: "Obviously, FDLE did the right thing."
• Bailey complained to Scott's chief counsel, Pete Antonacci, that he was receiving solicitations to donate money to Scott's re-election on his state computer. When he complained to Antonacci, Bailey said he was told, "Just delete it." It's illegal in Florida to destroy public records. Scott's office said no state employees received email solicitations unless they gave an email address to the campaign, which Bailey said he didn't do.
• In March 2014, the Republican Party, on Scott's behalf, tried to send the FDLE a check for $90,000 to cover the costs of transporting Scott campaign workers in state vehicles to ensure that no state cars were used for campaign purposes. The FDLE refused the money, saying it had no legal authority to accept it and that it was inappropriate to take money from a political party. The check was dated March 4, 2014, and was voided a week later, the Republican Party's campaign finance database shows. Scott's office said a new check for $90,151.50 was written to the state general revenue fund in April. "We properly reimbursed the state," Schutz said. "Everything was paid for properly."
• FDLE agents in Southwest Florida rejected requests by Scott's campaign that they transport Meghan Collins, a campaign staffer assigned to first lady Ann Scott. The agency said it is responsible for transporting the governor and first lady, not campaign workers. Collins, now chief spokeswoman for the Department of Education, did not respond to a request for comment.
So the man had to go.
Bailey said Antonacci arrived at his office on the morning of Dec. 16 and delivered a three-word ultimatum: "Retire or resign."
He said he was told by Antonacci to write a brief letter of resignation, pack his belongings and vacate his office by 5 p.m., a little more than a week before Christmas. Bailey said he was later told to be out by 3 p.m. as word of the move reached the press corps.
Bailey is the now former FDLE Commissioner, Gerald Bailey.
Antonacci is the Governor Scott's chief counsel, Pete Antonacci.
It seems the Governor didn't think Bailey was subservient enough and didn't want him actually doing things like investigating murders within the prison system.
Please follow the link for the complete story.
