RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO was hired as Interim County Attorney on the recommendation of then-commissioner ROY ALYRE ALAIMO, JR., who lost his election bid in 2024 after being appointed to the job by his former boss, Congressman RONALD DION DeSANTIS, now Governor. ALAIMO recommended hiring KOMANDO, whom he openly and notoriously identified as his "friend."
On February 6, 2024, ALAIMO said KOMANDO was not interested in the job permanently.
KOMANDO has now applied for the job permanently.
Triple-dipping Interim County Attorney RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANO (Florida Bar No. 181366) is now the current Putnam County Attorney, and the Bradford County Attorney and the Interim St. Johns County Attorney!
Who knew?
Is this illegal dual officeholding, a conflict of interest, or wasteful spending?
We have a Right to Know.
It's our money.
It's our government.
It's about our forests.
It's about our time on this planet in this special place.
It's about overdevelopment and its effects on our schools, on our roads, on our quality of life, and on our democratic institutions in this constitutional republic.
Corruption junction, what's your function?
County Attorneys in Florida are often lapdogs for wealthy landowners.
In this case, three (3) counties have the same County Attorney: St. Johns, Bradford and Putnam.
Conflict of interest?
Dual offieeholding in violation of Florida's Constitution?
We need to know the etiology, nature, structure and performance of this close community of interests resulting in one-man being County Attorney for three Florida counties.
Here's my February 14, 2025 e-mail to St. Johns County government:
139 comments:
Him being his friend isn't all that relevant. People form relationships Slavin. That's part of life. You expect them to put someone unfriendly in there? Who would do that? At any rate, problem is that people elect one person and they get ten people who they didn't elect. People are voting for one person and then later that bares the reprocussion of ten people in official positions that they've never heard of.
Patronizing, again? "Friend" of an unelected, DeSantis-appointeed Commissioner was the ONLY reason given. That was NOT and will NEVER be a valid bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) for a BoCC legal job! Political patronag. See, e.g. Martin & Susan Tolchin, "To the Victor," about political patronage, reporting that in 1970, $50k got you a judgeship in NYC. You like that?
You misuse the word "relevant." Please see the Federal and Florida Rules of Evidence on the definition of "relevance."
A friend is someone you can trust and who helps you and doesn't let bad things happen to you if they can help it. That doesn't imply that someone is somehow financially benefiting or profiting. So it's not illegal or unethical to have friendships in political parties or between people who hold offices. You're either not being realistic or you're trying to suggest something if which you have no proof or evidence for.
Job not posted. This is not a meritocracy. Oligarchs. rule. RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO did not apply. No background check. ALAIMO said to hire him because he was his friend. Commissioners hired him without an interview or a c.v. or a conflicts check. That's some friendship. In the immortal words of the late convicted felon Tennessee Governor LEONARD RAY BLANTON, "if you can't help your friends, who can you help?" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Blanton
People get appointed all the time! You can say that needs to change without implying that friendship is inappropriate. Get it? Nobody appoints people or even votes for people who they dislike or wouldn't have some positive relationship with if given the chance.
So your "defense" is that SJC's oligarchy has always had low expectations of government ethics? My mom would say, "how trite!" This is America. Employment nondiscrimination laws require posting and advertising of jobs. What is your legal basis for endorsing oligarch?
I don't know what oligarchy and friendship has to do with anything here... that's really the point. Nor does discrimination have anything to do with people in office having good relationships. You're all over the place today.
Wrong. It's a violation of EEO law to hire a government attorney without advertising the job. It's a violation of EEO law to consider no one but your friend.
Being friends with Commissioner ALAIMO was the reason given for $200k/year attorney job. No serious person would defend this stench in the nostrils of our Nation. St. Johns County deserves better. Enough mediocrity, mendacity and insolence.
After County Attorney David Michael Migut quit, developers and their cat's paws wanted to retain control over the County Attorney's office. That's the simple palpitating truth of the matter.
Being ALAIMO's "friend" is not a BFOQ. Only reason given for the hiring decision. Despicable, disgraceful and unAmerican.
And that still has nothing to do with friendship. You should be arguing that laws should be passed that forbid appointments from top to bottom.. only voting. But no, we can't get that out of you for some reason.
Proof and evidence for your claim that a good working relationship with someone is tied to some income...is zero. "Because I say so" isn't proof or evidence nor are your feelings.
He's qualified so your reasoning is the issue and not his employment. To suggest that people who have good relationships and also hold office is somehow a negative or unethical thing is rediculous yet you just keep on with it for some reason.
Word saiad. Take a logic course. Learn to spell. Stop wasting time with pejorative non sequiturs.
Respondent SJC BoCC has not disputed the facts. Filed complaint with HUD Office of Civil Rights on February 29, 2024. It's time to hire based on qualifications. The days of developers picking County Attorney, County Administrator, County Commissioners and County are over. Here: https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2024/02/ed-slavin-february-29-2024-hud-civil.html
Sounds like this commenter has emotional problems with criticizing KOMANDO.
Sounds like RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO and the devious developer keiretsu take this personally. Ululating. Doth protest too much.
Yeah you doth protest too much. That's all this blog is. You're getting subject and object confused now.
Your thoughts and feelings aren't proof or evidence for "hiring because friends." You wouldn't be complaining about it if you were someone's friend and got the job either. You wouldn't be saying it was just because you were friends if you were qualified. It's because they vote a certain way that you're making bogus claims without evidence.
