Wednesday, December 01, 2021

Investigating St. Augustine Airport: E.D. WUELLNER and LAWYER DOUG BURNETT OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT ? (11/25 update of 11/22 & 11/24 stories)

As William F. Buckley, Jr. once said, "Why does baloney reject the grinder?"

UPDATE:  

The November 25, 2021 e-mail from Mr. Matthew Liotta, below, suggests that St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Authority Director EDWARD WUELLNER lied to me, in writing, shared with government officials -- WUELLNER falsely claimed there were no records on WUELLNER's LLC, established by the Airport's lawyer. about records not existing.  WUELLNER's e-mail was sent to government officials in several locations in Florida.  Thus, I have shared correspondence with the Florida Statewide Prosecutor as possible official misconduct. 

No further response from EDWARD WUELLNER Airport Executive Director or lawyer DOUG BURNETT on my records requests and my request for an on-the-record interview, and for mediation by Florida Assistant Attorney General Pat Gleason.



Quo vobis videtor? (What do y'all reckon?)  


  1. EDWARD R. WUELLNER, St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Authority Executive Director, has an ethics problem and an appearance of impropriety. 

  2. St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Authority lawyer, DOUGLAS NELSON BURNETT has an ethics problem and an appearance of impropriety problem, too, arising out of the same corporate law transaction.  
  3. BURNETT is a developer lawyer, former St. Augustine Beach City Attorney, and the founder of St. Johns Law Group. This blog has been reporting on his privilege, flummery, dupery and nincompoopery for some fourteen (14) years.
  4. St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Authority Executive Director (E.D.) EDWARD  WUELLNER hired, recruited and employed Airport Authority lawyer DOUGLAS BURNETT BURNETT as his personal lawyer, not an Airport Authority lawyer, to incorporate a Limited Liability Corporation for him, listing as the LLC address Airport Authority propety, the house where WUELLNER lives. 
  5. Mr. WUELLNER's 2013 employment contract forbids moonlighting. 
  6. Did Mr. BURNETT improperly do private legal work for the Airport Executive Director?  
  7. Did Mr. BURNETT empower Mr. WUELLNER's conflict of interest and prohibited moonlighting?
  8. There are no documents establishing that Messrs. BURNETT and WUELLNER ever told the five Airport Authority Board members.
  9. There are no documents establishing that Messrs. BURNETT and WUELLNER ever asked for an ethics opinion. 
  10. There are no documents establishing that Messrs. BURNETT and WUELLNER ever did any legal research.
  11. There are no documents establishing that Messrs. BURNETT and WUELLNER ever asked the Board for a waiver of the no-moonlighting clause.  See Airport inculpatory response to my Open Records Request No. 2021-82 (down below these numbered paragraphs, inter alia claiming the Airport does not "possess" any records)
  12. So Mr. WUELLNER wrote me November 22, 2021, and falsely stated there are no responsive records. 
  13. The November 25, 2021 e-mail from Mr. Matthew Liotta, below, suggests that St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Authority Director EDWARD WUELLNER lied to me, in writing, shared with government officials -- WUELLNER falsely claimed there were no records on WUELLNER's LLC, established by the Airport's lawyer. about records not existing.  WUELLNER's e-mail was sent to government officials in several locations in Florida.  Thus, I have shared correspondence with the Florida Statewide Prosecutor as possible official misconduct. 
  14. I have asked for Airport documents on their search, if any.
  15. I have also asked for open records mediation by Florida Assistant Attorney General Pat Gleason.
  16. I have asked them for an on-the-record interview.
  17. I wrote the Airport on November 19, 2021, "As James Madison wrote in his August 4, 1822 letter to W.T. Barry, 'Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both. Conflicts of interest must be scrupulously guarded against. See, e.g., United States v. Mississippi Valley Generating Co., 364 U.S. 520, 548 (1961)("the 'Dixon-Yates' case"), involving U.S. Tennessee Valley Authority and its investor-owned utility rivals and conflicts of interest in a proposed Memphis coal-fired powerplant), citing Matthew 6:24 -- "no [person] can serve two masters," holding that laws and rules preventing conflicts of interest are aimed "not only at dishonor but at conduct that tempts dishonor."   All conflict of interest laws are based upon Matthew 6:24 ("A man cannot serve two masters"), which the unanimous Supreme Court decision by Chief Justice Earl Warren found to be both a "moral principle" and a "maxim which is especially pertinent if one of the masters happens to be economic self-interest."  Id.
Here are the e-mails on this appalling apparent louche lawbreaking at St. Augustine Airport:      



