Corruption Consumes Jacksonville

Yesterday afternoon at 4:30 p.m., after having been under Court-imposed seal since January 18, the Presentment was released by the Duval County Grand Jury that was empaneled to investigate numerous violations by the City Council of Florida's open government laws. During the Grand Jury's term, additional wrong-doing on the part of the Mayor's office (awarding no-bid, high-value contracts to his pals) was added to the agenda. Remarkably, no criminal charges were brought, though the Grand Jury took note of several "technical" violations of the law.

It is a sad day for justice and another sad day for Jacksonville. The Presentment states that meetings and conversations took place outside of the Sunshine, though none rose to the level of criminal infractions. However, the Presentment also says that past and present members of the City Council, under the pains and penalties of perjury, stated that they had neither intentionally nor unintentionally held such meetings or discussions. This internal inconsistency in the Presentment is most troubling to me as an attorney. I believe now that there was intentional perjury if not overt obstruction of justice in the seemingly coordinated testimony before the Grand Jury.

I am personally frustrated that once again they've gotten away with it. Jacksonville deserves leaders who are honest and forthright. We the people are entitled to know that our business happens in our view. We've been disappointed again by the conduct of those elected to the public trust. What sends me around the bend is that these developments will have a negative effect on public engagement in the civic life of this City. Instead of whipping people up into a revolutionary frenzy, which could help to cleanse our government of these wrong-doers, instead people will be further turned off and alienated from the process. Not only will they have gotten away with it, but the successful culture of corruption will make it even easier for the next batch of questionable leaders to do the same, or worse. We deserve better than we've gotten.

Read the Presentment.
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