In the first official fallout from the controversy over the purchase of Pinellas Property Appraiser Jim Smith's private land, the County Commission voted this afternoon to suspend County Attorney Susan Churuti.

Churuti has been under fire after the St. Petersburg Times revealed that prior to the county closing the deal to buy Smith's property for $225,000, the 20-year county veteran obtained conflict of interest waivers so that she might  represent both the county and Smith's private claim in the transaction.