Ron DeSantis Slammed by Florida's Largest Newspaper in Scathing Article

Flordia's largest newspaper scrutinizes Governor Ron DeSantis for standing idly by as the University of Florida president appoints two high-ranking officers who will receive higher-than-average pay while working remotely.

UF President Ben Sasse appointed James Wegmann and Raymond Sass, who worked with him when he served as a Republican senator from Nebraska. Wegmann, Sasse's former chief publicist, is now UF's vice president for communications while Sass, Sasse's former Senate chief of staff, has assumed the role of UF's vice president for innovation and partnerships. The university announced the appointments in a press release on September 26.

The Sun Sentinel, which is ranked the number one daily Florida newspaper in terms of circulation, compared the hiring practices of UF to the political practices of DeSantis, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination. "At UF, Sasse's cronyism is a perfect fit for Gov. Ron DeSantis' practice of political plunder," The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board wrote in an opinion piece on Thursday.

Wegmann's salary will start at $432,000 while his predecessor Steve Orlando, who was a media relations employee since the '90s, was only being paid $270,000 when holding the interim position, UF's student newspaper, The Independent Florida Alligator reported. This is also a steep increase from the $181,677 he made in 2022, during his last full year working for Sasse's Senate office. Sass will also get a large salary increase making $396,000, which is over double the $181,677 salary he earned in his last year working for Sasse's Senate office.

The two new hires will also have the luxury of not having to relocate for work. Sass will live in Maryland, the Alligator said, while Wegmann will live in Washington, D.C. The Sun Sentinel said it was "virtually unprecedented in Florida," for university workers to not eventually relocate.

"It is impossible to imagine that even Florida in the days of DeSantis would allow a new university president to work remotely. It's just as inappropriate for his top-level staff. But it does suggest that perhaps Sasse doesn't want them getting too close to the faculty and staff who were there before him," The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board said.

The editorial board added: "Working remotely can accomplish many things, as the pandemic demonstrated, but it does not foster collegiality. Nor does it demonstrate a personal investment in the society that's paying one's salary."

Meera Sitharam, president of UF's faculty union, displayed some skepticism about the hiring process. She told Newsweek via phone on Friday: "My objection is the question of whether it was advertised," referring to both newly filled positions. Newsweek could not verify if the positions were advertised. Sitharam also said that Sasse has been quoted with wanting to "move fast" on initiatives as the school has come into $130 million in state funds. "You want to move fast, but not in a way that either looks shoddy or with favoritism."

Sitharam added that with Wegmann and Sass working remotely in different states, it gives the impression of "a highly paid job on the way to somewhere else."

UF Faculty Senate Chair Danaya Wright told The Alligator: "I think it is great that [Sasse] is paying them so well since it shows he understands that it is necessary to pay high-performing employees well in order to attract and retain them." However, Wright added: "At the same time, I hope that he looks deeply and creatively around UF and realizes that there are highly qualified and capable people already here who have experience in higher education and a deep knowledge of the history of UF and that he also promotes them to similarly well-paying positions."

UF told Newsweek via email on Friday: "Like most big organizations, UF has had people all over the place for a long time and we will add more as we attract top tier talent. UF has an annual budget of $8.5 billion, operates a $5 billion statewide health system, has a presence in each of Florida's 67 counties, is expanding in Jacksonville, runs an office in Washington, DC, and sends students and faculty around the world each year."

The university added: "UF's administration is built on a team that buys into a hard working big-cause, low-ego mindset no matter where they are." Newsweek reached out to UF again, following comments on the school's hiring process.

DeSantis has been lagging behind GOP front-runner Donald Trump, who has recently been winning in the polls. Despite Florida being DeSantis' home state, Trump has appeared to take the lead in the sunshine state. According to fivethirtyeight, a poll tracking website, Trump currently has an average of 58.2 percent of voter support, while DeSantis trails with 23.6 percent.

Newsweek reached out to Ron DeSantis' office and Wright via email for comment on Friday.

Update 10/27/23, 6:15 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Meera Sitharam.