-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
To: erw@sgj-airport.com <erw@sgj-airport.com>; dburnett@sjlawgroup.com <dburnett@sjlawgroup.com>
Cc: faa-air21@faa.gov <faa-air21@faa.gov>; klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us <klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us>; nick.cox@myfloridalegal.com <nick.cox@myfloridalegal.com>; kelsey.bledsoe@myfloridalegal.com <kelsey.bledsoe@myfloridalegal.com>; wflowers@llw-law.com <wflowers@llw-law.com>; matt@efll.law <matt@efll.law>; jludwig@ludwiglaw.net <jludwig@ludwiglaw.net>; bdurden@llw-law.com <bdurden@llw-law.com>; s.green@flynf.org <s.green@flynf.org>; j.mirgeaux@flynf.org <j.mirgeaux@flynf.org>; b.maguire@flynf.org <b.maguire@flynf.org>; r.olson@flynf.org <r.olson@flynf.org>; r.ludlow@flynf.org <r.ludlow@flynf.org>; sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com <sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com>; sheltonhull@gmail.com <sheltonhull@gmail.com>; aschindler@firstcoastnews.com <aschindler@firstcoastnews.com>; krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com <krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com>; anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us <anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us>; pat.rice@news-jrnl.com <pat.rice@news-jrnl.com>; bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us <bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us>; bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us <bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us>; bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us <bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us>; bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us <bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us>; bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us <bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us>; bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com <bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com>; sheriff@sjso.org <sheriff@sjso.org>; corruption@usdoj.gov <corruption@usdoj.gov>; pmccormack@sjcfl.us <pmccormack@sjcfl.us>; hconrad@sjccoc.us <hconrad@sjccoc.us>; dmigut@sjcfl.us <dmigut@sjcfl.us>; davidmigut@gmail.com <davidmigut@gmail.com>; cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov <cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov>; paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov <paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov>; hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov <hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov>; governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com <governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com>; ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com <ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com>; pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com <pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com>; nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com <nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com>; shorsteinb@sao7.org <shorsteinb@sao7.org>; shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov <shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov>; larizzar@sao7.org <larizzar@sao7.org>; tupchurch@citystaug.com <tupchurch@citystaug.com>; ilopez@citystaug.com <ilopez@citystaug.com>; nsikeskline@citystaug.com <nsikeskline@citystaug.com>; rhorvath@citystaug.com <rhorvath@citystaug.com>; jregan@citystaug.com <jregan@citystaug.com>; jvaldes@citystaug.com <jvaldes@citystaug.com>; bblonder@citystaug.com <bblonder@citystaug.com>; lfountain@citystaug.com <lfountain@citystaug.com>; dbirchim@citystaug.com <dbirchim@citystaug.com>; mbreidenstein@citystaug.com <mbreidenstein@citystaug.com>; msimpson@citystaug.com <msimpson@citystaug.com>; sunshine@floridafaf.org <sunshine@floridafaf.org>; jdunn@sjcfl.us <jdunn@sjcfl.us>; waltbog@nytimes.com <waltbog@nytimes.com>
Sent: Thu, Nov 25, 2021 1:34 pm
Subject: Re: Request No 2021-82: ST. AUGUSTINE AIRPORT OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT re: concealing COMMANDMENT FIVE LLC documents requested November 19, 2021

Dear Messrs. Wuellner and Burnett:
1. The information in Mr. Matthew Liotta's November 25, 2021 e-mail, below, strongly suggests that our St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Executive Director, Edward R. Wuellner, lied to me, in writing, on November 22, 2021, when he claimed to have none of the records I requested on the COMMANDMENT FIVE LLC owned by Mr. Wuellner, et al. and incorporated by Mr. Burnett.  
2. This may be a serious violation of Florida criminal laws against "official misconduct" and "concealing, covering up, mutilating or altering" our government records.  See F.S. 838.022.
3. Please send me PDFs of the requested records by close of business by tomorrow, November 26, 2021, without further falsehoods, flummery, or delay, or what Sir Winston Spencer Churchill would have diplomatically called "terminological inexactitude."
4. The Airport Executive Director's one-sentence,  materially false and misleading November 22, 2021 e-mail to me was sent by Mr. Wuellner to government officials in several locations, including Tallahassee.  
5. Thus, I have today shared this e-mail, and those inculpatory e-mails below, with our Florida Statewide Prosecutor, Mr. Nicholas Cox and Ms. Kelsey Bledsoe.  
6. From this day forward, please cease and desist from any and all further St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport withholding and concealment of our public records, or lying, or "official misconduct," or other misuse of Airport property and resources.  
7. It's our money. It's our Airport. Please govern yourselves accordingly.  See F.S. 838.022:
838.022 Official misconduct.—
(1) It is unlawful for a public servant or public contractor, to knowingly and intentionally obtain a benefit for any person or to cause unlawful harm to another, by:
(a) Falsifying, or causing another person to falsify, any official record or official document;
(b) Concealing, covering up, destroying, mutilating, or altering any official record or official document, except as authorized by law or contract, or causing another person to perform such an act; or
(c) Obstructing, delaying, or preventing the communication of information relating to the commission of a felony that directly involves or affects the government entity served by the public servant or public contractor.
(2) For the purposes of this section:
(a) The term “public servant” does not include a candidate who does not otherwise qualify as a public servant.
(b) An official record or official document includes only public records.
(3) Any person who violates this section commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
History.—s. 5, ch. 2003-158; s. 4, ch. 2016-151.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,



