Kissimmee mayor Jackie Espinosa suspended by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Katherine oversees editorial operations across all six brands. Before joining The Meridan Group, she spent 14 years at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where she led the metro desk through its digital transformation. She holds a Master's in Journalism from Northwestern's Medill School.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Kissimmee mayor Jackie Espinosa on Friday, following her arrest on charges of grand theft and fraud tied to $50,000 in COVID-era relief funds she received.The City of Kissimmee announced Espinosa's suspension in a midnight news release, and that Vice Mayor Angela Eady would now serve as mayor.DeSantis suspends Kissimmee mayor Jackie EspinosaUnder Florida's Constitution, the governor has the power to suspend any elected municipal official who has been indicted for a crime or arrested on any charge related to their office duties.Angela Eady will serve as the city's mayor until Espinosa's suspension is revoked, or her term ends, the city said. Eady was previously selected to stand in for some mayoral duties following Epsinosa's arrest on Oct. 21.Jackie Espinosa arrested for grand theft, fraudEspinosa was arrested on Oct. 21 on charges of grand theft and fraud tied to $50,000 in COVID-era grants that were awarded to her and/or businesses owned by her fam