THE FLORIDA SENATE

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1100

COMMITTEES: Health Regulation, Vice Chair Banking and Insurance Budget Budget - Subcommittee on Health and Human Services Appropriations Budget - Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Appropriations Environmental Preservation and Conservation Reapportionment Rules - Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections

SENATOR ELEANOR SOBEL

31st District

September 16, 2011

The Honorable Jeff Atwater Chief Financial Officer State of Florida Office of Financial Services 200 East Gaines Street Tallahassee, FL 32399 Dear CFO Atwater: More than one month ago, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that she had sought your assistance in dispatching your inspector general to conduct an investigation into the abrupt firings earlier this year of two assistant Attorneys General, Theresa Edwards and June Clarkson. Both women, up until the point of their dismissal, had been aggressively pursuing mortgage fraud throughout the state of Florida. This letter is to inquire about the status of that investigation. As you know, as representatives of areas of the state especially ravaged by mortgage fraud and unscrupulous foreclosure mill operations, we have been especially interested in the circumstances surrounding the sudden dismissals of both Ms. Edwards and Ms. Clarkson, particularly in light of their glowing annual performance reviews. Many of our constituents, as well as other concerned Floridians threatened with questionable foreclosure proceedings, remain equally intrigued. While we remain troubled that it appears that the Department of Legal Affairs is not totally divorced from this probe (according to news reports, your IG Ned Luczynski is reporting directly to James Varnado, AG Bondis IG) we are hopeful that the investigation will examine more than just the process by which these two women were fired. And that a documented and well-founded justification for their dismissal is produced. According to reports, your inspector general was to launch his probe on August 8th, 2011. As we are now well into the second month of this assignment, please advise when you expect the investigation to be completed and the findings of Mr. Luczynskis probe to be made public.
REPLY TO: The "Old" Library, First Floor, 2600 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Florida 33020 (954) 924-3693 222 Senate Office Building, 404 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1100 (850) 487-5097 Senates Website: www.flsenate.gov

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS President of the Senate

MICHAEL S. "MIKE" BENNETT President Pro Tempore

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We appreciate your assistance and look forward to your reply. Sincerely,

Senator Eleanor Sobel

Representative Darren M. Soto