Mayor's controversial past could cost him job

GROVELAND, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A vote on whether to oust Groveland’s mayor because of a felony conviction was delayed at a city council meeting Tuesday night.

George Rosario was just elected to office. Some city officials say a felony conviction out of Pennsylvania disqualifies him from serving.

Rosario says the charge was drug related and decades old. He calls the effort to get him out of office political.

“I made a mistake when I was young, I’m not that person anymore,” he said in an interview Tuesday.

A report from the Groveland city attorney says Rosario needed to apply to have his civil rights restored after the conviction to hold public office and he has not done so. Rosario disagrees.

“I’ve never lost my rights and it’s up to them to prove that I don’t have any rights to hold public office,” he said.
Groveland city council was scheduled to vote on whether Rosario should keep his job at their Tuesday meeting but it was tabled.

Rosario was the tie-breaking vote on postponing the decision.