The Florida Chief Financial Officer’s office has issued subpoenas to sixteen Orange County employees, alleging they resisted or obstructed the ongoing audit by the Florida Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
State officials say some staff failed to provide requested documents related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and appeared to read from pre-scripted responses during interviews. DOGE is authorized to petition courts to enforce compliance if employees refuse, and they’re flexing that power now.
Mayor Jerry Demings disputed the state’s claims, stating that county staff fully cooperated with the audit and that no employee was instructed to alter or hide documents. He added that while employees may have referred to notes, they were not coached. Demings characterized the subpoenas as politically motivated and lamented the rush to judgment by state officials at a Wednesday press conference, who he claimed were targeting Democratic-leaning cities.
The DOGE audit, part of a broader statewide review of local government spending, began in Orange County during early August. The state’s focus includes reviewing contracts, staffing, and DEI grant programs, among other areas. Officials are targeting records tied to six DEI grants worth just over $500,000, and DOGE has raised concerns that documents may have been intentionally renamed to avoid detection. There is no public statement on what those grants may have been awarded for and to what organizations.
In April, Orange County suspended $200,000 in arts DEI and Sustainability grants. At the time, Central Florida Public Media noted that past recipients had included Opera Orlando, Orlando Ballet, and Orlando Science Center, but supported partnerships between arts groups and community organizations.
