TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Three days after admitting guilt to fraud-related charges, Scott Maddox, a former chairman of the Florida Democratic Party, was removed Friday from his position as Tallahassee city commissioner by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis issued an executive order that outlined the move.
Maddox, who also ran in the past for governor, attorney general and agriculture commissioner, pleaded guilty Tuesday to honest-services wire fraud, honest-services mail fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Prosecutors also reached the same agreement with Maddox’s longtime aide and former business partner, Paige Carter-Smith, while dropping 39 of 42 charges.
Maddox and Carter-Smith each face a maximum of 45 years in jail and $750,000 in fines when they are sentenced in mid-November.
Maddox was suspended from his city position in December by former Gov. Rick Scott after being indicted by a federal grand jury looking at potential corruption in Tallahassee city government.
In statements filed with the court this week, Maddox and Carter-Smith admitted to soliciting payments from a ride-sharing company in exchange for favorable actions from the city commission in 2015.
DeSantis noted in a news release and the executive order Friday that state laws say the governor shall remove municipal officials convicted of any charges contained in indictments or if they plead guilty.