Florida MAGA’s favorite fascist-inspired Governor, Ron DeSantis, has another scandal on his hands. This time over the suicide of a businessman he endorsed and who was implicated in a child sex abuse scandal.
Kent Stermon, appointed by DeSantis to the Board of Governors of the Florida state university system in 2019, was also a board member for the Boys and Girls Club in Jacksonville.
The 50-year-old Republican was found dead in his car on Thursday, shortly after being named in a local Sheriff’s office investigation into his activities.
In what could be seen as a political move, local law enforcement officials downplayed the GOP politician’s untimely death, remaining tight-lipped and close to the vest when talking about the unfortunate occurrence.
“This investigation remains ongoing at this time,” said Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, “As with all active investigations, there is limited information available to release at this time,” local NBC affiliate, First Coast News reported.
Kent Stermon was appointed to the Florida Board of Governors by DeSantis in 2019 and served on several nonprofit boards including Boys and Girls club. https://t.co/s0DgHvji97
— ๐๐๐ค๐ฌ (@antifaoperative) December 9, 2022
Stermon made political headway in Duval County’s Republican political inner circles after being appointed to the Board โ and is credited with being the catalyst to DeSantis’ rise to political power.
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According to Florida Politics reporter, A.J. Gancarski, who knew the political kingmaker:
“Kent was very influential, you wouldn’t have Ron DeSantis as governor without Kent Stermon. You wouldn’t have the Lenny Curry machine working quite the way it does without Kent. He was big with everything in the local party and the state party,” said Gancarski.
As the overseer of the state’s public colleges and universities, this friend of the Governor had access and opportunity with those under his purview.
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During DeSantis’ limited and uneventful congressional tenure, the politically hungry DeSantis rented a condo that the Total Military Management (TMM) founder owned.
The former congressman’s company donated tens of thousands of dollars to the Florida governor’s campaign and to his Republican allies through TMM, and his untimely death will be a huge loss in donor circles.
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DeSantis and his wife Casey expressed their sorrow at the death of Stermon โ through a spokesman of course.
“The Governor and First Lady were shocked and saddened to hear of Kent’s passing,” DeSantis’ office said. “Their prayers (and our entire office’s prayers) are with his family during this difficult time.”
They claim to be unaware of any of the allegations lobbied against one of their biggest supporters.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is still investigating both the charges against Stermon and the details surrounding his death.
Original reporting by Sarah Glenn and Anne Schindler at First Coast News.ย
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