A.G. Gancarski
A controversy is brewing in the House District 11 Republican primary.
On Wednesday, an email sent by Jacksonville Beach Mayor Charlie Latham from his official city account blurred the lines between official city business and electioneering. Latham’s communication to Jacksonville Beach business owners that addressed the workings of the city while simultaneously touting his “good friend and our former mayor pro-tem, Tom Taylor.”
Latham starts off the email by regretting “the delay between emails, but the entire city staff and council have been wrapped up in the 2015-16 Budget.”
From there, he seems to promote an event involving Taylor.
“As many of you know,” Latham writes, “my good friend and our former mayor pro-tem, Tom Taylor is running for State Representative of District 11 (our current Representative, Janet Adkins, has termed out). Lynch’s Irish Pub will be hosting a Meet and Greet for Beaches Businesses this Friday (August 21st) from 5-7pm. I hope to see you all there!”
Contacted by phone on Wednesday afternoon, Latham characterized the communication as a mix-up because of his usage of a “serial mailer.”
“I just screwed up,” Latham said. “Maybe I should rescind the email.”
“I guess I’ll have to call the city attorney,” he said.
Taylor, who has raised $7,250 so far, including a $100 donation from William Latham, lags behind Donnie Horner III ($52,850) and Sheri Treadwell ($32,200) in the fundraising derby.
Although the email makes no overt fundraising appeal, it definitely qualifies as campaign advertisement from a governmental account, and could be construed by interested parties as an in-kind contribution.
