Gov. Rick Scott says he will push for legislation to create an inspector general position within Citizens Property Insurance.
The governor’s own inspector general is investigating Citizens for lavish spending and for the firing of four ethics investigators.
Tia Mitchell in the Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau says media coverage of scandalous behavior and ethical lapses within Citizens leadership got the governor’s attention.
“He says taxpayers should have the assurances that everything that’s happening at Citizens is legal and above board", said Mitchell. "So he believes that to make sure that Citizens is operating correctly, there should be an Inspector General there.”
The Legislature will have to approve the new position.
The new hire would be able to audit the state-run insurer and conduct investigations without fear of being fired.