Florida Republican Rep. Carolina Amesty charged with forgery | Orlando

Florida Republican Carolina Amesty, a state representative for parts of western Orange County and northern Osceola County, has been indicted by a grand jury on forgery charges, the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit shared Thursday.

A first-term state representative elected in 2022, Amesty, 29, of the Windermere area, turned herself in Thursday to the Orange County Jail, where the Attorney General’s Office said she will be given appropriate bail.

Amesty faces four third-degree felony charges for misusing her notary license, each of which is punishable by up to five years in prison. The charges specifically include forgery, issuing a forgery, false recognition or certification by a notary public, and certification of her own signature.

Amesty, who is running for reelection this year, is alleged to have knowingly notarized a document with a forged signature in 2021 while serving as a trustee of a nonprofit school run by her family, Central Christian Academy.

According to state attorney Andrew Bain, the grand jury indictment comes after a “concerned citizen” tipped off his office to possible wrongdoing, not to mention extensive investigative reporting by reporters on the scene. The Orlando Sentinel Over the past year, they have delved deeper into Amesty’s background, credentials and relationship with her family’s school.

“A concerned citizen brought a potential crime to our attention and, in line with our obligation to investigate fairly and without bias, we requested an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and thoroughly reviewed the facts and evidence of the case,” Bain said in a statement.

“That information was presented to the grand jury, which found sufficient evidence to return an indictment. I am committed to upholding fairness and justice in all cases by applying the law equally to all, and my record reflects this dedication.” Amesty’s case will continue its course through the judicial process, the Attorney General’s Office said.

Amesty, who has faced criticism for ridiculing undocumented immigrants through her support for a harsh state immigration policy, did not face a Republican challenger this year during the 2024 primary election. But she will be joined on the November general election ballot by Democratic candidate Leonard Spencer, a former Disney executive and political newcomer who is running to flip Amesty’s House District 45 seat blue.

Following news of the indictment, the Florida Democratic Party issued a statement calling on Amesty to resign her seat. FDP Chairwoman Nikki Fried said the charges against the young Republican lawmaker “call into question every decision she has made on behalf of her constituents.”

“Carolina Amesty cannot effectively represent the citizens of House District 45 while defending herself against felony charges,” Fried continued. “She should resign from office immediately, and if she refuses to take responsibility for her actions, we demand that the Florida House of Representatives expel her from its membership.”

The Amnesty campaign posted a statement on Twitter/X on Thursday afternoon downplaying the allegation, saying it was “based on misleading reporting by a partisan newspaper.”

“Representative Amesty calls for a speedy trial, looks forward to her day in court, and is confident in her public vindication.”

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