Scott Names New DEO Head Same Week As Old One Resigns

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Gov. Rick Scott appointed his top lawyer to head the Florida agency that oversees unemployment compensation and economic development.
 
Scott on Thursday named Jesse Panuccio, the governor's general counsel, to the post following the sudden resignation of Hunting Deutsch amid questions about jobless benefits he had received before he was hired about eight months ago.
 
Scott also appointed outgoing State Attorney Peter Antonacci of West Palm Beach to replace Panuccio as his general counsel.
 
Deutsch resigned Tuesday as executive director of the Department of Economic Opportunity after questions were raised about unemployment compensation he received from September 2009 through May 2011. That period included a time he was traveling in Europe and presumably unavailable to work in Florida as required.