Bush Lauds interim DOC chief

Gov. Jeb Bush praised the toughness of the new interim secretary of the Department of Corrections on Tuesday, saying it was necessary to replace James Crosby with someone from outside the beleaguered agency.

Bush asked Crosby to resign last Friday, citing new information related to ongoing criminal investigations. Bush has not specified the details of that information, but has said its public revelation will support his decision.

State and federal investigators have swarmed the agency for more than a year, focusing on embezzlement, steroids rings, allegations of illegal inmate labor and ghost employment for softball players.

Bush said Tuesday that the problems, though widespread, aren't indicative of the entire corrections workforce.

"I don't think the problems are systemic," Bush said. "I think the great majority of people that serve in the Department of Corrections do a fine job."

The interim secretary is James McDonough, one of the few high-level officials who has stayed with the Bush administration since its start in 1999.

McDonough was the director of the Governor's Office of Drug Control. Previously, McDonough had received numerous commendations - including a Purple Heart and three Bronze Stars - during a career as a U.S. Army officer. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the U.S. Military Academy.

Bush said McDonough's first job is to "assess what the situation is inside the department" and work with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on its investigations.

Bush said it was important to choose someone from outside of the department, but said it was more important to have "someone who I trust, someone who has got courage who is not afraid of making tough decisions if its appropriate to do so, and someone with a good mind because we don't have to rush into making decisions until the facts are clear."