KEY FIGURES IN ORLANDO EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY INVESTIGATION
Scott Batterson: Former authority boardmember appointed inAugust 2011by FloridaGov. Rick Scott. Indicted on three briberyrelated charges lastmonth and suspended fromthe board.
ChrisDorworth: FormerRepublican state lawmaker fromLakeMarywho is nowa lobbyist. Friends with Batterson since childhood. Described by Batterson as “very close” with state Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad, according to witness statements.
AnanthPrasad: Secretary of the FloridaDepartment of Transportation, whowas appointed to that post by Scott in April 2011. He is the boss of NoranneDowns, a regional FDOT officialwhois amember of the expressway-authority board.
NoranneDowns: Amemberof the authority board by virtue of her position as the topFDOT official in Central Florida.
MarcoPeña: A Florida Hospital growth strategist whomScott appointed to the board in July 2013. Batterson referred to him as “our boy” in an email. Resigned fromthe board earlier this month, citing a family illness.
MaxCrumit: The former executive director of the authoritywhoresigned after Batterson, Peña andDowns voted to look for a successor. Says that Batterson had approached him two days earlier warning him that Batterson had lined up the votes to fire him. Nowworks forCH2MHill.
Mark Callahan: Amanager with engineering firmCH2MHill, which contracts with the expressway authority. Told investigators that hemet Batterson, Dorworth and others at a bar in July 2013 where he said Batterson offered his firm the chance at a larger contract ifCH2MHillwere willing to hire some of Batterson’s friends.
RebekahHammond:
Alobbyist with the FloridaDepartment of Transportationwhois in a romantic relationship withDorworth. Callahan and others say they thinkHammond serves as a communication link betweenDorworth and Prasad.
StevePrecourt: A formerRepublican state legislator from OrlandowhomBatterson, Peña and Downs voted to hire as the authority’s newexecutive director. Ultimately turned downthe executive-director job when itwas offered only on amonth-to-month basis because of the ongoing investigation.