TROJAN HORSE POLITICS?
Millionaire downtown St. Augustine property owner LOUIS JOHN ARBIZZANI has offered "free" use of the Lightner Museum swimming pool area for the inauguration of Mayor-elect CYNTHIA GARRIS.
I have suggested that the event be held at Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College, which seats 2.5 times as many people as the Lightner Museum pool area. Seating there is comfortable and ADA-complaint.
No TROJAN HORSE "gifts" from developers and landowners, please.
No more corruption is desired or required.
"There is no such thing as a free lunch," said Milton Friedman/
Senator Gary Hart (D-Colorado) forbade his Senate staff to accept lunch from lobbyists if the lunch cost more than $5, which would cover Dirksen Senate Office Building cafeteria meals, but not fancy-bears restaurants.
ARBIZZANI's gift is extravagant. Florida law requires reporting gifts. What value would be placed on the "gift" of 300 seats in the swanky Lightner Museum pool area leased by LOUIS JOHN ARBIZZANI?
More than $100?
Illegal? Is it a "gift" under Florida law? Does it primarily benefit the public? Is the City Commission's intention primarily for members of Commissioner-elect GARRIS's church to attend? How many people? Let's do the math.
Will others be welcomed?
Will the Lightner Museum pool be "accessible" under the Americans with Disabilities Act, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Florida ethics laws, and Florida Statute 286 (open meetings)? Good questions.
ARBIZZANI is a vendor.
Does Florida ethics law forbid it?
GIFT GIVING PROHIBITIONS
Lobbyists, and their firms, partners, employers and principals, and political committees and vendors are
prohibited from giving gifts valued at over $100 to any person required to file Form 1 or Form 6 financial
disclosure and to any State procurement employee or to others on behalf of the above.
The City of St. Augustine would do well to hold the inauguration of Mayor CYNTHIA GARRRIS at Flagler College's Lewis Auditorium.
More than 2.5 times as many people could attend. Better acoustics for The Florida Channel, which routinely covers events at Lewis Auditorium.
We could have live coverage of CYNTHIA GARRIS' inauguration available to everyone in America.
"Let's not hide our light under a bushel basket," my friends.
It's our time, our town and our new Mayor, CYNTHIA GARRIS, deserves a first-class auditorium for her inauguration. Let's do it right.
Here's my October 26, 2026 e-mail to Flagler College President John Delaney and City officials:
Honorable John Delaney,President, Flagler College74 King Street,St. Augustine, Florida 32084 via e-mailDear President Delaney:Would Flagler College kindly invite our new St. Augustine, Florida Mayor-elect, the Honorable Cynthia Garris, to be sworn in at Flagler College Lewis Auditorium on the first Monday in December?It is a time for healing and a time for celebration.The Honorable Cynthia Garris will be our first African-American Mayor of our Nation's Oldest City since 1565 -- 461 years.This non-profit college venue is near City Hall, is ADA-friendly and it seats 789 people -- some 2.5 times the number of 300 guests that was discussed at our October 26, 2026 St. Augustine City Commission meeting earlier tonight.Lewis Auditorium would also likely afford better local, Florida and national news media coverage of this historic event. It could afford same-day live-streaming coverage through Flagler College's Communication Department.Flagler College Lewis Auditorium will likely be drier than the Lightner Museum swimming pool in inclement weather.What do you reckon?Thank you.With kindest regards, I am,Sincerely yours,Ed SlavinBox 3084St. Augustine, Florida 32085-3084(904) 377-4998Here are my records requests to City of St. Augustine:
Dear Ms. Galambos, Mr. Birchim, Mr. Franklin, Mayor Sikes-Kline, Mayor-elect Garris, and Commissioners Blonder, DePreter and Springfield, and Commissioners-elect Barnes and Brown1. Please send me records on City of St. Augustine background check contracts requested November 6, 2026.2. Please send me any and all background checks or request for background checks or communications about background checks on LOUIS JOHN ARBIZZANI, the ARBIZZANI FAMILY and their corporations. In the event that anyone inthe City contends that no ARBIZZANI background checks exist, please request, obtain and provide a full national background check by close of business on November 13, 2026.3. Please request, obtain and provide any and all Florida Ethics