Throughout my tenure in public service, I have unwaveringly committed myself to the cause of fostering ethical governance across local and state levels. Our journey toward progress, albeit slow, faces a new and unprecedented challenge that threatens the very foundation of public trust we’ve strived to build.
The Florida Senate, passing an amendment without going through the committee process — and with no public hearings — seeks to severely weaken both state and local ethics commissions. This represents a direct assault on the pillars of accountability and transparency essential to our democracy.
This legislative maneuver is not just disappointing; it’s a cause for outrage. We have placed our trust in these bodies to safeguard the public interest, yet they are now orchestrating efforts that undermine the processes designed for this purpose.
The Jacksonville Ethics Commission, a beacon of our collective efforts to combat corruption (as demonstrated in its role against the JEA privatization bid), exemplifies what is at stake. The diligent work in exposing corruption by ethics officers — like Carla Miller and Kirby Oberdorfer — highlights the critical importance of our ongoing mission.