You mean you? Me asking for actual proof and evidence is being emotional? I don't see that. Maybe you... but not me.
County hired both Messrs. KOMANDO and CONRAD without an application. No resume. No c.v. No background investigation. No one else considered. Not even current County employees. No search. No ad. No notice to employees. But KOMANDO was recommended by ALAIMO solely because he was ALAIMO's "friend." This is the definition of corruption. Our County government is secretive, deceptive and wasteful. We now have eight (8) PR people, spinning flummery, dupery and nincompoopery for the ancien regime.
St. Johns County is not a meritocracy. Cory Duke Mara, a former candidate for Mosquito Control, was a county employee. His file shows his cover letter informed the County that he was a Republican and a Roman Catholic. Not a BFOQ. And it's not a BFOQ for ALAIMO to say publicly that KOMANDO is his "friend," the only reason given for the hiring. County government employees should be hired on the basis of merit. What a concept.
1:47 PM
They trusted someone qualified to fill the position and that's corrupt because of some relationship? Do you even have actual proof and evidence for some extraordinary relationship bond or are you just asserting that without actual proof or evidence? Otherwise they simply filled the position. Him paying someone for the position would be corrupt so in any case it seems you're exaggerating. And why would they choose someone already working for the county? Then they'd have to hire someone else to fill that position. Seems silly to me.
Why would you want an attorney in a top position who was hired without full and open competition? Without advertising? Without a background check? On the basis that a partisan Commissioner recommended him on the basis he was his "friend?" JFK said politics is an honorable profession. But it's not honorable and not a profession when SJC hick hack sad sacks dole out jobs and contracts to their friends, while refusing to answer any of my 104 questions on our budget, refusing to provide a list of their internal controls, and acting like it's an imposition to have public participation. Three (3) new County Commissioners, two elected in 2024, have higher standards, we hope, than the otiose other-directed cognitive misers and their angry ancien regime that hired RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO as County Attorney and HUNTER SINCLAIR CONRAD as County Administrator without a job posting or background investigation. . See my January 25, 2020 St. Augustine Record column, "Commissioners' push to install Conrad as administrators seems fishy,"
https://www.staugustine.com/story/opinion/2020/01/25/guest-column-commissioners-push-to-install-conrad-as-administrator-seems-fishy/1831084007/
What sense would it make to hire someone they didn't know much about or trust or didn't have a good relationship with Slavin? I keep asking what sense that makes and all I get is some unrelated monologue.
No interview! No c.v.! No resume! No ad! No application! No one else considered. ONLY reason given was ALAIMO saying he was his friend. Pay attention. Are you billing a developer for your feculent fetid filibuster?
Two (2) highly qualified senior attorneys with the County were not invited to apply. Why? Is "Pete" opposed to hiring from within? That means he's against the meritocracy. That's a hick hack sad sack agenda, which "Pete" confessed, in haec verba: "And why would they choose someone already working for the county? Then they'd have to hire someone else to fill that position. Seems silly to me." Oh?
The guy they hired had merit and was qualified and there have been no significant problems with him performing his duties. That's what matters most really. I'm surprised you never complain about some of the sots that the federal government hires, then when they treat people like garbage, their jobs are protected and they are backed by unlimited legal resources and immunity. This guy you're talking about hasn't done anything like that.
No he said they were friends and that has less to do with the appointment than him being qualified. Otherwise, friends or no friends, he wouldn't be in that position. You're focusing on the statement about him being someone's friend and overlooking his qualifications and suitability.
No respect for Commission. He did not interview. He did not wait for an ad. No application. No c.v. Your statements are de hors the record, sweetheart. Driving under the inference. Nothing in the record. Your friends did not do themselves any favor when they rammed through a political hiring decision. We will never know if he was qualified or suitable. No interview. No application. No consideration of current lawyers. Two quit after they were stiffed by the SJC oligarchs. This stinks.
Not "silly" to ask questions, demand answers and expect democracy.
Your comment involved accusations and spin... now you're framing it as merely asking questions and expecting democracy.
It's apparent that he's qualified and suitable because he has performed his duties without issue Slavin. And you having some complaint about any decision that he has made doesn't mean he's not suitable either.
Huh? Sounds like KOMANDO has a guilty conscience and is spinning like mad. Where''s his c.v.? What rough beasts in the developer-directed St. Johns County political machine ran off County Attorney DAVID MICHAEL MIGUT? Why the urgency to hire a cat's paw, their "friend," without an ad, a search, an application, a c.v., an interview, or a background check? Who is this poster? Please ID yourself. Please call me to arrange for an interview.
He might have had a guilty conscience until he faced the absurd arguments, speculation, framing, claims made without proof or evidence, exaggerations, and accusations of one Ed Slavin. After hearing all that I can imagine that he would have a clear conscience and even be quite proud of his decision.
SJC County Attorney Patrick Francis McCormack was qualified. When he retired, County advertised in Florida Bar Journal and invited applications. Why didn't we do that when Mr. Migut resigned?
One of the finalists applying for the job was highly qualified -- Thomas McFarland, who four (4) times was elected Roane County Attorney in Tennessee. He had experience in jury trials and diverse areas of the law. His independence and expertise would have made us proud to live in St. Johns County.
Not one Commissioner voted to hire Mr. McFarland. Why?
