Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Michael Caruso from Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller roles after felony child sexual abuse arrest

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has suspended Michael Caruso, a senior Palm Beach County official and longtime political ally of the governor, after Caruso was arrested on felony child sexual abuse charges, according to a report published Tuesday by The Guardian.

The report says Caruso was removed from his Palm Beach County roles as clerk of court and comptroller on Tuesday, with DeSantis issuing the suspension as the criminal case moved forward. The suspension and removal come in the wake of Caruso’s arrest on felony child sexual abuse charges, which the report describes as the basis for the governor’s action.

Caruso had been a prominent figure within Palm Beach County government and, The Guardian reports, had previously been praised by DeSantis. The governor’s office did not change the underlying criminal allegations in the public record described by the report, but DeSantis moved to remove Caruso from county duties while the matter proceeds through the legal system.

The Guardian also reports that Caruso was a vocal supporter of a law signed by DeSantis. The report does not name the specific statute in its description, but it frames Caruso as an established ally within Florida Republican governance, making the suspension a sudden break from the governor’s earlier public support.

A clerk of court and comptroller, in the county structure described by the report, carries responsibilities tied to county court administration and financial operations. By suspending an official after an arrest on serious charges, DeSantis directed attention to continuity of government functions and the practical question of who manages those offices as a case develops.

Caruso’s arrest and removal raise due process considerations that typically follow criminal allegations: the report describes the suspension as a response to the charges, not a determination of guilt. The next steps in the case would be handled through the criminal justice process, while the governor’s suspension governs Caruso’s ability to hold or perform the county roles during that period.