No True Bill : Exoneration and Vindication Part II

 

Tuesday of this past week I was fully and completely exonerated of doing anything illegal associated with the news articles and allegations surrounding the stolen and improperly released county files and text messages that had been used as some sort of "evidence" I violated the Florida Sunshine Law.  

I was investigated for months and months over allegations I did things I did not do--- and accusations that I committed crimes I did not commit. 

Of course I knew I was innocent.  I follow the law.

This past Tuesday an 18 member Grand Jury looked over all of this and declined to prosecute due to the fact there was no evidence I committed a crime.  They issued a "No True Bill."  I have requested this public record from the clerk and she and her attorney have refused to send a signed copy of it to me.  Instead, I have obtained the above copy in the interim from the office of the State Attorney.

So What is Happening Currently? 

As of Tuesday of last week all investigations by the State Attorney's office over allegations I violated the Sunshine Law are concluded and over.  No charges will be brought, no indictments are "forthcoming."

The reason I put the airquotes around "forthcoming," above,  is that there have been a lot of lies told about me and other commissioners and private citizens lately stemming from stolen county files that included 60,000 text messages and 1,600 color photographs from my phone.  

Sadly, I've recently learned that someone who ought to know better and is privy to some very sensitive, confidential scheduling of the Escambia County 2024 Grand Jury has been making public statements about when this Grand Jury would be meeting, what issues they were considering, and sadly, this same individual publicly stated "Watch for the first week in May when the Grand Jury will be deliberating on county commissioners and indicting county commissioners--it is forthcoming"  This was stated at a fundraiser at the home of former county commissioner Gene Valentino in the presence of multiple individuals--one of whom immediately reached out to me with this incredible information.  At the time this witness told me--I wasn't even aware I was going to be asked to testify before the grand jury.

Obviously this individual who made these improper pronouncements about what the grand jury would decide was dead wrong about what the outcome of the grand jury's deliberations would produce.  But this individual correctly identified both the topic the grand jury was going to deliberate and also the correct timeframe for these deliberations------ which she should not have known and if she did know---she should NEVER have shared.

Why divulge this when it is secret information??----It's deliberately, statutorily kept confidential to protect the integrity of investigations and ALSO to protect the safety of the grand jurors themselves.

I spoke about this and multiple other things with Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille on Friday of last week.  During our conversation we obviously discussed my particular case as I had been notified Tuesday by an attorney I retained that the investigation by the grand jury concluded and "No True Bill" was rendered and the matter was closed out.  This did not surprise me--- as again--I know I did not violate any law because I am a rule following, law obeying responsible citizen. People may not like what I do, what I say, or my straightforward style.  But none of that's illegal. 

As I continued my discussion with Mr. Marcille, he let me know that the Grand Jury typically deals only with very serious cases like homicide.  He went on to let me know that any impropriety alleged against an elected official locally will likely be handed off to the grand jury--- to remove the appearance of any political influence in decisions to indict or not to indict such a sitting elected official.  

This obviously makes sense.

So next I moved our conversation to three other, emergent and important issues.  

1.)  I told him the name of the individual that divulged the correct scheduling information and topic the Grand Jury had handled.  I also told him the name of the individual who was present that let me know this had happened.  Astonishingly--Marcille said he had already been made aware of those statements at that gathering.  I am hopeful that is now being investigated.  It was improper, it was potentially an attempt to influence the grand jury, and I believe it is clearly unlawful at worst (905.27), a definite ethics violation of 112.313(8) at best. Jonathan Owens knows that one, maybe he should have discussed it with her?

Either way--it needs to be looked into and properly investigated.  And I'm confident it now will be--either by the SAO's office and/or the Florida Commission on Ethics----or both.

2.)  Next I asked him why the alleged sunshine violation from which I had been vindicated (a 2nd degree misdemeanor) had been so vigorously and publicly pursued, complete with a press release from the SAO's office?  I asked if there would similarly  be a press release on the news of the "No True Bill" which would serve as vindication?  I did not receive a direct answer to that question but I was told by Mr. Marcille that I could disclose publicly that the matter was concluded and no charges were brought.  Which I am doing here now and which I did on Friday.which I did on Friday.

3.)  Next I asked why a Felony Violation of 817.5685 by Jonathan Owens and others that illegally possess stolen county files containing protected, confidential, and personal identification information had apparently been "jumped over" to instead, apparently, vigorously investigate this alleged 2nd degree misdemeanor some had alleged I committed?  Jonathan Owens admits in the media he has possession of personal identification information from improperly conveyed (stolen) county files.  He further stated he has read them, and "held onto them" improperly once he left county employment in 2022.  This is information he admits he possesses on more than a dozen Escambia County Citizens. He took this from the county and divulged unredacted to multiple entities.  He admits this on radio and in the PNJ and it is clearly a Felony------- so why is this not yet prosecuted?  3 members of my family have now had fraud on their accounts over the last 8 months--this should be investigated!  That was my question.

Much more on all of this to come, beginning at 7:00 AM tomorrow when I appear as the lead off guest on Real News with Rick Outzen on AM 1370 WCOA.