Ron DeSantis’ election fraud chief lay dying on the floor of the Capitol for 24 minutes before someone came to his aid, a new report has found.
Peter Antonacci died of a heart attack on September 23, 2022 – less than three months after Florida’s governor appointed him director of the Office of Election Crimes and Security.
Antonacci, 74, had “a long history of heart disease and heart problems that resulted in several surgeries,” according to the report on his death, obtained by Florida Bulldog.
“At approximately 1:46 p.m., Mr. Antonacci is seen getting up and walking out of the meeting room (redacted),” the report from says the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Peter Antonacci is seen on August 18, 2022, after being appointed as election leader the month before. He would die of a heart attack on September 23
Antonacci died in the Florida state capital in Tallahassee (photo)
Antonacci is visibly unwell, the report said.
‘He’s holding on to the left wall. The hall (redacted) when he falls and appears to hit his head on the door on the (redacted) (sic).
‘There appeared to be no foul play in the Chamber (sic) or corridor.’
Despite the drama of his collapse, no one in the building notices that Antonacci has been on the ground for 24 minutes.
“At approximately 2:10:05 PM FDL Comm. (Mark) Glass appears to notice Antonacci in the hallway coming to his aid (sic).”
Glass, an FDLE commissioner and former deputy director of the Capitol Police, said he was leaving the meeting to speak with General Counsel Ryan Newman when he noticed Antonacci.
“Commissioner Glass stated that when he looked down the hallway, he saw what appeared to be a pair of dark pants and black shoes lying on the floor with the toes pointing downward,” the report said.
“Commissioner Glass stated that he observed from the hip and looked at General Counsel Newman asking if that was Mr. Antonacci who was present in the meeting.
“Commissioner Glass declared General Counsel Newman and he ran over and immediately changed the subject and identified him as Mr. Antonacci.”
Antonacci, 74, had a long history of heart problems
Glass and Newman enlisted the help of FDLE Chief of Staff Shane Desguin.
The three men tried to revive Antonacci with chest compressions and a defibrillator, but at that point Antonacci’s face was “purple and blue,” Antonacci said.
An unnamed caller, the report said, told 911 operators that Antonacci was not awake and needed CPR.
According to the report, police arrived at 2:11 p.m. and used an automated external defibrillator to save him.
It added that at 2:34 p.m., “The male subject was transported by Leon County Emergency Medical Services to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH), where he was pronounced deceased by medical personnel.
“Initial investigation revealed that the death was the result of a medical condition.”
DeSantis announced his death and praised his years of service.
Ron DeSantis announced Antonacci’s death and praised his decades of work
“He (Antonacci) was a dedicated, tenacious and diligent public servant, attorney and respected professional – a friend to everyone in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said in the statement.
Antonacci had a decades-long resume in state government under Democrats and Republicans.
He was appointed to various positions by the governors. Bob Graham, Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist, Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis and served as deputy attorney general under Democratic Attorney General Bob Butterworth from 1991 to 1997.
His positions have included state attorney general, CEO of Enterprise Florida, member of the Ethics Commission and executive director of the South Florida Water Management District.
Sen. Rick Scott, who appointed Antonacci to several positions during his two terms as governor before running for the U.S. Senate, said Antonacci was a dedicated public servant and a devoted family man.
“Pete was a proud Floridian, raised in Hialeah, and dedicated decades of his life to serving Florida families as a prosecutor, master of the law and leader,” Scott said in a statement.
Both DeSantis and Scott attended his funeral, which was addressed by Antonacci’s daughters Alexis Lambert and Claudia Hadjigeorgiou.