Former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum’s ethics hearing is expected to begin on Wednesday, April 24. Gillum’s hearing centers on whether he accepted illegal gifts, including a three-day villa stay, a ticket to Broadway’s “Hamilton” and a boat ride to the Statue of Liberty, during trips in 2016 to Costa Rica and New York City.
3rd & 7 37yd
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by Jigsha Desai4/24/2019 1:30:12 PM
by Jigsha Desai4/24/2019 1:31:39 PM
Former Mayor @AndrewGillum has arrived at the Division of Administrative Hearings. His ethics hearing set to start at 9:30 a.m. with opening statements from his lawyer, Barry Richard, and the chief advocate for the Florida Commission on Ethics, Elizabeth Miller.
The hearing room, which can hold about 70 people, is less than half full. Plenty of press here, but not the media circus it would have been were Gillum elected governor last year.
Andrew Gillum hearing is now 20 minutes late. Prosecutors came in hearing room, got items off their desk and left. Reporters asked Kevin Cate about the delay; he did not respond.
Gillum: "Today we were approached with a settlement agreement that I believe keeps intact what I have said all along & throughout this process. But as any adult, when you learn more information, you have to step up & you take responsibility for what it is that you come to know."
Former Mayor Andrew Gillum will agree to one violation of Florida ethics laws, that he took a gift over $100 from a lobbyist. The settlement agreement with the state Ethics Commission does not specify the gift, his lawyer Barry Richard said. Several other counts will be dropped.
The single count that stuck in the @AndrewGillum ethics case was one of the less-difficult allegations for prosecutors to prove. The commission advocate didn't have to show he acted corruptly or with wrongful intent, as they would have had to prove on the misuse of office count.
To prove that he accepted a banned gift, prosecutors would have had to prove four elements: that Gillum was a reporting individual, that he knowingly took a gift, that the donor was a vendor or lobbyist doing biz with his agency and that Gillum knew it was worth more than $100 .
Proposed settlement in @AndrewGillum case says he understands “the seriousness of the allegations and gives his assurance that this proceeding has affected the manner in which he conducts himself as a public official in a positive way.” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D48H-kfX4AYJsvK.jpg