JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The investigated has become the investigator.
Council President Kevin Carrico is ratcheting up the pressure on JEA after launching a special investigatory committee to delve into various accusations against JEA Wednesday morning.
Carrico, is himself under investigation by the State Attorney’s Office, which subpoenaed his communications after Action News Jax revealed a text message, in which he informed JEA Board Member Arthur Adams he would be replaced because Carrico “owed a big favor to a friend”.
Carrico planned to appoint his boss at the Boy and Girls Club, who later pulled his own nomination after the text came to light.
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“I don’t know if anything is going to come out of that investigation or not. We don’t,” Councilmember Matt Carlucci (R-Group 4 At-Large) said.
Councilmember Carlucci said he finds it problematic for Carrico to launch an investigation into JEA when he’s currently under investigation for his own dealings with the utility.
“I just think it speaks for itself,” Carlucci said.
Mayor Donna Deegan went a step further.
“That this effort is being driven by the Council President, who is himself the focus of a State Attorney investigation around his own JEA board appointment, further calls into question its legitimacy,” Deegan said in an emailed statement. “This is just more of the same power play that traces back to the people who tried to sell off our publicly owned utility the first time.
Carrico was asked about the optics Wednesday.
“We’re complying in full with all the requests and making sure that we cooperate fully to make sure that it comes to the light that there was no wrongdoing on my behalf and I’m confident that will happen,” Carrico said. ”As far as the message to the public, this is your utility and when the Inspector General says there’s something here, we need to look at it, I need your help, I’m gonna act on that.”
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But Carlucci argued patience for the recent barrage of drama in city hall is wearing thin, as is public trust in city council.
“And it’s going to get to the extent where its interfering with our ability to conduct our work. And when that happens, we might need new leadership to take the helm,” Carlucci said.
Carrico confirmed he has not yet finalized his response to the State Attorney’s subpoena.
Tuesday was the deadline to respond, but Carrico indicated he has already spent 20 hours working on the response and needed more time to get the records together.
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