DeSantis Suspends Another Republican Public Official After Arrest for Kickback Scheme

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

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.