Jacob Ogles
Lake County Republican Party Chair Taylor Yarkosky faces renewed calls for his resignation after closing a meeting to some members. That includes one woman who says an individual blocking her entry put her in the hospital after smashing her hand in a door.
Autumn Jacunski, a GOP Precinct Committee member, filed a lawsuit saying party Vice Chair Mike Trainor blocked her entry to a meeting at the Leesburg Community Center. In her legal complaint, she said a door was ultimately slammed on her hand, damaging it badly enough that she had to go to an emergency room.
“Plaintiff Jacunski was physically battered by a member of the LCREC (Lake County Republican Executive Committee — her hand intentionally crushed in a steel door,” the complaint reads.
The lawsuit was filed by her attorney, Anthony Sabatini, who preceded Yarkosky as county party chair and now sits on the Lake County Commission.
Yarkosky also serves in the Florida House. He and Sabatini have publicly battled for months over the direction of the local party.
But now several other local Republican leaders are joining a call for new leadership.
Former Lake County Property Appraiser Carey Baker, a former state Senator, was among those who said the conflict around a Monday meeting in Leesburg raised concerns about the party. In a Facebook message, he said he knew Jacunski.
“One of my Scout mom’s thought she would do her civic duty and join our local Republican Executive Committee. It was a disaster of a meeting and then one of the Committee officers purposely slammed a door on her hand,” Baker wrote.
“The police were called, statements taken, and the report is being referred to the State Attorney’s office for prosecution. She’s in the emergency room right now. It is clear to me at this point we need new leadership in our local Republican Executive Committee.”
Notably, Yarkosky won the Chair post last year, defeating Lake County Commissioner Leslie Campione, but Campione, if she won, was expected to step aside and let Baker fill the position.
Yarkosky declined to discuss the series of events, citing the pending litigation.
“As I have been notified of a pending lawsuit regarding last night’s meeting, I will not comment any further on that at this time,” Yarkosky said.
“However, I am incredibly proud of the work the Lake County GOP is doing to grow our party, raise money at a historic pace, and register more voters to keep Lake County red in 2026. We are laser-focused on our mission to win and look forward to working across the county to get the job done. May God continue to bless Lake County.”