-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
To: matt.liotta@modern.aero <matt.liotta@modern.aero>
Cc: matt@efli.law <matt@efli.law>; erw@sgj-airport.com <erw@sgj-airport.com>; jludwig@ludwiglaw.net <jludwig@ludwiglaw.net>; bdurden@llw-law.com <bdurden@llw-law.com>; dburnett@sjlawgroup.com <dburnett@sjlawgroup.com>; pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com <pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com>; wflowers@llw-law.com <wflowers@llw-law.com>; bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us <bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us>; pmccormack@sjcfl.us <pmccormack@sjcfl.us>; dmigut@sjcfl.us <dmigut@sjcfl.us>; sunshine@floridafaf.org <sunshine@floridafaf.org>; pmarsh@ausley.com <pmarsh@ausley.com>; bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com <bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com>; hconrad@sjcfl.us <hconrad@sjcfl.us>; waltbog@nytimes.com <waltbog@nytimes.com>
Sent: Thu, Nov 25, 2021 12:10 pm
Subject: Re: Communication from Matt Liotta

Dear Mr. Liotta:
Thank you for the information.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
With kindest regards, I am,



-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Liotta <matt.liotta@modern.aero>
To: Douglas Burnett <dburnett@sjlawgroup.com>
Cc: Matt McLauchlin <matt@efli.law>; Wuellner, Edward R. (erw@sgj-airport.com) <erw@sgj-airport.com>; Jeff Ludwig <jludwig@ludwiglaw.net>; Brenna Durden <bdurden@llw-law.com>; Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Nov 25, 2021 11:18 am
Subject: Re: Communication from Matt Liotta

Doug,

I have recently read a blog post from Ed Slavin, which is below:

http://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2021/11/investigating-st-augustine-airport-ed.html

Of note, it states that Mr. Slavin made an open records request for "all documents on COMMANDMENT FIVE LLC.” He shares an apparent email from Edward Wuellner that states, "We are not in possession of any of the requested records.”

Obviously, that can’t be correct. As you know, I brought up the issue of Commandment Five with you in person and then followed up with an email. I was rightly concerned about you acting as a personal attorney for the airport director regarding a business of his located on airport property. In response, you sent an email to my attorney Jeff Ludwig and CCed Mr. Wuellner. As such, that specific email appears to be responsive to Mr. Slavin’s request. Further, you are also aware of two different open records requests from me and my counsel Brenna Durden respectively regarding Commandment Five. Again, those requests and the associated responses all appear to be responsive.

Mr. Slavin’s contention appears to be that Mr. Wuellner violated his employment contract when he formed Commandment Five. And, apparently you helped him. As the airport’s attorney, you should have known that Mr. Wuellner shouldn’t violate his employment agreement. Further, any actual knowledge of his violation should have been presented to the Board. Clearly, you didn’t inform the Board of the violation - possibly because you were the very person helping him do it. Now you also have actual knowledge of Mr. Wuellner intentionally violating Florida’s sunshine law. Additionally, it would seem to provide the authority the right to terminate Mr. Wuellner’s employment agreement since this is an act of material dishonesty.

