The Florida Housing Finance Corporation asserted its authority Friday and once again suspended Michael DiNapoli, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ hand-picked executive director for the multi-billion-dollar affordable housing agency.
The DeSantis-appointed board moved two weeks after DeSantis had reinstated DiNapoli from a previous Board suspension and despite the persistent objections of a former DeSantis spokesperson, Meredith Ivey, a Commerce Department deputy secretary.
The FHFC executive director is appointed by the Commerce Secretary with the advice and consent of the Board.
DiNapoli makes $185,000 a year and will continue to be paid while the Board decides whether to take any disciplinary action against him.
The Board also passed a motion prohibiting the termination of any employee who cooperated with an inspector general’s investigation that found DiNapoli’s conduct was “… severe and pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.”
An audit committee accepted the report Thursday and forwarded it to the full board, which added it to the agenda for Friday’s meeting.
When vice-chair Ryan Benson submitted the audit report, Ivey protested its inclusion in Friday’s meeting and said the board was making “a rush to judgement.”
“I want to make it clear I will be in opposition today to any action taken against our executive director. I don’t think we have had the appropriate amount of time to discuss this,” said Ivey.
Chair Mario Facella, who had led the effort to suspend DiNapoli in July, backed the audit committee and prodded others to accept the report and discuss whether further disciplinary action was warranted.
“I think the board cannot turn a blind eye to what it just accepted,” said Facella.
DeSantis appointed DiNapoli in February while lawmakers worked on a $711 million package for the agency to provide affordable housing.
Within six months of his appointment 15 employees either quit or were fired. FHFC has 130 employees. The Board suspended DiNapoli, and IG Chris Hirst began an investigation.
DeSantis reinstated DiNapoli two weeks ago, telling Politico nothing had been found to justify the suspension.
But Thursday, the FHFC audit committee accepted and forwarded to the Board an IG report with accounts from 24 witnesses who detailed how DiNapoli yelled at and threatened subordinates.
When Ivey questioned the Board’s authority to take any action against DiNapoli, Facella called on the agency’s general counsel to say that it did.
Ivey complained she had not been given enough time to examine the facts and evidence in the case, chided Hirst for not having transcripts of 25 hours of taped interviews readily available, and said she wanted a one-on-one with the IG to discuss “a lot of questions” she has.
“I read Inspector General reports and audits for a living. I’ve been in state governments, you know, for 10 years. I personally do not have a high opinion of the Inspector General reports. It seems very sloppy one sided, reads more like a media hit piece,” said Ivey. “It all seems very rushed and underhanded.”
Former House Speaker Larry Cretul agreed with Ivey that the Board had a very important decision to make and that it should not be done in haste.
“How much time do you need. Do you need a week? Do you need a month? Do you need a next board meeting,” asked Cretul.
“I really do not want to speculate how much time I would need. Mr. Hirst indicated that the exhibits are extensive. I think it’s a little unfair to ask me to put a clock on this,” said Ivey.
Board member Ron Lieberman proposed that DiNapoli be placed on paid leave until all board members are comfortable that they have all the information needed to decide what to do next.
Chief Financial Officer Angie Sellers will serve as interim director during DiNapoli’s suspension.
Jeremy Redfern at the governor’s office did not respond for comment, but previously said the board is “incapable of exercising prudent judgment” and part of the “deep state.”
“We will explore every available tool to ensure proper management and oversight of the board and its staff, including the Inspector General, and to ensure further that this agency ultimately remains accountable to the people of Florida,” he said in a Thursday statement.
James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on Twitter: @CallTallahassee
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