Nikki Fried calls on Gov. DeSantis to suspend Commissioner Baugh from public office
Florida’s highest-ranking elected Democrat is calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to suspend Commissioner Vanessa Baugh from the Manatee Board of County Commissioners over her role in putting together an exclusive vaccine site.
In a pair of letters to both DeSantis and members of Congress, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried called for an investigation into the site, as well as Baugh’s suspension from public office.
The Bradenton Herald previously reported on how Baugh worked with Lakewood Ranch developer Rex Jensen to establish a pop-up site for two of Manatee’s wealthiest zip codes. An email to staff also revealed that Baugh put herself and four others on the list to receive vaccines.
According to Baugh, the site was DeSantis’ idea, but both officials have faced stiff criticism from residents and fellow politicians.
“Baugh admitted that she skipped the line ahead of qualifying Floridians under your executive order, a clear abrogation of her public trust,” Fried wrote in her letter to DeSantis. “The allegations against Baugh have been called ‘legally well-founded’ and ‘serious crimes regarding official misconduct,’ that, if convicted, could lead to a prison sentence.”
“I hereby request that you immediately suspend Vanessa Baugh from public office. I expect that, despite her being your noted political ally, you will do so with all due haste in the name of Floridians denied vaccines whose lives hang in the balance,” the letter continued.
Fried’s letter comes after a criminal complaint was submitted to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, which has begun investigating the case.
Baugh is also facing a potential judgment from the Florida Commission on Ethics, which recently received a formal complaint from Jennifer Hamey, an Ellenton-based attorney. Hamey alleges that Baugh misused her position as an elected official to schedule vaccine appointments for friends.
“When (Baugh) took the position, she was aware, or should have been aware, of her responsibilities under the Florida Statute, Florida Administrative Code and the Florida Constitution to never misuse her position of power for her benefit or the benefits of friends and family,” Hamey wrote in a 10-page complaint submitted last week.
Baugh has publicly apologized for her actions, but the Manatee County Commission made an unsuccessful attempt to strip Baugh of her title as chairman of the board last week. Ahead of last week’s public meeting, about 30 residents protested outside to demand Baugh’s resignation.
Baugh did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning. In a statement provided to the Bradenton Herald on Friday, Baugh’s attorney, George Levesque, downplayed the investigation and reiterated that their client had not broken any laws.
“Commissioner Vanessa Baugh is aware of the ridiculous and false allegations levied by Mike Barfield through a complaint to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office,” Levesque said. “During her tenure as a duly elected public official, Commissioner Baugh has faithfully fulfilled her duties to the letter of the law.”
In a second letter to the U.S. House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Fried urged congressional leaders to conduct an investigation into allegations of “political favoritism,” pointing to other reports that highlighted pop-up sites in wealthy communities linked to developers who have sizable donations to DeSantis’ campaign.
“Given the numerous serious questions regarding the Governor’s impartiality and potential political corruption in distributing life-saving vaccines, I encourage your committee to initiate a congressional inquiry into Florida’s vaccine distribution procedures, including compelling the production of any testimony, records, and documents as you see fit,” Fried wrote.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, has also demanded accountability in the situation, calling for a separate investigation into “blatantly political vaccine distribution decisions” by the U.S. Department of Justice.
This story was originally published March 1, 2021 at 11:34 AM.