I am CCing Mr. Slavin on this email, so he is aware of the apparent violations of Florida’s sunshine law. That’s on him to decide how to proceed given the situation. Regardless of that though, I think it is incumbent on you to immediately change your attitude. The blog shows that you were on the emails from Mr. Wuellner to Mr. Slavin where Mr. Wuellner falsely stated that there were no responsive documents. So it is clear that you knew then of Mr. Wuellner's violations of the sunshine law. It would appear you have done nothing about it, contrary to the interests of your client. Your client is the airport authority, which exists for the benefit of the citizens of St. Johns County. It is not Mr. Wuellner. If you’d prefer to represent him instead, you need to resign from the airport given the conflict. In addition to your ethical obligations with the Florida bar, you also have obligations to the airport and its citizens. Your client and the community deserve and expect you to take your representation seriously and work to fix any of the wrongdoing that has occurred.

-Matt

On Oct 19, 2021, at 12:37 PM, Jeff Ludwig <jludwig@ludwiglaw.net> wrote:

Doug:
 
This is the first time I have seen this, but it is apparent by the tone of Mr. Liotta’s email the frustration of having come forward months ago to negotiate a new lease to replace an existing  lease in good faith and then having the rules changed mid-stream.
 
Modern Aero has invested substantial money and time in their business and still, even after yesterday’s meeting and presentation by Mr. Wuellner, no good cause or substantiation or reason has come forth to suddenly change the definition of what should or should not be in the south hangars.
 
Remember, many public dollars have been used - although you may deny the fact – to build these hangars and/or construct the infrastructure used by the hangar tenants.  There has been a large mix of planes -- including jet powered (both prop jet and pure jet) -- back in the south hangars.  To suddenly say jet engines are not compatible in the south area is disingenuous.  Also, with advances yearly in turbine powered aircraft, it seems irresponsible to suggest restricting use of the hangars on an arbitrary basis.
 
Trying to legislate or rule-make away my client’s ability to negotiate a lease in the commercial hangar they are currently in is inappropriate, wrong and unlawful.
 
Regarding the substance of the email and allegations made in it, I just found out that Mr. Wuellner may be living in a house on property owned by the St. Augustine Airport Authority and conducting some other business out of the same. Since I have not investigated this arrangement, I have no comment on it at this point.
 
We again request that the Authority engage immediately with Modern on finalizing a lease through good faith negotiations.
 
 
Jeffrey R. Ludwig
Ludwig Hulsey, P.A.
5150 Belfort Road, Building 500
Jacksonville, Florida 32256
904.281.0145
jludwig@ludwiglaw.net
 
http://www.ludwiglaw.net/
 
<image001.png>
 
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information and all attachments contained in this electronic communication are legally privileged and confidential information, subject to the attorney-client privilege and intended only for the use of intended recipients. If the reader of this message is not an intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately of the error by return email and please permanently remove any copies of this message from your system and do not retain any copies, whether in electronic or physical form or otherwise.
From: Douglas Burnett <dburnett@sjlawgroup.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2021 10:58 AM
To: Jeff Ludwig <jludwig@ludwiglaw.net>
Cc: 'Wuellner, Edward R. (erw@sgj-airport.com)' <erw@sgj-airport.com>
Subject: FW: Ethics follow-up
 
Jeff, 
 
I received the communication below and attached from your client.
 
Doug
Douglas N. Burnett
Managing Partner
St. Johns Law Group
www.sjlawgroup.com
104 Sea Grove Main Street
St. Augustine, Florida 32080
(904) 687-9126 cellular
(904) 495-0400 office
(904) 495-0506 facsimile
FacebookTwitter
 
 
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CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information and all attachments contained in this electronic communication are legally privileged and confidential information, subject to the attorney-client privilege and intended only for the use of intended recipients. If the reader of this message is not an intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately of the error by return email and please permanently remove any copies of this message from your system and do not retain any copies, whether in electronic or physical form or otherwise.
 
From: Matt Liotta <matt.liotta@modern.aero> 
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2021 10:12 PM
To: Douglas Burnett <dburnett@sjlawgroup.com>
Subject: Ethics follow-up
 
Doug, 
 
I am glad you brought up ethics tonight at the meeting. I am well aware of the ethical requirements for lawyers. Importantly, I was standing next one of my attorneys at the time of our conversation. Therefore, even though you raised the ethnical concern in speaking to me, I was in the presence of counsel and so any such concern was either misplaced or simply an excuse not to have a substantive conversation. As you know, our conversation continued on to another matter —Commandment Five, LLC and 360 North Blvd— for which I am not currently represented by counsel and had no lawyer present as my counsel had stepped away. I don’t see any ethical concern in having a discussion about that issue, but I can appreciate that you felt uncomfortable talking with me about it. Nevertheless, I brought it to your attention given the obvious conflict associated with the airport’s attorney acting as an agent for the director running a company from airport property. I was curious if you had cleared that activity with the board, in light of your apparent concern for ethics. Additionally, I have attached the document I referenced in our discussion.
 
