SHERIFF RETURNS CONSULTING FEES, BUT CONTROVERSY WON'T END

Saturday I noted here about Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary was on the hot seat as county auditors are looking into ties between him and the not-for-profit company he started, National Domestic Prepardness Coalition, Inc., and if taxpayer resources and/or funds were used in the start up.

The Orlando Sentinel reports today that Beary, in a brief statement to reporters, said he was returning the $43,000 in consulting fees he received last December and would resign as vice president of the firm. However, he failed to answer questions and did not address any of the questions surrounding the controversy.

An attorney representing NDPCI says that four sheriff's office employees besides Beary currently work for the company, but OCSO travel records indicate that at least six employees besides the sheriff have worked for NDPCI at some point, all of whom have worked for the OCSO's Homeland Security Section. They traveled to Washington, DC and other locations on the sheriff's department's expense while being paid by both the OCSO and NDPCI.

I get the feeling this ain't gonna end soon.