Senate declines to confirm Tina Descovich to Commission on Ethics

Image via AP.

A Gov. Ron DeSantis Commission on Ethics appointee won’t be considered by the Senate this year, but Senate President Kathleen Passidomo says not to read too much into the decision.

Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich will remain in the post despite the Senate declining to confirm her this Session.

“You know, she was appointed sort of late in the process. And one of our Senators in committee expressed concerns about her appointment,” Passidomo said, referring to the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee.

“When we looked at it, we realized it’s a two-year process. The Governor could reappoint her, so we didn’t feel pressure to do anything.”

Passidomo pointed to a “citizen … complaint” that “politicized our process.” That complaint, from Melbourne’s Robert Burns, was first reported by the Florida Bulldog website. Burns alleges that Descovich’s work for Moms for Liberty is tantamount to lobbying.

“And that troubles me because that’s not what we do,” Passidomo added. “So put it on hold and if the Governor reappoints her, then she’ll come back, it’ll give us an opportunity to get through the whole process.”

That process won’t be while Passidomo is President. However, Descovich will be reappointed and will stay on the board until at least next Legislative Session.

As the Governor’s Office noted last year, the nominee “was previously elected to the School Board of Brevard County in 2016 and served as the President of the Florida Coalition of School Board Members. Descovich earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Valdosta State University.”

Even though the Southern Poverty Law Center calls Moms for Liberty an “extremist” group, such warnings clearly haven’t caused the Governor to shy away from seeking the organization’s support. As well, DeSantis and the Moms worked together in the 2022 election cycle, focusing on School Board races against candidates opposed to the Governor’s educational agenda.

DeSantis spoke to the same group last year, which extolled “the Gladiator Governor” and “his vision for Florida and the future of a free America” as “strong on Liberty with no time for woke nonsense!”

DeSantis hasn’t been shy about putting Moms for Liberty members in prominent places. Last year, he appointed Duval County’s Esther Byrd to the Florida Board of Education.