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DCF secretary under pressure to resign over ethics violations
TALLAHASSEE -- State legislators from both political parties Monday called for the resignation of Jerry Regier, Florida's social services chief, following a Governor's Office investigation last week that found he and his deputies violated ethics policies by accepting gifts and socializing with lobbyists and contractors.

Two senior administrators at the Department of Children & Families resigned Thursday, but Regier stayed on with the support of Gov. Jeb Bush after an inspector general's investigation found Regier attended a birthday party in his honor and stayed overnight at the beachfront home of a Tallahassee powerbroker doing business with DCF.

Documents show Regier reimbursed lobbyists for hard-to-get tickets to concerts and sporting events and that companies with connections to his friends won lucrative contracts with his agency.

"I believe that when there's such blatant disregard to the rules, with what happened there, ultimately, the one in charge needs to be held responsible as well," said Rep. Sandra Murman, a Tampa Republican who heads a House committee that oversees DCF. "I feel the time has come that the governor should reconsider his support [for Regier]."

"I think there should be another resignation, and, unfortunately, it has to be the secretary [Regier]," said Sen. Walter "Skip" Campbell, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat who has served on DCF panels. "He has let the ship take on water at a very significant time in its rebuilding process."

Regier, who was hired in September 2002 to reform DCF after a scandal involving missing and dead children, "remains committed to the responsibilities" and has no intentions of stepping down, agency spokesman Bill Spann said Monday....