Our St. Johns County Attorney's office needed Mr. McFarland! Vote was despicable; the excuses emitted by our bumptious burghers included his lack of "St. Johns County experience" (nof a BFOQ) and then-Commissioner Jeremiah Ray Blocker's flip statement that there were "cultural differences." What did he mean by that?
Mediocrity loves company, and can't stand criticism. I was astounded when a developer lawyer who filed a SLAPP suit against Ms. Nicole Crosby applied for a Circuit Court judgeship, His name was not forwarded to the Governor by JNC.
Does anyone think "St. Johns County experience" is a BFOQ for a County Attorney job? Never listed in ad. Now gauche and louche of our former County Commissioners to disdain diversity. Commissioner Blocker's disdainful remark about "cultural differences" made him sound uncouth and uneducated. How trite.
USA, land of politically biased appointments and some poor culture in every nook and cranny, suboptimal ethics, bad policy, flawed democracy, bad legal doctrine, not gonna change any time soon but by all means protest too much. People can also leave.
Unethical Commissioners can resign. Unwanted Interim County Attorney can resign. We need people of courage and character, not corporate cat's paws. County did not have a conflicts check before they voted to hire KOMANDO, who is now County Attorney for three (3) counties.
Some days they don't even take but maybe two phone calls and make $1000. Most of them won't even get out of bed in the morning or take their first breath for less than $2000. I think that's more important than the hiring process, as a different individual would be cut from that same cloth.
I know. I know. They can resign and hire you instead. I get it.
The fact that Mr. Komando is county attorney for 3 counties is a legitimate criticism and doesn't warrant the accusation that the blogger has an ulterior motive and is angling for the job.
No that's unrelated to any point he or I brought up. That's another argument basically. I agree that's legitimate criticism on the point that YOU just brought up. The blogger makes accusations that "friendship" had to do with the hiring. His proof and evidence is "because someone said something" which isn't really proof or evidence of him being hired because of relationship and not qualifications. Speculation isn't proof or evidence.
Your holy and precious federal courts, supposedly the bastion of democracy and most valid political structure in human history, let some mad man run for president after he incited a deadly riot with bogus stolen election claims. Now they'll let him sabotage and destabilize his own branch of government. I think you wear rose colored glasses Slavin. Our political structures are not pulling their weight these days, and through their no nonfeasance, people are suffering.
To Pete's latest perseverating: ipse dixit, he can't fix it. Commissioner ROY ALYRE ALAIMO, JR. said to hire his "friend." You sound like a fanboy for the rich and powerful and for the mediocrity they installed as Interim County Attorney, without even considering two attorneys in the OCA who would have applied. No ad, no search, no background check. No class. The ancien regime had a custom, usage, practice and procedure of hiring top positions without proper advertising. This violates civil rights laws and the reasonable expectations of probaty. Who are you, "Pete?" Identify yourself.
Tell me what civil rights law it violates. "They hired him AND they had a good relationship" and not "they hired him BECAUSE they had a good relationship unless you provide actual proof and evidence for your claim. I've been waiting for it for more than 24 hours. "Because someone said so" or "because I think so" isn't proof or evidence that they hired him BECAUSE of a good relationship. He's qualified so therein lies your biggest problem.
Where did you study Evidence or Law? Your questions are insulting and ignorant.
1964 Civil Rights Act, and case law on employment discrimination.
County's discriminatory hiring of KOMANDO is part of Jim Crow law here. Wake up. No other people considered. ALAIMO said KOMANDO was his "friend." Not a valid reason.
How do you think that two qualified Assistant County Attorneys felt? Worked faithfully for us. Excluded from consideration, only to hire some political connected "friend" off DeSANTIS-appointed Commissioner ALAIMO.
Those two qualified attorneys were excluded. One was a member of a protected class under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Ms. Christine Valleire.
This was not the firs time in this decade that County discriminated in hiring. Here is an excerpt from my January 25, 2020 St. Augustine Record column re: Commission's abrupt and illegal hiring of HUNTER SINCLAIR CONRAD as County Administrator on November 19, 2019, without posting or advertising:
.... EEOC must investigate. Now.
This hiring decision does not pass the “laugh test,” or the “smell test.”
Our Florida Constitution, Sunshine laws, and County ordinances were violated.
On recruitment, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission websites states it’s “illegal for an employer to recruit new employees in a way that discriminates against them because of their race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. For example, an employer’s reliance on word-of-mouth recruitment by its mostly Hispanic work force may violate the law if the result is that almost all new hires are Hispanic.”
Commissioners’ “word-of-mouth recruitment” rejects and insults every single qualified person who might have applied. Not one woman or minority candidate was considered. This decision stinks.
EEOC states that it’s “illegal for an employer to discriminate against a job applicant” in recruiting. “For example, an employer may not refuse to give employment applications to people of a certain race. An employer may not base hiring decisions on stereotypes and assumptions about a person’s race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.”
Commissioners shared stereotypes and assumptions against hiring “outsiders.” Commissioner Paul Waldron admitted that he did not want to hire anyone from California to run “my county.” One speaker bragged about Conrad’s religious beliefs.
Religion or political affiliation are not bona fide occupational qualifications.
Still waiting for actual proof and evidence. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, times up. All we have is "because I said so based on someone said something."
Give me an exact name of the individual who was discriminated against.
Did the two other county attorneys feel terrible or is it just you?