Commission or State Attorney General correspondence on the proposed alleged "gift" from LOUIS JOHN ARBIZZANI, to wit, free use of Lightner leased space for the inauguration of Mayor-elect Cynthia Harris.4. I respectfully recommend that the St. Augustine City Commission please table any vote on accepting an alleged "gift" of free use of the Lightner Museum swimming pool until there has been a suitable background check of LOUIS JOHN ARBIZZANI, his family and their corporations.5. I have not yet heard back from Flagler College or the City of St. Augustine on my October 26, 2026 e-mail to President John Delaney on use of Flagler College Lewis Auditorium as the venue for the inauguration of Mayor Cynthia Garris. Please provide all communications with Flagler College on use of Lewis Auditorium for this historic event.Please feel free to call. me to discuss.Thank you!With kindest regards, I am,Sincerely yours,Ed SlavinBox 3084St. Augustine, Florida 32085-3084(904) 377-4998On Friday, November 6, 2026 at 10:50:40 AM EST, Ed Slavin <easlavin@aol.com> wrote:Dear Ms Galambos:1. Would you please be so kind as to send me PDFs of the City's contract(s) for background checks?2. Please send me a spreadsheet on background check spending, including unit cost to City of each check.Thank you!With kindest regards, I am,Sincerely yours,Ed SlavinBox 3084St. Augustine, Florida 32085-3084www.edslavin.com(904) 377-4998
From Florida Ethics Commission:
VERVIEW OF LAWS RELATING TO "THINGS OF VALUE," GIFTS, AND
EXPENDITURES (Sections 112.313(2) and (4), 112.3148, 112.31485, and 112.3215,
Florida Statutes)
Sections 112.313(2) and 112.313(4), Florida Statutes, prohibit solicitation and acceptance of gifts in certain
situations and apply to all public officers and employees. Section 112.313(2) prohibits officials from soliciting
or accepting anything of value to the recipient, including a gift, loan, reward, promise of future employment,
favor, or service, based upon any understanding that the official's action would be influenced. Section
112.313(4) prohibits the official or his or her spouse or minor child from accepting anything of value when the
official knows, or with the exercise of reasonable care should know, that it was given to influence the official.
EXPENDITURE BAN
Section 112.3215, Florida Statutes, prohibits officials, members, or employees of the State Executive Branch
who are required by law to file full or limited public disclosure of financial interests from accepting any
expenditure* from a lobbyist or a lobbyist’s principal. Lobbyists and their principals are prohibited from making
such expenditures. Legislative members and employees should refer to Section 11.045, Florida Statutes,
which contains a similar restriction.
If the gift or thing of value is not prohibited by any of the above laws, then the following laws apply:
PROHIBITIONS ON GIFTS FROM POLITICAL COMMITTEES
Pursuant to Section 112.31485, Florida Statutes, reporting individuals and procurement employees and their
parents, spouses, children, and siblings are prohibited from soliciting or knowingly accepting, directly or
indirectly, any gift from a political committee, and a political committee is prohibited from giving, directly or
indirectly, any gift to a reporting individual or procurement employee or his or her parent, spouse, child, or
sibling. "Gift" is defined—for purposes of this law only—as "any purchase, payment, distribution, loan,
advance, transfer of funds, or disbursement of money or anything of value that is not primarily related to
contributions, expenditures, or other political activities authorized pursuant to chapter 106."
GIFT SOLICITATION PROHIBITIONS
Persons required to file financial disclosure Form 1 or Form 6, including candidates, and State procurement
employees are prohibited from soliciting any gift from a political committee, lobbyist** of their agency, or from
a partner, firm, employer, or principal of such a lobbyist*, or from a vendor of their agency.
GIFT ACCEPTANCE PROHIBITIONS
Individuals, including candidates, required to file disclosure Form 1 or Form 6 and State procurement
employees are prohibited from directly or indirectly accepting a gift worth more than $100 from a lobbyist*, from
a partner, firm, employer, or principal of the lobbyist*, or from a political committee or vendor. However, a gift
may be accepted by a person on behalf of a governmental entity or charitable organization, provided the gift is
promptly transferred to the intended entity or organization.
