Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Did County Commission Authorize Illegal Payment to Commissioner PRISCILLA BENNETT, A/K/A "RACHAEL BENNETT?"

Waste, fraud and abuse?
St. Johns County Commission today passed on 4-0 vote (BENNETT recusing herself after participating in debate), authorized a possibly illegal payment to reimburse BENNETT for $2500 in legal fees in connection with a legally insufficient complaint filed with the Florida Elections Commission.
There was never an "investigation."
Citizen Thomas Reynolds, armed with his own legal research on St. Johns County and Florida law, opposed the payment as not rooted in any legal basis, since there was no "investigation." Mr. Reynolds said another citizen (unnamed) had reported the matter to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The possibly illegal payment goes to reimburse BENNETT for $2500 she paid to Tallahassee lawyer Ronald G. Meyer for 6.5 hours of legal work by him and an associate on a complaint by unsuccessful Commission candidate Kim Kendall.
Commissioner RONALD SANCHEZ wants to bill complainant Kim Kendall for the $2500 fee (because she used the complaint to "get publicity" in her race against SANCHEZ, who lost to Jeb Smith).
St. Johns County Commissioner BENNETT said the complaint was "dirty."
Perhaps.
But St. Johns Commissioners want to punish Kendall for her legally insufficient complaint.
Read the lawyer bill here.
Watch inculpatory nearly fifteen minute video here.



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