While the business of Commandment Five may be harmless to the airport, the airport’s attorney actively engaging in a conflicted, unreported transaction with the airport’s director is anything but harmless.
 
Separately, but by far a bigger ethical concern, is covered in the attached affidavit I would like to bring to your attention. It has been prepared related to our forthcoming litigation you seem to be going out of your way to ensure. Threatening my business with retaliation for pointing out Ed’s unlawful action, which was clearly designed to harm us as tenants, immediately calls into question your ethics. It also makes me wonder if you realize you represent the Board, not the airport Director. You should have counseled Ed that his email was unlawful after you received our cease and desist, and certainly you owed your client - the board - competent advice on the issue. Instead, it appears you kept the board in the dark and conspired with Ed in a plan to have the Board make policy to coverup his unlawful action. You should have known better. Besides being morally and ethically wrong, even if the Board made the policy changes it wouldn’t undo Ed’s unlawful actions. Possibly you got carried away in the heat of the moment. I don’t know, but I was told by one of the Board members that perhaps you and Ed had gotten "ahead of your skis" with me. The following is a link to may help refresh your recollection regarding the Rules of Professional Conduct in case they are rusty:
 
https://www-media.floridabar.org/uploads/2021/07/CH-4-2022_01-JUL-RRTFB-7-23-2021-4.pdf

   
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
To: erw@sgj-airport.com <erw@sgj-airport.com>; dburnett@sjlawgroup.com <dburnett@sjlawgroup.com>
Cc: faa-air21@faa.gov <faa-air21@faa.gov>; klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us <klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us>; s.green@flynf.org <s.green@flynf.org>; j.mirgeaux@flynf.org <j.mirgeaux@flynf.org>; b.maguire@flynf.org <b.maguire@flynf.org>; r.olson@flynf.org <r.olson@flynf.org>; r.ludlow@flynf.org <r.ludlow@flynf.org>; sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com <sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com>; sheltonhull@gmail.com <sheltonhull@gmail.com>; aschindler@firstcoastnews.com <aschindler@firstcoastnews.com>; krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com <krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com>; anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us <anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us>; pat.rice@news-jrnl.com <pat.rice@news-jrnl.com>; bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us <bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us>; bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us <bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us>; bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us <bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us>; bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us <bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us>; bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us <bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us>; bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com <bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com>; sheriff@sjso.org <sheriff@sjso.org>; corruption@usdoj.gov <corruption@usdoj.gov>; pmccormack@sjcfl.us <pmccormack@sjcfl.us>; hconrad@sjccoc.us <hconrad@sjccoc.us>; dmigut@sjcfl.us <dmigut@sjcfl.us>; davidmigut@gmail.com <davidmigut@gmail.com>; cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov <cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov>; paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov <paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov>; hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov <hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov>; governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com <governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com>; ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com <ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com>; pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com <pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com>; nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com <nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com>; shorsteinb@sao7.org <shorsteinb@sao7.org>; shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov <shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov>; larizzar@sao7.org <larizzar@sao7.org>; tupchurch@citystaug.com <tupchurch@citystaug.com>; ilopez@citystaug.com <ilopez@citystaug.com>; nsikeskline@citystaug.com <nsikeskline@citystaug.com>; rhorvath@citystaug.com <rhorvath@citystaug.com>; jregan@citystaug.com <jregan@citystaug.com>; jvaldes@citystaug.com <jvaldes@citystaug.com>; bblonder@citystaug.com <bblonder@citystaug.com>; lfountain@citystaug.com <lfountain@citystaug.com>; dbirchim@citystaug.com <dbirchim@citystaug.com>; mbreidenstein@citystaug.com <mbreidenstein@citystaug.com>; msimpson@citystaug.com <msimpson@citystaug.com>; sunshine@floridafaf.org <sunshine@floridafaf.org>; jdunn@sjcfl.us <jdunn@sjcfl.us>; waltbog@nytimes.com <waltbog@nytimes.com>
Sent: Mon, Nov 22, 2021 3:31 pm
Subject: Re: Request No 2021-82: Ethics opinions, conflicts of interests, violation of no moonlighting clause?