He was qualified so you're gonna have to do better than disqualifying people because they have good relationships with other people. That's absurd.
If she had a case it would be in court already... otherwise suffice to say she wasn't too upset about the decision. At any rate, there is no protected class anymore "for hiring" under Trump. You'll have to wait until the Oval Office switches hands again.
Discrimination would be them not hiring a specific person BECAUSE they were of a protected class. You don't have any proof or evidence for that either. We have proof and evidence that you didn't like their hiring practices period.. but no actual proof or evidence for discrimination exists. Otherwise you'd be presenting it here.
Secretive word of mouth recruiting of one preferred applicant is a violation of Title VII. Everyone who is applying now could have applied last year. County now taking applications. No principled reason exists why it did not do so last year. You have stated none. Your pestiferous perseverating shows willful blindness to what the County has done. The County Administrator is not a. monarch. The Travis James Hudson's of the world will now longer boss and bully our County. Elections have consequences. Enough flummery, dupery and nincompoopery. Who is "Pete?"
So Ponte Vedral land use lawyer Zachary Watson Miller sought a Circuit Court judgeship. Did you suppose that he was qualified? https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2024/12/annals-of-desantistan-who-is-zachary.html
On February 10, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis did NOT choose Zachary Watson Miller for a judgeship. The Governor chose an experienced Volusia County Court Judge with six years of experience on the bench. The Governor chose Volusia County Court Judge Chris Miller from a list of candidates provided by the Seventh Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission.
We can read all the applications of everyone applying for a judgeship in Florida, and share our thoughts. It's how we protect public integrity.
Likewise, we can read every federal judge nominee's questionnaires on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Commitee's website.
Under the ancien regime that hired KOMANDO in 2024, there was only secrecy. Commissioners readily agreed to hire KOMANDO. No debate. No information. no c.v. or resume. No background check, No conflicts check. No references, other than the fact that KOMANDO is a "friend" of developer-coddling Commissioner ROY ALYRE ALAIMO, JR., defeated for re-election in 2024.
Who is "Pete?" You have the right to remain silent, but we wish you wouldn't.
Is it reasonable to assume that "Pete" is supportive of Mr. KOMANDO? Is it fair to assume that this "Pete: is not a typical or random blog reader? "Pete" started posting on this blog on shortly after I posted about KOMANDO. "Pete" has not stopped perseverating ever since. Pray for "Pete" to find peace and happiness.
You know what Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan said about secrecy? "Secrecy is for losers -- for people who don't understand the value of the information." See, e.g., Daniel Patrick Moynihan, "SECRECY -- the American Experience" (1997).
By definition, "Pete" must be KOMANDO's friend. Who else would perseverate and carry on like this? As "Pete" wrote earlier, "A friend is someone you can trust and who helps you and doesn't let bad things happen to you if they can help it." We need a scholarly, St. Johns County Attorney, someone who will give good legal advice, based on facts, NOT a developer lapdog. The St. Johns County Attorney in 2022 provided an erroneous date for the swearing-in of Commissioner Krista Keating Joseph. This error meant Commissioner Joseph's scheduled public swearing-in had to be rescheduled to comply with state law. Thanks to our Supervisor of Elections, Ms. Victoria Oakes, for calling Commission's attention to this fact. IF OCA can't even get the correct legal date for new Commissioners' inauguration, what other errors are they making, and at what cost? Eh, "Pete?"
Since the "REPLY" option is gone from "Pete's" comment, I will reply to it here. He wrote "No that's unrelated to any point he or I brought up. That's another argument basically. I agree that's legitimate criticism on the point that YOU just brought up." Gee, I could have sworn my response was about the title of the blog post: "3 counties have the same county attorney" which HAS been brought up in comments. Pete, one of us is hallucinating, and it's not me.
And this conversation is about an accusation that he was hired JUST BECAUSE he had good relationships in the community (as if that's somehow negative.) He's qualified so that's merely an assertion that's not backed by proof or evidence when everything is laid on the table. The blogger could have made his point about their hiring practices without making bogus claims for which he has no definitive proof and evidence for anyway. That's all I'm saying.
Ok well you have a legitimate concern about the hiring process, but that doesn't help your case when you make accusations of people being hired because of "friendships"... because that's merely your speculation. He's qualified, so why undermine your point with accusations to which you don't really have hard evidence for?
You're dragging a separate case into the equation in hopes that it lends validity and credibility to your argument about this case... which doesn't even exist really because nobody has brought one. You know why? Because there's not one. Let's not deflect. Let's get actual proof and evidence that he was hired just because he was someone's friend.
In a perfect world, no one person would pick any other one person. Judges would be voted in by a large number of people. That's a problem with our political system and yes, there are consequences. Someone is gonna choose someone who they like. So blame the political system and not human nature. Are they supposed to choose people they don't like? Even if many candidates apply, you think they still won't choose someone who they have a good relationship with over someone they don't really know? Can we be realistic?
Ok well guess what? Even with an application, CV letter, and everything else you just mentioned, they're still gonna choose someone they like, or as you put it, "friends." Doing the things you're talking about isn't gonna bring results that are too much different. Only democratic process like voting might bring different results. So why don't you make that your point instead of making bogus claims and suggesting other nonsense?
There's no assuming Slavin. You've made accusations here. I've asked you for actual proof and evidence that he was hired JUST BECAUSE he was someone's friend. Now you're back here asking people to assume. How about offer actual proof and evidence? He's qualified so offer the proof and evidence that something else was more important and he got hired because of that. "Because I think so" isn't proof or evidence.
