The Florida sheriff whose office botched the response to the Parkland high school shooting reportedly knows he is gone from office.
The Miami New Times first reported Tuesday that Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel has told his colleagues that new Gov. Ron DeSantis will remove him imminently. The Miami Herald also confirmed the story.
According to the New Times, Sheriff Israel also has told underlings that he will appeal a removal by Mr. DeSantis, who took the oath of office Tuesday and has said Sheriff Israel’s fate will be among his first orders of business. Should the sheriff appeal his dismissal, it would result in a trial before the state Senate.
“We know that he is telling everyone at the public safety building that he is going to be gone,” Jeff Bell, the head of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office union, told the Herald. Mr. Bell was at the governor’s morning swearing-in in Tallahassee.
The Herald also referred to “unconfirmed reports” that Undersheriff Steve Kinsey had resigned.
Stuart N. Kaplan, one of Sheriff Israel’s lawyers, told the Herald that his client was working at his Fort Lauderdale office as usual on Tuesday.
“The governor has not said anything to us, directly or indirectly, as to whether or not the sheriff is going to be suspended,” Mr. Kaplan said. “He is working and continues to serve the citizens of Broward County.”
In a statement to Fox News on Tuesday evening though, a De Santis spokesman told the network that the new administration neither had any contact with the Sheriff Israel or his attorneys nor told him a suspension was imminent.
The network had earlier reported that the governor had dismissed the sheriff.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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