Who was Pete Antonacci? The Florida official died outside DeSantis’ office
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Pete Antonacci, the Florida head of election security who died in September, laid in a hallway outside of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s office suite for 24 minutes before anyone found him, according to documents released by state law enforcement this week.
Time stamps show Antonacci, 74, abruptly left the Sept. 23, 2022 meeting and was not discovered until Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass found him unresponsive outside the office. Glass had stepped out of the conference room to speak with the governor’s general counsel, Ryan Newman.
He was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation by Glass and first responders. Antonacci was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the reports.
Here's what to know about Antonacci's role within Florida's government and what we know about his abrupt death last year.
Who was Peter Antonacci? What roles did he have within Florida's government?
Peter "Pete" Antonacci was a former prosecutor and supervisor of elections in Florida. He was native of Hialeah in Miami-Dade County and known as a "Mr. Fix-it" for his wide-ranging roles in state government over the years.
Antonacci received a A.A. from Miami-Dade Community College, a B.A., an M.S. in Urban and Regional Planning, and in 1979 a J.D. from Florida State University. He began his legal career in 1979 in the Tallahassee office of Rogers, Towers, Bailey, Jones and Gay.
The Federalist Society says he was later appointed as an assistant state attorney in the Second Circuit, where he prosecuted numerous cases across North Florida, was twice appointed Special Assistant United States Attorney, and was appointed by former Gov. Bob Graham as a specially assigned prosecutor throughout Florida.
Antonacci worked during administrations of Democrats and Republicans
In 1988, he was appointed Florida’s Statewide Prosecutor. Over three years, his newly created office of statewide prosecution focused on drug distribution conspiracies and complex white-collar crimes including securities and insurance fraud, Ponzi schemes and pyramid marketing schemes.
From 1991 to 1997, Antonacci served under former Attorney General Bob Butterworth as Deputy Attorney General of Florida.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, he held a series of high-profile jobs under former governor, now-U.S. Sen. Rick Scott. Among them were general counsel to the governor, Broward County supervisor of elections, Palm Beach County state attorney, and executive director of the South Florida Water Management District.
His final role was as director of the Office of Election Crimes and Security, appointed by DeSantis in July of 2022. He took on the new position for DeSantis after serving as chief judge of the state's Division of Administrative Hearings.
The Division of Administrative Hearings dedicated one of their hearing rooms to Antonacci.
What happened to Antonacci during DeSantis's meeting on Sept. 23, 2022?
Antonacci was attending a meeting inside a conference room in the governor’s office with 11 attendees, including:
Cord Byrd, Florida's secretary of state
Bradley McVay, Byrd's general counsel
Scott McInerney, a director of executive investigations with the FLDE
Shane Desguin, FDLE chief of staff
Scott Strauss, Antonacci's deputy
Mark Glass, FDLE commissioner
Ryan Newman, governor's general counsel
The meeting was said to have discussed "an election topic," according to Desguin, but other details on its agenda appear to have been redacted from the record. According to FDLE investigators reports first unveiled by the Florida Bulldog, officials at the meeting said Antonacci seemed "agitated" and "frustrated" during parts of the meeting.
Time stamps on the recordings show Antonacci left the meeting at 1:46 p.m. and was not discovered until 2:10 p.m. by Glass and Newman. The law enforcement agency's reports disclose that cameras in the conference room and adjacent hallway captured him staggering upon exiting and collapsing on the floor.
Glass attempted to perform CPR, assisted by Desguin. Capitol Police also attempted to use an automated external defibrillator on Antonacci; however, the records state the “machine never indicated that a shock was advised,” suggesting it would be of no use.
Police continued to administer CPR until Leon County Emergency Management Services arrived and took over. Antonacci’s face was “purple and blue,” and he had no pulse, Glass said, according to the reports. A scrape on top of Antonacci’s head indicated he may have hit a doorknob on his way to the floor.
Antonacci was then taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
What did Antonacci die from?
Details regarding his cause of death are limited, revealing only that Antonacci died of a heart attack while at work in the Capitol building. Antonacci’s wife and primary doctor did tell FDLE investigators that he had a long history of heart disease and cardiac issues, resulting in several surgeries.
Investigators state in the records that no foul play or suspicious circumstances appeared to be involved either.
How did Florida officials react to Antonacci's death?
DeSantis sent out a statement the following day.
"Casey and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Peter Antonacci," said DeSantis. "He was a dedicated, tenacious, and assiduous public servant, lawyer, and respected professional — a friend to all in the State of Florida."
"He vigilantly sought to uphold the law throughout his lengthy career as a deputy Attorney General, Statewide Prosecutor, General Counsel, Supervisor of Elections, and most recently as the newly appointed watchdog over Florida's election security," the governor said. "His fighting passion will be missed, and his legacy will persist in the hearts and minds of many."
Scott also shared his condolences to Antonacci's wife and family, also calling him "a dedicated public servant and a devoted family man."
"Ann and I are praying for his family, friends and the countless Floridians who knew and loved Pete as we did," he said in a statement issued by his U.S. Senate office. "When it came to his work, Pete could get anything done."
Byrd offered his thoughts and prayers his family and loved ones.
What is the role of the Office of Election Crimes and Security Director?
DeSantis established the Office of Election Crimes and Security with legislative approval in 2022, with the goal to investigate all election crimes in Florida and oversee the implementation of measures that would ensure Florida’s elections remain secure.
“Peter Antonacci has dedicated his career to serving the state of Florida,” said DeSantis back in July 2022. “I am confident he will lead the Office of Election Crimes and Security with integrity and ensure that Florida’s elections are the most secure in the nation.”
According to Florida Statutes, the purpose of the office is to assist the secretary of state in completion of their duties by:
Receiving and reviewing notices and reports generated by government officials or any other person regarding alleged occurrences of election law violations or election irregularities in this state.
Initiating independent inquiries and conducting preliminary investigations into allegations of election law violations or election irregularities in this state.
Reviewing complaints and conduct preliminary investigations into alleged violations of the Florida Election Code or any rule adopted pursuant thereto and any election irregularities.
Antonacci’s office was criticized around the time of his death?
Back in August of 2022, the Office of Elections Crimes and Security had seen backlash for the arrests of 20 Floridians, mostly Black, for having voted illegally in the 2020 elections. Although these voters had registered to vote, they had been convicted of crimes that still made them ineligible under a 2018 constitutional amendment that restored voting rights to some felons.
The Tallahassee Democrat noted that the arrests occurred just before the August 2022 primaries and were seen by many as an attempt by DeSantis to intimidate some voters, especially people of color, from legitimately casting votes.
Who is now the Office of Election Crimes and Security Director?
As of Nov. 29, the role had not yet been filled since Antonacci's death last year.
Contributing reporting: John Kennedy, Capital Bureau USA Today Network-Florida.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: DeSantis election security chief sudden death: Who is Pete Antonacci?
