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Gov. chief of staff MacNamara, resigns amid media scrutiny

Just days before Governor Rick Scott’s Chief of Staff Steve MacNamara handed in his resignation, Scott defended him.

“You guys are mean to poor Steve MacNamara. He’s out there working his tail off and you guys write these mean things about him. So, you ought to think about that. We’re getting a lot of good things done. Jobs are coming back. You’ve got a billion dollars in education. We got PIP done, and now you guys are being mean to my chief of staff," Scott said.

Media reports recently surfaced that cast MacNamara in a negative light with accusations ranging from him awarding state contracts to friends to the way he treated agency heads who’ve resigned in recent months. MacNamara wrote a resignation letter to Scott Saturday that his last day would be July 1st. He also cites “the recent media attention” as the reason for his early departure. His replacement is Adam Hollingsworth, the former chief of staff for ex-Jacksonville mayor John Peyton.

MacNamara had planned to leave at the end of the year to be with his wife in Vermont, but the recent media attention moved that up six months earlier than he originally planned.

 

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.