KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa is facing another ethics complaint — this one questioning where she lives — as the city commission prepares to vote on suspending ethics complaints for six months.
The new complaint comes as Espinosa is already fighting in court to block a separate city investigation into an earlier ethics complaint against her.
According to that first complaint, then-City Attorney Olga Sanchez de Fuentes sent Mayor Jackie Espinosa an email in December raising several ethics concerns. The concerns stemmed from Espinosa and her family businesses receiving $50,000 in COVID-19 relief funds through a city-run program.
In January, Espinosa sent a formal notice to the city attorney indicating the commission would vote on her termination.
Sanchez de Fuentes was fired in February, which prompted Alexander Alemi to file the ethics complaint against Espinosa.
“I think in this current political climate, part of the problem is when there is a problem, people don’t act. They hope someone else will. I didn’t want to do this. This is a lot of work, a lot of effort. But I felt compelled to,” Alemi told News 6 in April.
A process that Espinosa told News 6 she embraced.
“I’m very excited about tonight, I think it’s a great moment,” she said April 21. “I think it’s a great opportunity to let the citizens know they are welcome to join us and express their feelings.”
Special prosecutor Mayanne Downs was selected April 27 by the court.
Days later, on May 4, Espinosa’s attorney filed a motion with the Sixth District Court of Appeals to stop the investigation.
The motion argues that because the Florida Commission on Ethics is already investigating the allegations, a parallel city investigation is unnecessary.
“Fla. Stat. Chapter §112, Part III provides that only the Florida Commission on Ethics determines violations of the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees,” the motion reads.
It also argues that if the city is allowed to investigate, confidentially will be lost.
“The Ethics Code mandates strict confidentiality prior to probable cause determinations. Parallel investigations undermine these protections, risk disclosure of confidential material, and subject respondents to inconsistent procedures and factual findings,” it continued.
Now, another complaint has been filed against Espinosa. This one is asking for an investigation and determination of residency compliance. Citing public records, police reports, and voting registration, among other records, the complainant claims there are conflicting addresses for the mayor, including at least one outside Kissimmee city limits.
Tuesday’s commission meeting will address that complaint as well as a proposal to pause the filing of new ethics complaints for six months while the city reworks how those complaints are handled.
The commission will additionally discuss the separate complaint against Commissioner Martinez, which calls for her censure and impeachment.
In a Facebook post sharing a news report, Espinosa said six complaints have been filed against her and addressed them directly.
“As frivolous as these complaints may be, I continue to welcome them. They are filled with misinformation, falsehoods, and deliberate deception,” she wrote.
The Kissimmee City Commission meeting is tonight at 6 p.m.