Dear Messrs. Wuellner and Burnett:
1.  Your one sentence e-mail this morning stated, "We are not in possession of any of the requested records."
2.  Please explain it to me, like I was a six year old. Who searched and how?  Please provide proof. 
3. Who has "possession?"  The St. Johns Law Group?   An Airport IT or other contracto or subcontractorr?  
4. Were any documents ever lost, stolen, altered or destroyed?  Are you asserting any evidentiary 9r constitutional privilege over any documents?  If so, please provide a Vaughn index.
5. Please obtain all of the requested records pursuant to F.S. 119.0701 and provide them today, with no further delay.
6. Please let me know today your respective proposed schedule(s) re: on-the-record interview(s) and Florida AAG Pat Gleason mediation conference call.
7. Please provide today all responsive documents generated since my November 19, 2021 request 2021-82, including but not limited to your written instructions to St. Johns Law Group, other Airport contractors, or IT personnel for what search terms to use in looking for requested e-mails and other electronic documents, including any report back from them on their search(es).
8. Since your November 22, 2021 e-mail was copied to government officials, including every single one of our five (5) elected Airport Authority Board members, please take note that F.S  837.06 may apply re: any false statements to government officials.
9. On November 3, 1992, 3,8 million Florida voters (83%) enacted Florida Constitution, Article I, Sec. 24. We have a Florida constitutional Right to Know, which must be respected and not neglected. 
10. Please conduct yourselves accordingly, from this day forward.  Please call me to discuss your legal and ethical duties.
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,



-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
To: erw@sgj-airport.com <erw@sgj-airport.com>; dburnett@sjlawgroup.com <dburnett@sjlawgroup.com>
Cc: klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us <klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us>; s.green@flynf.org <s.green@flynf.org>; j.mirgeaux@flynf.org <j.mirgeaux@flynf.org>; b.maguire@flynf.org <b.maguire@flynf.org>; r.olson@flynf.org <r.olson@flynf.org>; r.ludlow@flynf.org <r.ludlow@flynf.org>; sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com <sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com>; sheltonhull@gmail.com <sheltonhull@gmail.com>; aschindler@firstcoastnews.com <aschindler@firstcoastnews.com>; krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com <krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com>; anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us <anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us>; pat.rice@news-jrnl.com <pat.rice@news-jrnl.com>; bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us <bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us>; bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us <bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us>; bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us <bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us>; bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us <bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us>; bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us <bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us>; bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com <bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com>; sheriff@sjso.org <sheriff@sjso.org>; corruption@usdoj.gov <corruption@usdoj.gov>; pmccormack@sjcfl.us <pmccormack@sjcfl.us>; hconrad@sjccoc.us <hconrad@sjccoc.us>; dmigut@sjcfl.us <dmigut@sjcfl.us>; davidmigut@gmail.com <davidmigut@gmail.com>; cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov <cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov>; paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov <paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov>; hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov <hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov>; governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com <governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com>; ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com <ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com>; pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com <pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com>; nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com <nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com>; shorsteinb@sao7.org <shorsteinb@sao7.org>; shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov <shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov>; larizzar@sao7.org <larizzar@sao7.org>; tupchurch@citystaug.com <tupchurch@citystaug.com>; ilopez@citystaug.com <ilopez@citystaug.com>; nsikeskline@citystaug.com <nsikeskline@citystaug.com>; rhorvath@citystaug.com <rhorvath@citystaug.com>; jregan@citystaug.com <jregan@citystaug.com>; jvaldes@citystaug.com <jvaldes@citystaug.com>; bblonder@citystaug.com <bblonder@citystaug.com>; lfountain@citystaug.com <lfountain@citystaug.com>; dbirchim@citystaug.com <dbirchim@citystaug.com>; mbreidenstein@citystaug.com <mbreidenstein@citystaug.com>; msimpson@citystaug.com <msimpson@citystaug.com>; sunshine@floridafaf.org <sunshine@floridafaf.org>; jdunn@sjcfl.us <jdunn@sjcfl.us>; waltbog@nytimes.com <waltbog@nytimes.com>
Sent: Mon, Nov 22, 2021 11:51 am
Subject: Re: Request No 2021-82: Ethics opinions, conflicts of interests, violation of no moonlighting clause?

