A South Florida representative in the Florida House resigined her seat before reportedly pleading guilty to perjury in a case over whether she lived in the district she was elected to serve.
Rep. Daisy Baez, a Democrat elected last November in the 114th district, sent the one sentence letter in on Wednesday and will reportedly pay a $1,000 fine, enroll in an ethics course and be on probation for one year – during which time she cannot serve in public office, according to the Miami Herald.
A report from the paper earlier this year showed she did not live in the district, but instead resided in the 112th district instead. Baez reportedly rented property in the district she represents after the investigation went public.
Baez had entered the race for the State Senate in District 40 shortly after being elected to the House of Representatives, but quickly dropped out. Her departure from the Florida House leads Democrats with just 40 seats in the 120 person chamber, giving Republicans a supermajority in that chamber.
Baez becomes the second Miami-Dade politician to resign and plead guilty to a charge in the last week. Former Miami Beach commissioner Michael Grieco agreed to a plea deal over a charge involving illegal funding to his campaign, which resulted in him having to give up his seat two weeks before Election Day.
