TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Ken Lawson, has officially stepped down.
DEO has received extreme criticism since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when its system could not handle the number of unemployed Floridians seeking benefits. To this day, thousands of Floridians complain that they have yet to see their full benefits nearly six months later.
Lawson’s resignation letter sent to Governor Ron DeSantis did not mention why he was resigning, but said, “In the spirit of turning the page and moving forward, I respectfully submit my letter of resignation to the Department of Economic Opportunity.”
The letter states his resignation will be effective by the close of business Sept. 1.
At the governor's press conference Monday, DeSantis said he has a replacement and that person will be announced as early as Tuesday.
"I think it will be good and I think there are some things that need to change in that agency and we want to make sure we can," DeSantis said at the press conference Monday.
Lawson was sidelined in April when the system was unable to handle millions of unemployment claims.
DeSantis then called on Jonathan Satter, the Department of Management Services Secretary, to fix the system.
"John Satter came in to look over just the unemployment because obviously we were having major issues," DeSantis said at the press conference Monday. "It wasn't being moved along the way we wanted it. John came in and helped get it up and running."
Lawson ends his letter by saying, “I thank you for the responsibility that you have given me over the last year. May God continue to bless Florida.”
Formerly, Lawson was the CEO of Visit Florida and Secretary of the Business and Professional Regulation.