Forgotten jewelry treasures for Mother’s DayFlowers fill ‘That BBQ Place’ reopening as community honors victims
FILE – In this Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004, file photo, Tiffany Carr, executive director of Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, left, speaks at a news conference held by Gov. Jeb Bush, background right, to announce a public awareness campaign designed to prevent disaster-related domestic violence, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Coale, File) Tiffany Carr is now at the center of a statewide investigation because on Thursday morning, the news broke that Gov. Ron DeSantis intends to open a criminal investigation into the former CEO of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Don Rubottom, a committee staff director, said the CEO was entitled to 210 days paid leave annually. The outrage, lawmakers said, is that Carr received over $5 million for the 210 days off. That is in addition to her nearly $800,000 salary for the leader of the organization for the last 20 years. Thomas Leek, the vice-chair of the Florida Public Integrity and Ethics Committee, said Thursday was not a good morning. “This appears to be more than a breach of the public trust,” Leek said. “This, in fact, may be criminal.” Taxpayers fund 97% of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence. They, in turn, fund local agencies and shelters statewide. The CEO of the Abuse Counseling and Treatment Center in Lee County told WINK News she is shocked by the allegations. When she saw how much money Carr took home, she thought about how much progress her organization could make with the $5 million. “Their lawyers have quit, their lobbyists have quit,” Leek said. “The only people refusing to quit are the board of directors.” So the state House committee demanded the board to resign immediately. In addition, they subpoenaed its executives on top of the governor’s formal notice calling for a criminal investigation. The Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence did not respond to request for comment.