PILING ON

DeSantis’ Affordable Housing Appointee Is Benched Just Six Months In

The Republican presidential hopeful has yet another fire to put out back home.

As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to flounder on the campaign trail, the Republican presidential hopeful has yet another fire to put out back home: the man he appointed as Florida’s affordable housing director has been suspended after less than six months on the job. Citing interviews with current and former state employees, the Tampa Bay Times reported Monday that Michael DiNapoli, 54, was put on administrative leave last month, pending an inspector general’s investigation. A reason for the suspension wasn’t divulged, and DeSantis, DiNapoli, and the their offices ignored a request for comment by the Times. DeSantis called on DiNapoli to lead the Florida Housing Finance Corp. in March, just as lawmakers earmarked $711 million to the agency to help alleviate Florida’s housing crisis. DiNapoli’s suspension comes on the heels of scores of state employees leaving the agency, which reportedly included DiNapoli’s longtime general counsel, Hugh Brown.