Special prosecutor report says there is probable cause to pursue impeachment articles on Mayor
Special prosecutor report says there is probable cause to pursue impeachment articles against Kissimmee mayor
BY Jordan Mead Osceola County
PUBLISHED 5:25 PM ET Jul. 23, 2026
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A special prosecutor found probable cause to file articles of impeachment against Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa in connection with ethics complaints involving $50,000 in city grant money awarded to three family-owned businesses, according to a final report issued Thursday afternoon.
Special prosecutor Mayanne Downs also suggested the matter be referred to law enforcement. In the report, Downs wrote that the Business Boost 2.0 program was created to help Kissimmee small businesses that suffered during COVID-19, not to “enrich the official who controlled it.”
The 13-page report lists findings on seven alleged violations of the city’s Code of Ethics. Downs found cause for impeachment on three of the seven counts, all alleging that Espinosa and her family received grant money through the Business Boost 2.0 Program for three family-owned businesses.
According to the report, the City Attorney’s Office “was not consulted on the application materials.”
The report also alleges that Espinosa “took public monies without disclosing her personal interests” and “failed to return it” after being “advised that taking it was improper.”
Downs wrote that Espinosa defended her actions by saying city staff did not warn her that accepting the funds was inappropriate.
“No warning should have been necessary; the oath of office is warning enough,” Downs wrote in the report. “The people of Kissimmee are entitled to a full and public accounting of where their money went, and the return of those monies.”
The report also attributes increased investigation costs and delays to Espinosa filing an appeal seeking a court order to stop the investigation. Espinosa ultimately lost the appeal.
Spectrum News reached out to Espinosa on Thursday afternoon. She responded, “Thank you for reaching out,” and said she “would circle back” with a comment.
Spectrum News also reached out to Espinosa’s attorney, Migdalia Perez, for comment.
In an email sent to Spectrum News later, Perez, wrote:
"The Special Prosecutor’s recommendation is not a final determination, and the Mayor strongly disputes both its factual conclusions and its legal basis. The recommendation also improperly criticizes defense counsel for seeking appellate review of the Special Prosecutor’s appointment. Filing a petition with the District Court of Appeal was a lawful effort to obtain judicial review of substantial questions concerning the appointment process, the scope of the Special Prosecutor’s authority, and the absence of clear procedural protections in the governing ordinance. An attorney’s decision to pursue an available legal remedy should not be characterized as misconduct, obstruction, or evidence against the client.
The City Commission itself later voted to suspend the ordinance under which the Special Prosecutor was appointed after concerns were raised that the ordinance lacked adequate safeguards and due-process protections. Those concerns were legitimate, and seeking judicial review was entirely appropriate.
The Mayor cooperated with the investigation, participated in an interview, and provided documents and information supporting her position. The recommendation should be evaluated on the evidence and the governing law—not on criticism of defense counsel for challenging a legally disputed appointment.
Impeachment is an extraordinary remedy. It should not be recommended merely because an elected official applied for a generally available relief program, particularly where eligibility was determined by staff under objective criteria and there is no evidence that the Mayor manipulated the process or used her office to secure preferential treatment.
Mayor Espinosa will continue to defend herself through the lawful procedures available to her. She remains confident that a fair and impartial review of the complete record will demonstrate that impeachment is neither legally justified nor supported by the evidence.Spectrum News also reached out to the city of Kissimmee and Espinosa’s attorney, Migdalia Perez, for comment. The city responded that the “Commission will coordinate with the Special Prosecutor as they determine the next steps.”
Spectrum News also reached out to the city of Kissimmee, which responded in a statement that the “Commission will coordinate with the Special Prosecutor as they determine the next steps.”
The Kissimmee City Commission voted in April to send the ethics complaint, which was filed by a resident, to a special prosecutor for review.
The Florida Commission on Ethics is scheduled to meet Friday morning to discuss another ethics complaint filed against Espinosa, as well as one filed against Kissimmee Commissioner Janette Martinez. Those complaints are listed on the agenda for consideration of legal sufficiency.
Last month, Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia referred an audit involving Espinosa and a grant program to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s public corruption unit. https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2026/07/23/special-prosecutor-report-says-there-is-probable-cause-to-pursue-impeachment-articles-against-kissimmee-mayor
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