DeSantis Suspends Another Republican Public Official After Arrest for Kickback Scheme

DeSantis Suspends Another Republican Public Official After Arrest for Kickback Scheme

Chris Nelson
Chris Nelson
|
September 21, 2023

Governor Ron DeSantis has suspended another public official after he was arrested following a corruption probe.

DeSantis issued an Executive Order suspending Kirk B. Reams, a Republican, from his position as Clerk of the Courts for Jefferson County just hours after his arrest yesterday.
"It is in the best interests of the residents of Jefferson County, and the citizens of the State of Florida, that Kirk B. Reams be immediately suspended from the public office," the governor wrote in his executive order.
Reams, 46, was arrested on a single charge of grand theft for allegedly misusing the office credit card to the tune of over $100,000, and for an organized scheme to defraud by allegedly taking part in a kickback scheme and misappropriating funds to the tune of over $50,000.
Kirk Reams, Jefferson County Sheriffs Office

Reams, the former chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party, had been under investigation by The Florida Department of Law Enforcement since 2021 after receiving reports of criminal misconduct involving his office. He was accused of scheming with two others to defraud the county of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The two other men were arrested were financial consultant Warren “Charles” Culp Jr., 52, of Tallahassee and Justin “Tyler” McNeill, 40, of Monticello, a former deputy clerk of court and human resource director for the Jefferson County Commission.

"The complaint also alleged that Reams and Culp fraudulently misappropriated funds from the Jefferson Board of County Commissioners’ (BOCC) bank account, and that Reams used his position to establish a contract kickback scheme by which he, Culp and McNeill plotted to illegally enrich themselves.  Through the varying schemes, Reams, Culp and McNeill defrauded Jefferson County of over $800,000 in public funds.," FDLE said in a press release.

This move comes just days after DeSantis suspended Republican Miami City Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla after he was charged following a corruption probe.

 

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Chris Nelson

Chris Nelson

Chris Nelson is a videographer and investigative reporter based in Fort Lauderdale. Chris covers breaking news, and local and state politics, and focuses on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. His work has been cited on Fox News and Epoch Times.

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