Busy Campaigning, Adam Putnam Fails to Crack Down on Scam Charity

In the latest sign that Adam Putnam is neglecting his job as Agriculture Commissioner, the Sun Sentinel reported yesterday that the California’s Attorney General office was forced to put a cease-and-desist order on the Coconut Creek-based charity Food For the Poor. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra says that the organization grossly inflated its revenue.

Putnam’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs is responsible for regulating charities but failed to take action against Food for Poor. The charity is now being investigated by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office.

“Instead of doing his job and protecting consumers, Adam Putnam is running around trying to be Florida’s next governor. It’s embarrassing that out-of-state prosecutors are having to crack down on fraud in Florida because politicians like Adam Putnam are too busy running for office,” said Florida Democratic Party spokesperson Kevin Donohoe.

Putnam appears to be neglecting his duties as Agriculture Commissioner as he travels around the state campaigning for governor. In April, when the Center for Disease Control said that all romaine lettuce should be thrown away — an order that could have dramatically impacted Florida farmers — CBS Miami’s Jim Defede reached out to Putnam’s office for a comment. Putnam’s office refused to answer and referred all question back to the CDC. It was a stunning act of negligence from the top state official responsible for protecting consumers and the state’s agriculture industry.

Putnam brags on social media about his multiple campaign stops each day — and apparently has no problem flaunting the fact that he’s choosing to campaign instead of doing his job. Putnam has a chequered record during his eight years at the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs: under his leadership, the Deparment’s concealed carry background check program has broken down repeatedly.