Doug Darling, a key job-creation advisor to Gov. Rick Scott, is resigning after eight months on the job, sources tell the Times/Herald.
Darling has been director of the newly-created Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), a post that paid him $125,000 a year. He was the point man in a Scott-inspired effort to achieve better coordination of Florida's multiple economic development programs.
A retired high-ranking member of the U.S. Marine Corps, he previously served as chief of staff to the state's former environmental secretary, Mike Sole, and was chief of the state Division of Accounting and Auditing under former CFO Alex Sink.
Controversy found its way to Darling's doorstep in November after he told Florida news outlets that millions of dollars were shelled out to Florida businesses in the form of financial incentives to create jobs, but they hadn't fulfilled the terms of their contracts.
Word of Darling's departure began circling through the halls of the Capitol late Thursday afternoon. Darling did not respond to a message seeking comment. Sources say that his interim replacement will be Cynthia Lorenzo, who serves as secretary of the Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI), the state employment agency.
-- Steve Bousquet
Marines do not tend to do well in politics. That is a compliment. If you tell the truth, your "friends" will turn on you and eat you alive. Darling's boss is an excellent politician - he can lie looking you right in the eye with a smile on his face.
Posted by: Anti-Tallahassee | January 26, 2012 at 11:44 PM
Great! We loose the Marine for a woman who has her head so far up Scott's backside, that if he turns quick she'll break her neck. This state is going down faster than a cruise ship in Italy!
Posted by: Bad Feeling About FL's Future | January 27, 2012 at 08:29 AM
The department of economic opportunity (DEO) IS the Agency for workforce Innovation (AWI). AWI underwent a restructuring and became DEO at the beginning of this fiscal year.. The article leads one to believe they are two separate agencies.
Posted by: Danny Johnson | January 27, 2012 at 08:56 AM
As evidenced by the antics of the USMC's Haditha persecutions and other elements of the new touchy-feely Corps vice the old war Corps politics is alive, well and gaining ground even in the Marine Corps. Col. Darling is a Tallahassee insider. He may have stepped on his tongue in telling the truth but Scott is not the only politician who will kill the messenger. The list of USMC flag officers will provid numerous instances of uniformed politicians who would gladly sacrifice an underling to save their job.
Posted by: Business as usual - even in the Corps | January 27, 2012 at 10:28 AM