Dear Messrs. Wuellner and Burnett:
1. What time(s) do you propose for on-the-record interview(s) today about your apparent conflict(s) of interest, appearance(s) of impropriety and violation(s) of the terms of your contracts with our St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport by misusing our Airport property and embroiling its attorney in representing the Executive Director on his private business, conducted on Airport property, in violation of his contractual no-moonlighting contract? 
2. Will you both kindly agree to F.S. 119 mediation by Florida Assistant Attorney General Pat Gleason, e.g., re: your unfathomable claim to have no records?
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,



-----Original Message-----
From: Edward R. Wuellner <erw@sgj-airport.com>
To: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>; dburnett@sjlawgroup.com <dburnett@sjlawgroup.com>
Cc: klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us <klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us>; Suzanne Green <s.green@flynf.org>; Justin Mirgeaux <j.mirgeaux@flynf.org>; Bruce Maguire <b.maguire@flynf.org>; Robert Olson <r.olson@flynf.org>; Reba Ludlow <r.ludlow@flynf.org>; sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com <sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com>; sheltonhull@gmail.com <sheltonhull@gmail.com>; aschindler@firstcoastnews.com <aschindler@firstcoastnews.com>; krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com <krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com>; anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us <anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us>; pat.rice@news-jrnl.com <pat.rice@news-jrnl.com>; bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us <bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us>; bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us <bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us>; bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us <bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us>; bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us <bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us>; bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us <bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us>; bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com <bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com>; sheriff@sjso.org <sheriff@sjso.org>; corruption@usdoj.gov <corruption@usdoj.gov>; pmccormack@sjcfl.us <pmccormack@sjcfl.us>; hconrad@sjccoc.us <hconrad@sjccoc.us>; dmigut@sjcfl.us <dmigut@sjcfl.us>; davidmigut@gmail.com <davidmigut@gmail.com>; cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov <cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov>; paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov <paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov>; hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov <hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov>; governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com <governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com>; ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com <ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com>; pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com <pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com>; nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com <nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com>; shorsteinb@sao7.org <shorsteinb@sao7.org>; shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov <shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov>; larizzar@sao7.org <larizzar@sao7.org>; tupchurch@citystaug.com <tupchurch@citystaug.com>; ilopez@citystaug.com <ilopez@citystaug.com>; nsikeskline@citystaug.com <nsikeskline@citystaug.com>; rhorvath@citystaug.com <rhorvath@citystaug.com>; jregan@citystaug.com <jregan@citystaug.com>; jvaldes@citystaug.com <jvaldes@citystaug.com>; bblonder@citystaug.com <bblonder@citystaug.com>; lfountain@citystaug.com <lfountain@citystaug.com>; dbirchim@citystaug.com <dbirchim@citystaug.com>; mbreidenstein@citystaug.com <mbreidenstein@citystaug.com>; msimpson@citystaug.com <msimpson@citystaug.com>; sunshine@floridafaf.org <sunshine@floridafaf.org>; jdunn@sjcfl.us <jdunn@sjcfl.us>; waltbog@nytimes.com <waltbog@nytimes.com>
Sent: Mon, Nov 22, 2021 10:17 am
Subject: Re: Request No 2021-82: Ethics opinions, conflicts of interests, violation of no moonlighting clause?

Good Morning Mr. Slavin,
 
We are not in possession of any of the requested records.
 
Regsards,  (sic)
 
 
Graphical user interface, text, application Description automatically generated
 
 
 
