Sheriff Pearson (again) under FDLE command for alleged election law violations

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

1 4 minutes read

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson for alleged election law violations.

You don't have to take my word for it. Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed that the FDLE was investigating Pearson in an executive order he issued on June 4. You can read the decree online.

The order is only a few pages long, but DeSantis broke the news of the FDLE investigation in his introduction:

“WHEREAS, The Honorable THOMAS BAKKEDAHL, State Attorney for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, has informed Governor RON DESANTIS that Keith Pearson is under investigation by the Department of Law Enforcement Florida law for violating the election code,” the order begins.

The order says that because Bakkedahl supported Richard Del Toro, one of Pearson's opponents in the August Republican primary election, any charges should be handled by Phil Archer, state's attorney for the 18th Judicial Circuit. Florida.

St. Lucia's top cop may have his own legal troubles

Needless to say. As prosecutor for the 19th Judicial Circuit, Bakkedahl must work with whoever serves as St. Lucie County sheriff. For this reason, common sense would dictate that he recuse himself from any investigation involving the sheriff, whether or not he has political support.

In fact, Bakkedahl said Thursday he asked the governor to find another prosecutor to handle the case when he learned the FDLE was investigating and there appeared to be a chance charges could be filed.

It's kind of a boilerplate legal trick.

But let's not lose sight of the fact that St. Lucie County's top law enforcement official is himself under investigation for possible criminal activity. Again.

Remember, Archer's office was tasked with overseeing an investigation when Pearson and his predecessor, Democrat Ken Mascara, were accused of supporting a “ghost candidate” in the 2020 Republican primary. Mascara was accused of recruiting a Republican candidate to run against a primary opponent that Mascara did not want to face in the general election.

Pearson was involved in that investigation, implicated as someone who made and placed campaign signs for Kevin Carter, a retired St. Lucie County deputy who beat former highway patrol officer Richard Williams in of the Republican primary. Mascara defeated Carter in the general election that year.

The FDLE report in this case made some pretty harsh statements about Mascara and Pearson. The FDLE investigation summary noted quite conclusively that “Mascara and others hatched a plan in May 2020, to install a straw candidate to run against Williams in the Republican primary in the hopes that Williams would lose the Republican nomination and would be eliminated from the race. against Mascara in the general election.

Of Pearson, the FDLE said he “knowingly conspired, confederated, encouraged, and assisted Ken Mascara…to facilitate” an alleged shadow candidate.

Another election-related case involving Pearson

Archer's office concluded there was not enough evidence to file criminal charges against Mascara, Pearson or others involved in the investigation. However, many questions remain, in light of the evidence uncovered by the FDLE, about whether the decision not to prosecute was the right one.

The St. Lucie County Republican Party filed an ethics complaint against Pearson for the same allegations, although it was later dismissed by the State Ethics Commission.

Bakkedahl said he was not familiar with the details of the FDLE's latest investigation into Pearson. However, he said this was separate from the investigation into the 2020 election.

“It’s something new,” Bakkedahl said. “This has nothing to do with (the earlier investigation).”

The FDLE did not respond to an inquiry about the latest investigation. It's not unusual either. The state agency rarely, if ever, shares details of investigations until after its course.

Neither the governor's office nor Pearson's office responded to a request for information Thursday afternoon.

Since this investigation has been going on for several months, Pearson probably has a pretty good idea of what the FDLE is investigating. He could reassure the public by telling us what he knows, especially if he believes he has done nothing wrong and has nothing to hide.

After all, he told us in his very first press conference after his appointment last December that transparency was his “number one goal.”

When are we going to start getting this transparency?

He has not been transparent about many things related to his six-plus months in office.

He did not share with us that one of his political allies organized a large fundraiser for DeSantis' then-active presidential campaign, and then that ally and several members of his family made six-figure contributions to the campaign . This happened just days before Mascara resigned under mysterious circumstances and DeSantis named Pearson to replace Mascara.

Pearson said he was surprised by the appointment, even though records provided by the governor's office clearly show that preparations for the transition were being made days or even weeks in advance.

So it would be a shock if Pearson decided to share what he knows about the latest FDLE investigation, but every day there is new hope.

It would be great to know more about this investigation, but I doubt the FDLE will make videos of Pearson on TikTok or other social media, like they do with the suspects deputies have apprehended.

Pearson certainly treats the suspects he presents in social media videos as if they are presumed guilty, even though that is not how our justice system is organized.

I wonder if he will have a different view on the presumption of innocence now that he is under investigation. Again.

Perhaps the FDLE will complete its investigation and Archer's office will again decide there is not enough evidence to warrant charges. Still, it's not a good idea for a sheriff to become the subject of an investigation himself.

Lina Portman

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