Florida AG stands by $100K teaching stipend at anti-corruption event, halts reporter questions
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier speaks during a meeting at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, on March 5, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Blackwell/The Associated Press)
Speaking at a news conference on anti-corruption in Miami, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier stopped inquiries Thursday after reporters posed questions about his sizable paycheck for performing an advisory role at the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
As Uthmeier announced the launch of the “Public Integrity Unit” to audit statewide public spending—including “bribes, kickbacks, conflicts of interest, evidence of money being spent on special interests, personal interests, personal gain”—reporters inquired about his $100,000-per-year teaching stipend, according to a story by the Tampa Bay Times.
An investigation by the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald uncovered Uthmeier’s compensation for his role at the law school, which is for two hours of lecturing per week, making him the highest-paid adjunct instructor there.
As the former chief of staff to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Uthmeier said he took a pay cut of roughly $60,000 when he became the state attorney general last year. He defended the salary on a podcast released Thursday.
“When you have a growing family and three kids, you’ve got to look for other ways to keep the lights on and keep food on the table,” Uthmeier said.
He and his wife reported a net worth of $1.1 million in 2024.
Write a letter to the editor, share a story tip or update, or report an error.
