2 Florida county commissioners from The Villages removed after perjury charges

Gov. Ron DeSantis removed the men from office several weeks after they were charged with lying during an investigation of possible Sunshine Law violations.

TALLAHASSEE — Two county commissioners in central Florida were suspended from office Thursday, several weeks after being arrested and charged with lying during an investigation of possible Sunshine Law violations.

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued two executive orders to remove Sumter County commissioners Oren Miller and Gary Search from their elected offices until their criminal cases are resolved, in accordance with state law. Miller and Search were arrested Dec. 15 and charged with perjury.

DeSantis, Miller and Search are all Republicans. Miller and Search are both residents of The Villages, a massive retirement community.

Florida’s Sunshine Law requires public access for any gathering of two or more members of the same government board to discuss a matter that could foreseeably come before that board for action. The Fifth Circuit State Attorney’s Office initially received three complaints last year that Miller and Search were communicating through Miller’s wife.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2022/01/07/2-florida-county-commissioners-from-the-villages-removed-after-perjury-charges/