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In a stunning vindication of investigative journalism’s role in holding government accountable, Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich has been forced to leave the Florida Commission on Ethics after failing Senate confirmation for the second year in a row. The result? A direct consequence of a citizen complaint filed by Space Coast Rocket founder Robert Burns that exposed the deep legal conflicts undermining Descovich’s appointment.
On February 28, 2024, Burns filed a formal complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics detailing how Descovich’s paid leadership role at Moms for Liberty constituted unregistered lobbying under Florida law. His complaint outlined clear, documented violations — showing that Descovich not only actively worked to influence legislation but also financially benefited from political action committees while judging cases before the very Ethics Commission she served on.
“Members are prohibited from lobbying State and local governments,” the Commission’s own rules state — a rule Descovich blatantly ignored. Moms for Liberty, under Descovich’s leadership, pushed aggressively for legislative changes across the country, and Descovich herself celebrated their work influencing bills modeled after Florida’s “Parental Rights” movement. Burns’ complaint laid out, in painstaking detail, how these activities fit the legal definition of lobbying, creating an irreconcilable conflict of interest for her role on the state’s top ethics body.
In 2024, the Florida Senate refused to act on her nomination after Burns’ complaint surfaced. At that time, then-Senate President Kathleen Passidomo cited Burns’ complaint that “politicized” the process. Governor Ron DeSantis attempted to bypass the Senate by simply reappointing Descovich after the session ended. But investigative journalism and civic pressure don’t rest.
This year, in 2025, the Senate again refused to confirm her. Under Florida law, any appointee who fails Senate confirmation for two consecutive legislative sessions is automatically barred from reappointment for a year. No loopholes. No second chances.
As a result, Tina Descovich is legally required to vacate her seat at the conclusion of the 2025 session which is days away. Her ouster is not just a political defeat — it is a direct enforcement of Florida law thanks to the watchdog work of independent journalism.
This outcome is a textbook example of why journalism matters. One complaint — fully documented, publicly available, and factually grounded — stopped a powerful figure from abusing a government watchdog post for political gain.
Robert Burns, founder of The Space Coast Rocket and the complainant behind this case, issued the following statement:
“The public deserves leaders who follow the same rules they expect everyone else to live by. When political operatives are allowed to sit on the Ethics Commission without accountability, the entire system collapses. This result shows that the truth matters. Investigative journalism matters. And holding public officials accountable matters.”
While some attempted to shield Descovich from scrutiny, her record — and Burns’ documentation of it — spoke louder. From the detailed conflict of interest involving State Rep. Randy Fine to Descovich’s evasions under oath during her Senate confirmation hearing, the evidence was overwhelming. And now, the outcome is undeniable.
Investigative journalism did what it was meant to do: shine a light so bright that even the most protected could not escape it.
Tina Descovich is out. The Ethics Commission is safer for it. And the public has once again seen the undeniable truth: one voice, armed with facts, can change the highest levels of government.
You can read the original complaint here.
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