Now you've just completely made my point for me Slavin. "You must be his friend too" shows the lack of logic and reason behind your formulations, assumptions, arguments, conclusions, you name it. I don't even know the guy and I think most of these people should be voted in. I'm simply asking you for hard evidence that he was hired because he was someone's friend. Your proof and evidence is now, "You must be his friend if you don't agree with me." So you reach bad conclusions Slavin. Just not competent to be making arguments. You've made claims without actual proof or evidence is really the problem, not your legitimate concerns about the hiring practices.
"JUST BECAUSE" is a lie and you know it. Reread the opening post. I see you changed Komando's friendship with Roy Alaimo to "good relationships in the community." You are chronically deceptive. You have avoided my point that there was no basis for you to state that the blogger is angling for the county attorney job. That was a transparent attempt to malign him without any "proof or evidence" as you love to say. Your credibility is zip, despite your dozens of comments. Quantity does not equal quality.
"The life that is unexamined is not worth living." Socrates. We hired an attorney without an interview, need examined his qualifications, and took the recommendation of some hobbledehoy formerly in DeSantis's employ (in his Congressional office). Poor public administration. Lousy labor relations to exclude even current County attorneys from applying for job. Violates federal and state civil rights laws. Violates the reasonable expectation of probity for our County Attorney's office.
HE'S OBVIOUSLY SUGGESTING THAT HE GOT HIRED JUST BECAUSE HE WAS HIS FRIEND!!! He put the friend issue at the forefront. And no, he doesn't have actual proof or evidence that he got hired for that over his qualifications. You're suggesting that proof and evidence doesn't matter and me asking for it us maligning him? No, I'm asking him for it and he's not giving it to me. So he's a victim of me now? What kind of nonsense is that? I'm disputing a claim and all he has to do is give me proof and evidence for the claim. That's not dishonest at all. And now I'm not credible? I'm the not one making claims without proof and evidence! And I'm not even really disagreeing with him about the hiring process but simply saying that some of his arguments aren't helpful
Perhaps if you were "in charge of hiring," you'd figure out through the grapevine or hearsay that someone had good relationships with other people and because of that you'd overlook even the best qualified candidate. You'd probably say, "Who is the most well known Republican because that's not who I'm going to hire." Only after your political bias was obvious would they realize that they made a mistake by giving Ed Slavin the final word. In a perfect world, these people would be voted in. Let's focus on solutions that don't involve "cover letters" and things that wouldn't really make that much of a difference.
👆 Notice this anonymous poster put "Pete" in quotes while they post anonymously. This person displays cognitive dissonance and then calls me "not credible" while they defend bogus claims that aren't backed by actual proof or evidence. They display the sort of favoritism which is at the heart of the discussion. Also ad hominem which is fallacy. I'll not take this person seriously.
I see libelous content on this blog Slavin. And as Pete pointed out, you don't seem to be offering a whole lot of proof. Suffice to say you benefit from people not caring enough to sue you. Cheers 🍷
There is no "we" but only you and me arguing this. Nice try dragging imaginary people into this because your arguments lack substance. And I suppose you want me to give you my ID so you can bring some libel and slander into the equation... when you should be bringing proof, evidence, and convincing arguments.
The comment re: "libelous content" is, at best facetious. In 1983, three bail bondsmen and a corporation sued me for libel in Tennessee. The bondsmen paid me after I counterclaimed for abuse of process, malicious prosecution of a civil lawsuit and other torts. The bondsmen and Sheriff Dennis Owen Trotter settled the case with me and paid me damages. Thanks to my lawyer, Hayden Lait, and the courage of the Anderson County deputies who told the truth to the FBI, Sheriff Trotter went to federal prison. He and the libel litigants are all convicted felons. They paid Trotter $10,633.50 in bribes, obtaining an 87% market share for bail bonds in Anderson County during the first five months of 1983.
Who is "Pete" and what is his interest?
The only "imaginary" person posting on this thread is using the name "Pete," andthe refuses to identify himself. "Pete" has emotional problems with First Amendment protected activity. He's been perseverating for days about KOMANDO. Truly unAmerican activities, unmasked.
For "Roy Alaimo," see New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964).
👆Ad hominem and trying to suggest that my name has anything to do with lack of actual proof or evidence for his claims. This is the sort of fallacious mind where the claim ordinated in the first place. Still waiting for the proof and evidence and a convincing argument. Court appearances don't drag on for this long...
I'm interested in proof and evidence for "he got hired BECAUSE he was someone's friend" and that his qualifications had nothing to do with it. That's basically it. How about this: I say that pink elephants can fly. Is that true if you can't find any pink elephants?
Yeah it's called libel, but there's no harm done because what you're saying isn't being taken seriously anyway and not a lot of people read this blog. Otherwise you could be sued because it's a baseless accusation. Because there's no harm done by it though... bringing action wouldn't bring results. But it is libel because I can prove otherwise. You can't prove the bogus claim.
It's libel because it's a bogus claim. Maybe not actionable because no damages have been done by it so far.. but it's libel.
What exactly does ROY ALYRE ALAIMO, JR. know about libel law?
