JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Yet another entity is jumping into the mix of the JEA controversy, with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issuing a subpoena to the utility and the City of Jacksonville.
Unlike subpoenas issued by the State Attorney’s Office, which appear to target the Council President’s attempt to appoint his boss to the board, the Attorney General is targeting officials in the Mayor’s Office regarding JEA’s former lobbying firm.
That subpoena requests communications related to JEA’s former contract with Ballard Partners, which is the local lobbying firm that employs former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry.
The subpoena also requests any communications between Mayor Donna Deegan, the city’s Chief Administrative Officer, JEA’s CEO, JEA’s CAO and JEA’s former Chief of Staff.
Communications between JEA Board Members Joe DiSalvo, Arthur Adams, MG Orender and John Baker are also requested.
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“It appears to be escalating,” said Councilmember Ron Salem (R-Group 2 At-Large).
Salem is Chair of the JEA Special Investigatory Committee.
Based on the individuals named and the topics covered, Salem said he believes the Attorney General may be looking into potential tampering with JEA’s procurement of its lobbying firm.
“From what I understand, Ballard won the contract and there were efforts after that to interfere with that award and that’s a serious problem for anyone that’s interfering with that,” Salem said.
During one of the special committee’s hearings in March, JEA’s former Chief of Staff Kurt Wilson testified under oath, alleging Mayor Deegan personally lobbied JEA’s CEO Vickie Cavey to end the utility’s contract with Ballard.
The contract was ultimately terminated in January.
“Every time she had coffee with the mayor or she would meet with the mayor, it was always a point of contention,” said Wilson.
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In a March interview with Action News Jax, the city’s Chief Administrative Officer Mike Weinstein dismissed Wilson’s claims as hearsay.
“For somebody to testify under oath what somebody third or fourth down the road had said is pretty useless,” Weinstein said.
When asked about the subpoena, the Mayor’s Office declined to comment.
JEA did send us a statement stating, “We are gathering the documents requested and will fully cooperate with their investigation”.
Salem argued the mayor’s office and JEA should take this latest escalation very seriously.
“We just want to know the truth,” Salem said. ”And that’s all I want is the truth in this matter and get it behind us.”
When asked for more information about what the Attorney General’s Office is specifically investigating, his office declined to comment.
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