ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Former St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara will pay a $5,000 civil penalty and has been issued a public censure and reprimand after admitting he abused the power of his position.
The Florida Ethics Commission Board voted on the penalties late last week that originated from a complaint by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). This all centers around an alleged ghost election Mascara accused of helping prop up in the 2020 sheriff's race.
Mascara admitted to the commission that he encouraged someone to run against him within the confines of the sheriff's office, violating the state's ethics laws.
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But that raises the question- why would you ask someone to run against you in your own race?
Investigators say they found a plan for the other candidate to concede to Mascara after winning the primary election.
FDLE opened a criminal investigation after the 2020 race where investigators say they found Mascara had his subordinates run his opponent's campaign, make and place signs and create the campaign's website.
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Mascara was also accused of providing cash to straw donors to give to the other candidate's campaign.
An outside State Attorney's Office ultimately did not bring criminal charges against Mascara, saying that there was no clear money trail they could prove.
Mascara has not taken any questions about the allegations, but wrote in a Facebook post he did not imagine that encouraging people to enter the democratic process was unethical.
