No, this is not his federal nor his state court case on withholding public records/violation of civil rights.
No, this has nothing to do with his previous cases where he was defending against allegations he libeled a local businessman.
No this isn't about his previous public censure by his counterparts on the Board
Nope--not those cases, not those issues.
This is an ethics case where he, this one commissioner on the Escambia Board of County Commissioners, is alleged to have violated a host of Florida Statutes regarding ethics.
In the current case before the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings--which is rapidly coming to a conclusion-- two recommended orders were filed yesterday.
For the State, the order submitted seeks to make the case that the commissioner committed multiple violations and as a penalty recommends this particular commissioner, Doug Underhill, be removed from office.
But the truly surreal thing is that the defense's recommended order, while seeking to disprove a majority of the charges---actually acknowledges that the state proved, to a clear and convincing standard, that Underhill did violate at least two Florida statutes. This order (from Underhill's own lawyer) goes on to recommend to the Judge that Underhill be publicly censured and reprimanded.
Wow.
Ultimately it will be up to the Judge to decide, and it is anticipated this ruling will occur in early August.