GIFT GIVING PROHIBITIONS
Lobbyists, and their firms, partners, employers and principals, and political committees and vendors are
prohibited from giving gifts valued at over $100 to any person required to file Form 1 or Form 6 financial
disclosure and to any State procurement employee or to others on behalf of the above.GIFTS OVER $25 AND NOT EXCEEDING $100
Persons required to file financial disclosure Form 1 or Form 6, including candidates for office and State
procurement employees may accept a gift valued at more than $25 but not exceeding $100 from a lobbyist*,
the firm, partner, employer or principal of a lobbyist, or a political committee or vendor. However, any of these
persons or entities who gives a gift valued at over $25 but not exceeding $100 to a covered reporting
individual or State procurement employee must report the gift on Commission on Ethics Form 30 by the
last day of the calendar quarter for gifts given in the preceding quarter. Additionally, the donor must notify the
recipient at the time a reportable gift is made that the gift will be disclosed as required above.
GIFTS FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES and DIRECT-SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
State government entities, water management districts created pursuant to Section 373.069, Florida Statutes,
the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, the Technological Research and Development Authority,
counties, municipalities, school boards, and airport authorities which lobby governmental entities may give a
gift worth more than $100 to a person required to file financial disclosure and to a State procurement employee
if a public purpose can be shown for the gift. Also, a direct-support organization for a governmental entity may
give such a gift to a person who is an officer or employee of that entity. The governmental entity or direct-
support organization giving such gift must provide the recipient with a statement describing the gift, the date it
was given, and its value no later than March 1 of the following year. The reporting individual/recipient then
must disclose this information on Commission on Ethics Form 10, which is to be filed by July 1 with his or her
annual financial disclosure.
DEFINITION OF "GIFT"
"Gift" means anything accepted by a person or on that person's behalf, whether directly or indirectly, for that
person's benefit, and for which equal or greater consideration is not given within 90 days of the receipt of the
gift. "Gift" includes real property or the use thereof; tangible or intangible personal property or the use thereof;
a preferential rate or terms on a transaction not available to others similarly situated; forgiveness of a debt;
transportation (unless provided by an agency in relation to officially approved governmental business), lodging,
or parking; food or beverage; dues, fees, and tickets; plants and flowers; personal services for which a fee is
normally charged by the provider; and any other thing or service having an attributable value.
"Gift" does not include salary, benefits, services, fees, gifts, commissions, or expenses associated primarily
with one's employment, business, or service as an officer or director of a corporation or organization; campaign
contributions or expenditures pursuant to the election laws; an honorarium or honorarium expense; an award,
plaque, certificate, etc., given in recognition of public, civic, charitable, or professional service; honorary
membership in a service or fraternal organization; the use of a public facility or public property made available
by a governmental agency for a public purpose; and transportation provided by an agency in relation to
officially approved governmental business. Also exempted are some gifts from organizations which promote
the exchange of ideas between, or the professional development of, governmental officials and employees and
whose membership is primarily composed of elected or appointed public officials or staff, if the gift is to a
member of the organization.
QUARTERLY GIFT DISCLOSURE BY REPORTING INDIVIDUALS
All persons required to file financial disclosure and State procurement employees and who receive a gift which
is not prohibited and which is worth more than $100 must file a Form 9, Quarterly Gift Disclosure, with the
Commission on Ethics no later than the last day of a calendar quarter following the quarter in which the giftwas received. Gifts from relatives, gifts prohibited from being accepted, and gifts required to be disclosed
elsewhere are not reported on Form 9. The form need not be filed if no such gift was received during the
calendar quarter.
*"Expenditure" is defined as a payment, distribution, loan, advance, reimbursement, deposit, or anything of value.
**"Lobbyist" means any natural person who, for compensation, seeks, or sought during the preceding 12 months, to
influence the governmental decision-making of a reporting individual or procurement employee or his or her agency or
seeks, or sought during the preceding 12 months, to encourage the passage, defeat, or modification of any proposal or
recommendation by the reporting individual or procurement employee or his or her agency. [Section 112.3148(2)(b)1.,
Florida Statutes]
Revised 07/15
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