As family searched for him, Florida Republican Party leader drank, trashed hotel room

While family and friends distributed posters of a missing Republican Party of Florida executive director last week, he was holed up in a Hampton Inn, where authorities say he trashed his room.

George Riley Jr., who was reunited with his family this weekend, was kicked out of a room at the Hampton Inn in Kissimmee after a desk clerk observed him “under the influence,” according to an Osceola County Sheriff’s Office report obtained Tuesday by the Tampa Bay Times.

Riley apologized for his conduct when contacted by the Times.

“I’m deeply sorry. I have been dealing with alcoholism and mental health issues,” Riley said in an interview. “I will pay for any damages that were caused. I apologize to the employees for my bad behavior and I will be seeking help soon.”

Minutes later, he called back to add: “I’ll be seeking help so I can be a better father, a better person and a better all-around employee.”

Riley, 43, was found Friday by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office — two days after he left the Hampton Inn. In a statement last week on social media, the agency didn’t say much about what condition Riley was in but that he was safe.

On April 2, family members notified Osceola sheriff’s deputies that they couldn’t reach Riley over a period of four days beginning March 29. The report says he told family that he was traveling to Kissimmee for a business meeting before they stopped hearing from him.

Riley’s sister told authorities her brother has a medical condition and was taking medication. The type of medication and his condition were redacted.

When deputies arrived at the hotel, they interviewed multiple employees. A front desk associate told deputies that Riley first checked in on March 28 and extended his stay a day later. When he asked to extend his stay Wednesday, the Osceola County sheriff’s report said the hotel declined due to his “extensive drinking and damage caused to the room.”

According to the report, employees of the hotel had talked to Riley in his hotel room and found that he had “urinated and vomited throughout.” The assistant general manager noted that Riley was regularly purchasing alcohol while he stayed there. Riley was charged extra for deep cleaning of his room, and employees said he did not argue with them, the report said. It also noted he broke the electric blinds.

On the same day, deputies found Riley at the B Resort and Spa in Lake Buena Vista.

“He was located in good health however was under the influence of alcohol,” a follow-up report said.

Deputies determined he did not meet criteria to be detained under the Baker Act or the Marchman Act, which allows for police intervention when individuals are deemed to be a threat to others or to themselves because of a mental health or addiction issue.

Riley told deputies that he did not want to hurt himself and they did not take him into custody but announced on social media that he had been found safe.

On Sunday, Riley’s sister confirmed that he was reunited with family members.

According to the Florida Republican Party website, Riley began his career as a field staffer in Tampa in 2008. Since then, he has served in several positions.

He’s worked as a regional field manager, the director of party development, and was the political director for the 2014 election cycle. From 2016 to 2019, he served as executive director. He was reappointed to the role of executive director last month.

It has been a time of turbulence for the leadership of the state’s Republican Party. Chairperson Christian Ziegler was ousted after he had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman with whom he and his wife had previously engaged in a threesome. After investigating, Sarasota law enforcement decided not to file criminal charges against him. Riley’s disappearance added another element of turmoil.