Not libel. Former Commissioner ROY ALAIMO said (watch video) that he wanted to hire his "friend." Ipse dixit, he can't fix it. First Amendment protected activity under New York Times v. Sullivan. Florida has a strong anti-SLAPP statute. In the words the late Senator Robert Kennedy addressed to a California Sheriff and DA harassing farmworkers, "I suggest you read the Constitution of the United States."
Thank you.
Here's Senator Robert Francis Kennedy responding to First Amendment violations of farm workers by Kern County Sheriff and local District Attorney, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G66myWragTg
He knows plenty about it after coming to this blog for sure.😆
Ok well that doesn't mean he was HIRED BECAUSE he was his friend. That's a claim made without actual proof or evidence. "He is his friend" and "he was HIRED BECAUSE he was his friend are two different things. Now you must prove the latter because that's what you asserted.
No, I'll stick to discussing this article. You can repost that later and I'll respond to that one if I feel like it.
Does ROY ALYRE ALAIMO, JR. know the real name of "Pete?" Does RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO know? Do tell. Do ask.
"Pete" never stops perseverating. Errant nonsense. Justice Frankfurter said the purpose of an administrative law decision is to trace the decision maker's route "through the fog." Here, we don't even have the fog. Developer-directed Commissioners hired ALAIMO's friend. They were so unsophisticated and in such a rush that they hired someone who did not even apply. They did not even invite applications from current County employees. What does that tell us? Rush to judgment. And ALAIMO gave the reason. Believe him.
Would it be fair to say that "Pete" knows not that he knows not that he knows not? (And thanks for that brilliant phrase to my late friend, mentor and whistleblower client, EPA Inspector General criminal investigator Robert E. Tyndall, who won a landmark environmental whistleblower case, reversing two ALJs and establishing legal rights for environmental crimes investigators subjected to pressures by EPA OIG.
Here's my tribute to the late EPA OIG Senior Special Agent Robert E. Tyndall, with a link to his landmark victory for environmental crimes investigators everywhere. We. miss you, Bob. https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2020/01/fbi-hud-epa-senior-special-agent-robert.html
There were no procedural safeguards on this political patronage hire of a Commissioner's "friend." No interview, no background check, no conflicts check. Rush to judgment. Bad judgment. KOMANDO appears to be an empty suit, advancing the interests of developers. Justice Felx Frankfurter said, "The history of liberty has largely been the history of observance of procedural safeguards." There were no procedural safeguards when Commissioners funded by developers hired a County Attorney. So unsophisticated. So lacking in decent respect for American values. Commissioners should be ashamed of themselves. Mr. Migut was hired as County Attorney with several other candidates considered. Mr. KOMANDO was hired without even inviting applications from two senior assistant County Attorneys, Ms. Valleire and Mr. Bullthuis. They both quit the County. Commission's political patronage hiring of KOMANDO was one of the most disgraceful things Commission has done in the 25 years I've lived in St. Johns County.
He was not voted in, that's the problem. Wouldn't have mattered if him and ten other people turned in an application. If they favored him, he would have gotten the job anyway. And when a bunch of people apply for any job, they hire who they favor. Doesn't matter what job we're talking about. The problems lie with your arguments and assertions ... which I've already mentioned.
You must have been mighty upset when the Democrats yanked the rug on Joe Biden before the 2024 election and picked Kamala Harris to be the nominee. Small handful of people decided that for 360+ million people. I'll go ahead and assume you were upset about that and just didn't do a blog post on it. I'll just go ahead and assume you aren't politically biased and also agreed that Kamala Harris was nominated "because friends." And that's a much higher office so you must have been ready to jump off a building.
Pete wrote " I'm the not one making claims without proof and evidence!" So where's the proof and evidence that the blogger, Ed Slavin, is angling for the county attorney job? That was your assertion.
Good to see that you dropped your argument that my reference to Komando representing 3 counties is somehow off-topic in these comments.
The three counties observation is on topic, but it deflects from the fact that blogger made claims, but when asked for proof and evidence, he's not giving it. Ed Slavin was disbarred so can't practice law unless that changes, everyone knows that, but he does seek positions in county government quite often. No that doesn't have much bearing but neither does "hired" "BECAUSE of a relationship." There's no actual proof or evidence for that being the case as he is qualified.
"Pete," there's nothing cognitively dissonant about my putting "Pete" in quotes since you stated above you're not disclosing your ID. You're free to refer to me as "anonymous" in your comments to or about me. What "bogus claims" have I defended? I'm sure you'll twist my words - a strategy you've displayed here more than once.
"Pete," If you know that Ed Slavin was disbarred, then why did you suggest in an earlier comment that he was angling for the county attorney job? What a tangled web you weave!
He can't get a government job anywhere in St Johns County for a multitude of reasons... and he's not happy about it. That's really a better point. Tangled web? Why aren't you asking for actual proof and evidence for his bogus claims? Why aren't you calling out the bogus narratives and bogus claims of one Ed Slavin?
Yeah it's dissonant because you're not disclosing your ID (as if ID is supposed to win an argument or mean anything anyway) while you make an issue of someone else not identifying themselves. You have no insight.
Mosquito control isn't government? That's a private entity? People are voted into private entities and not government offices? Since when did that change occur?
Who says that I ever applied for any government job in St. Johns County, since Brian and I moved here in 1999? Lying again, "Pete?" What's your "source?" Who are you? Pity Pete. Disgruntled office-seeker. Did Governor DeSantis reject "Pete" for a judgeship on February 10, 2025? Is "Pete" the offspring and friend of the rich and powerful? What has "Pete" ever done for working people? Did "Pete" represent environmental and nuclear whistleblowers? Or was he a waste of a space in a third-tier law school now ululating daily against progress in St. Johns County? Who us "Pete?"