 
From: Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com>
Date: Friday, November 19, 2021 at 7:31 PM
To: dburnett@sjlawgroup.com <dburnett@sjlawgroup.com>, Edward R. Wuellner <erw@sgj-airport.com>
Cc: klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us <klancke.caroline@leg.state.fl.us>, Suzanne Green <s.green@flynf.org>, Justin Mirgeaux <j.mirgeaux@flynf.org>, Bruce Maguire <b.maguire@flynf.org>, Robert Olson <r.olson@flynf.org>, Reba Ludlow <r.ludlow@flynf.org>, sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com <sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com>, sheltonhull@gmail.com <sheltonhull@gmail.com>, aschindler@firstcoastnews.com <aschindler@firstcoastnews.com>, krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com <krys.fluker@news-jrnl.com>, anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us <anderson.chris@leg.state.fl.us>, pat.rice@news-jrnl.com <pat.rice@news-jrnl.com>, bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us <bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us>, bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us <bcc3pwaldron@sjcfl.us>, bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us <bcc4jblocker@sjcfl.us>, bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us <bcc5hdean@sjcfl.us>, bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us <bcc2jsmith@sjcfl.us>, bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com <bpatty@stjohnsclerk.com>, sheriff@sjso.org <sheriff@sjso.org>, corruption@usdoj.gov <corruption@usdoj.gov>, pmccormack@sjcfl.us <pmccormack@sjcfl.us>, hconrad@sjccoc.us <hconrad@sjccoc.us>, dmigut@sjcfl.us <dmigut@sjcfl.us>, davidmigut@gmail.com <davidmigut@gmail.com>, cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov <cyndi.stevenson@myfloridahouse.gov>, paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov <paul.renner@myfloridahouse.gov>, hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov <hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov>, governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com <governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com>, ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com <ashley.moody@myfloridalegal.com>, pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com <pat.gleason@myfloridalegal.com>, nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com <nicholas.weilhammer@myfloridalegal.com>, shorsteinb@sao7.org <shorsteinb@sao7.org>, shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov <shorty.robbins@myfloridahouse.gov>, larizzar@sao7.org <larizzar@sao7.org>, tupchurch@citystaug.com <tupchurch@citystaug.com>, ilopez@citystaug.com <ilopez@citystaug.com>, nsikeskline@citystaug.com <nsikeskline@citystaug.com>, rhorvath@citystaug.com <rhorvath@citystaug.com>, jregan@citystaug.com <jregan@citystaug.com>, jvaldes@citystaug.com <jvaldes@citystaug.com>, bblonder@citystaug.com <bblonder@citystaug.com>, lfountain@citystaug.com <lfountain@citystaug.com>, dbirchim@citystaug.com <dbirchim@citystaug.com>, mbreidenstein@citystaug.com <mbreidenstein@citystaug.com>, msimpson@citystaug.com <msimpson@citystaug.com>, sunshine@floridafaf.org <sunshine@floridafaf.org>, jdunn@sjcfl.us <jdunn@sjcfl.us>, waltbog@nytimes.com <waltbog@nytimes.com>
Subject: Request No 2021-82: Ethics opinions, conflicts of interests, violation of no moonlighting clause?
Dear Messrs. Wuellner and Burnett:
1. Would you please be so kind as to send me any St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Authority staff and attorney disclosures to our Airport Board, to our Florida Ethics Commission, to FAA or FAA Inspector General -- or any presentations, transcripts, ethics research, opinions, reports, e-mails, letters, videos or other paper or electronic documents -- concerning the Airport Authority attorney, DOUGLAS NELSON BURNETT, Esq.,personally  incorporating COMMANDMENT FIVE LLC, a limited liability corporation, for the Airport's Executive Director, EDWARD R. WUELLNER, in apparent violation of paragraph 2 (the Airport's no moonlighting clause) in Mr. Wuellner's enclosed May 20, 2013 contract, listing as the LLC's address Airport property, to wit, 360 North Blvd., St. Augustine, Florida 32095, the home that Executive Director WUELLNER lives in as part of his contract?  
Please see enclosures. 
2. Please send me all documents on  COMMANDMENT FIVE LLC, including but not limited to its responses to civil, criminal or administrative investigations, business plans, accounting records, responses to RFPs, RFQs or otherwise, and correspondence and e-mails between Messrs. DOUGLAS NELSON BURNETT and Airport Executive Director EDWARD WULLNER.
3. Please call me to arrange an interview on Monday, November 22, 2021 about the Airport's legal compliance procedures, if any, for preventing, detecting, deterring, reporting and remedying appearances of improprieties and conflicts of interest at our St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport Authority and for protecting persons making protected whistleblower disclosures pursuant to the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR21) and Sarbanes-Oxley Act whistleblower laws.
4. Please send me copies of any notices of AIR21 and Sarbanes-Oxley Act whistleblower rights to Airport employees, and airport businesses, contractors and vendors.
5. As James Madison wrote in his August 4, 1822 letter to W.T. Barry, “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both.”
6. Conflicts of interest must be scrupulously guarded against. See, e.g., United States v. Mississippi Valley Generating Co., 364 U.S. 520, 548 (1961)("the 'Dixon-Yates' case"), involving U.S. Tennessee Valley Authority and its investor-owned utility rivals and conflicts of interest in a proposed Memphis coal-fired powerplant), citing Matthew 6:24 -- "no [person] can serve two masters," holding that laws and rules preventing conflicts of interest are aimed "not only at dishonor but at conduct that tempts dishonor."   
7. All conflict of interest laws are based upon Matthew 6:24 ("A man cannot serve two masters"), which the unanimous Supreme Court decision by Chief Justice Earl Warren found to be both a "moral principle" and a "maxim which is especially pertinent if one of the masters happens to be economic self-interest."  Id.
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,
  1
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