Sweetheart, I never applied for a "job." But I am honored that some 38% of St. Johns County voters chose me, Ed Slavin, the "disbarred lawyer," for SJC Anastasia Mosquito Control Commissioner in 2024. Some 55,640 SJC voters. Poor pitiful "Pete." No one ever voted to make "Pete" a Circuit Court Judge. The apparent nrejection of "Pete" by the 7th Circuit JNC has made "Pete" unhappy. He must not have bona fide clients, because his posts here suggest he's maladroit, inept and uncouth.
Editorial: Always important to stick to your guns
St. Augustine Record
From Staff
Publication Date: 11/19/06
Soon-to-be-former-Mayor George Gardner let one rip at the St. Augustine City Commission meeting last week when he went after city gadfly Ed Slavin.
For those of you who don¹t know, Slavin is a regular at City Commission meetings. He is quick to point out what he thinks is wrong with city government, which is plenty.
Slavin is not subtle. If he thinks you¹re a crook, he¹ll tell you to your face.
And, yes, Hizzoner is correct that Slavin can be abrasive, although he¹s always polite when he calls us, even if he is questioning our competency, which means he¹s not always alone in his views.
Hizzoner pointed out that Slavin has asked the City Commission about 200 questions, which the mayor thinks is an abuse of the public comment section of its meetings.
And he went after Slavin, pointing out that he was disbarred in Tennessee in part because of his harassment and intimidation of officers of the court. Slavin questioned judges¹ competency in court and hurled insults at other lawyers.
Well, that¹s true.
It¹s also true that without Slavin the citizens of St Augustine would not have known the city was illegally dumping waste material in a borrow pit off Homes Boulevard.
After the mayor spoke, he got a standing ovation from almost everyone in the room. Only our reporter and Slavin remained seated.
We¹re here to tell you this. Ed Slavin is brilliant. Not just bright, brilliant. The Supreme Court of Tennessee, in finding fault with him, acknowledged his ³intellect and legal skills.
Here¹s some stuff you may not know about Slavin. As the editor of the Appalachian Observer in 1982, he filed a request to get some federal documents declassified. Because of his persistence, he found out and shared with the world that the Department of Energy Oak Ridge (Tenn.) Operations had ³lost¹¹ 2.4 million pounds of mercury in Oak Ridge. Later it turned out they had actually lost 4.2 million pounds of mercury.
His work discovered widespread DOE and contractor misconduct. That became a national story.
He went on to become a public interest attorney, armed with his view of never giving up because individuals can change history.
Yes, Slavin is persistent. Yes, he overplays his hand a lot. Yes, he can be obnoxious. And, yes, we would not want to be on the receiving end of Slavin¹s barbs any more than we already are.
But we¹re happy that there are gadflies like Slavin in our world. They add texture to our public forums and, as in the case of the illegal dumping, get it right sometimes.
So, to our public officials, we suggest you get thicker skins.
To those of you who stood up to applaud the mayor after he lambasted Slavin, shame on you for trying to stifle free speech. All of us should defend people¹s right to express their views, even when they are unpopular.
And to Slavin, you may want to soften your delivery, but don¹t be hushed. Remember that it¹s not important to be popular; it is important to stick to your guns.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/111906/opinions_if83a3k.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
From St. Augustine Record:
Letter: Slavin's work "saved" life of U.S. special agent
Publication Date: 12/10/06
Editor: I applaud your newspaper for defending Ed Slavin and the First Amendment. I could have told you that Ed is "brilliant." I am a retired former FBI Special Agent, and former senior Special Agent for both the HUD and EPA Inspectors General. One Sherman Antitrust case I supervised had 36 "defense" attorneys as my adversaries so I've known a lot of attorneys.
Late in my career, I would not and could not sign my name to a report that resulted in a cover-up of major criminal wrongdoing by highly placed EPA officials. I was left with no choice but to file an environmental whistleblower case. Other than Ed Slavin, I was encouraged to persist only by my wife, Lynda, Congressman John Dingell's office (whose investigator referred me to Ed Slavin), and then-journalist Tony Snow. Ed completely documented EPA's attempted cover-up of $100 million in acid rain research fraud, conflicts of interest, waste and abuse.
Ed represented me in my U.S. DOL environmental whistleblower case against EPA and its inspector general, winning a precedent-setting case that protected future environmental investigators' rights, reversing two DOL judges.
Ed has always been a fighter, especially against an unresponsive judiciary who cares little about ruined careers.
The unrelenting stress the EPA subjected me to nearly took my life. Thus, Ed's work was truly a life-saver. As a result of Ed's so-called "overzealous" work, the EPA IG abruptly resigned in December 1996, following a history of harassing whistleblowers.
Public officials, who retaliate against citizens for questioning their actions demand to be investigated. Public jobs belong to the "people" -- the occupant of such office is a trustee; a custodian -- always. We have forfeited our "rights" when we refer to the government as "them." No, never. It is "We" the people. Trust me, Ed Slavin is not for sale. The First Amendment is not dead, yet.
Robert E. Tyndall
Senior Special Agent (Retired)
FBI, HUD & EPA
Williamsburg, Va.
Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/121006/opinions_425497d.shtml
© The St. Augustine Record
Who in their right mind would post their full identity on a blog full of libelous content, character assassination, and bogus claims being made without actual proof and evidence? And in the era of the super citizen as well? People in government running around doing whatever they please from an elevated position of rights, immunity, and with unlimited legal resources, all thanks to the derelict courts which you hold up as holy. Let's get some macro solutions instead of talking about cover letters and friends. Let's get some political thought going and some insight.
Will "Pete" possibly ever grow up and learn the difference between right and wrong? Between truth and propaganda? Will "Pete" know the difference between "chicken salad" and "chicken poop?" The foregoing "Pete" word salad Is worthy of study. What are we to make of the putrid "Pete" defense of SJC hiring ROY ALAIMO's "friend" outside SJC government HR norms? Who is this "Pete" guy? Is poor 'ole""Pete" the scion of corporate power and influence with SJC local governments by tree-killing, wildlife-destroying, clear-cutting corporate landraping piratical speculators, some controlled by unctuous undisclosed foreign corporate owners in secretive, louche LLCs? Would it be fair to say that certain corporate actors, and their arrogant Anonymice like "Pete," have accomplished little nothing good in life and "know not that they know not that they know not?" Would "Pete" like to join me for a coffee and discuss?
Good people here in SJC should all agree with "Pete": "Speculation isn't proof or evidence!" Too many local hearings re decided based on unfair and inept hearings. Foreign investors buying land (speculators) are NOT entitled to unfair zoning changes that wreck our environment. destroy our wildlife, pollute our environment, kill or wetlands. Enough
Good people here in SJC should all agree with "Pete": "Speculation isn't proof or evidence!" Too many local hearings re decided based on unfair and inept hearings. Foreign investors buying land (speculators) are NOT entitled to unfair zoning changes that wreck our environment. destroy our wildlife, pollute our environment, kill or wetlands. Enough
Ed Slavin had to visit the Buddha after this one.
128 posts and many days later... still waiting for actual proof and evidence for "friends not qualifications." All I've gotten is character assassination and more bogus claims.😆
No defense. Only hot air in response to SJC BoCC voting to hire ROY ALAImo's "friend" without any application, posting, background investigation or interview. Pitiful, perseveratiing "Pete" won't identify himself. Our blog readers are always thrilled to read each of this tedious termagant's posts, defending the indefensible and the ancien regime in SJC BoCC. Where did "Pete" get his law degree? Trump University? In what scholarly publications has "Pete" ever published? What did pouty privileged "Pete" ever do to change history, help people, or expose the truth in Appalachia, nuclear weapons plants, nuclear power plants or stinky little corners like the SJC County Attorney's office? Does "Pete' have a crush on "this blogger?" Is he a real person or a figment of his father's imagination? What do you reckon?
KOMANDO's hiring was an indictment of the good-ole-boy system in SJC. Developer-directed SJC County Commissioners responded to ALAIMO's suggestion with alacrity. No questions asked. KOMANDO is County Attorney for three counties. Records requests re: KOMANDO require response. Instead, we get ad hominems from some Anonymice person. Who is "Pete?" KOMANDO's campaign manager? Or what?
He has qualifications, he is qualified, there's proof and evidence for that... but you'll not post it here nor will you even obtain it and admit your biased error.
That's the way you're framing things but you don't have actual proof or evidence for that being the reason he was hired, over qualifications. Simply put, you don't like groups to which you don't belong... which is your own doing. Otherwise you'd present actual proof and evidence other than, "Because I say so." You're feelings are proof and evidence for nothing but the fact that you have them.
I have lived here in St. Johns County (God's country) since November 5, 1999. More than 25 years. We, the People have achieved dozens of victories for the public interest. People know who I am. Perseverating "Pete" is functioning as RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO's de facto troll on this blog,, which I started in 2006. We, the People see right through RiCHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO, who has stiffed us on records requests. He ducked SJC's questions about his friends and relatives working for the County. Developer doormat. Don't trust him.
Oh that explains it. You don't have actual proof or evidence for the supernatural either yet you believe it... so we see this kind of thinking and reasoning being applied to other situations. "I've lived here for X amount of time" isn't proof and evidence for "hired because friends" when the guy is qualified. Again, why would someone who they disliked be hired over someone they liked? I keep asking you what sense that makes. You seem to be suggesting that they're unreasonable but it seems you're being unreasonable.
After this blog started in 2006, "Pete" never posted until I posted, under my name, about RICHRD RICHARD KOMANDO, the Hutson machine's candidate for permanent. County Attorney, who previously said he was only "Interim? County Attorney,, duked in by his "friends."
I'm not "pro komamdo," don't know the guy, but I don't dislike him either. I simply asked you for proof and evidence of "job because friends" and for some reason you won't give it to me. It appears that because you simply don't like the fact that he's involved with three counties, you're making bogus claims as if that's gonna make a difference in this situation. So can't really do anything about it...get upset and make bogus claims.
Sock puppet "Pete" perseverates. As the late EPA OIG Sr. Special Agent Robert E. Tyndall wiuld say, the sock puppet "knows not that he knows not the he knows not."
Yeah knows not that I know not that I know not about "hired because friends" because I asked for actual proof and evidence for your claims and still don't have it. I do know ad hominem fallacy instead thanks to what was substituted for actual proof and evidence.
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