Wes White calls for grand jury investigation of Jax Council texters

SAO candidate Wes White and his wife outside the Duval County Courthouse. 7.23.2015

The controversy about the Jacksonville City Council members who texted with firefighter union chief Randy Wyse during city budget deliberations in September rages on, and for one candidate for state attorney it has become a political issue.

In a prepared statement, Wes White asserts that “members of the City Council engaged in a series of communications (relating to the reallocation of $320,000 in City funds) that were outside of Florida’s strict Sunshine Law. They did so through an intermediary, the president of the Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters Inc.”

“While the head of the firefighters union may have been unaware of the nuances of Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Laws, clearly each and every member of the City Council are aware, or should be aware, of their lawful obligations,” White continues.

“It is incumbent upon the Office of the State Attorney to fully and transparently investigate this breach of the public’s trust no matter where it leads. Step one should be to secure search warrants allowing for the seizure and forensic examination of the cell phones of all parties. Step two, put this matter squarely before a Grand Jury,” White writes.

Since the scandal broke after a Florida Times-Union investigation, text messages from every council member involved have been released to the media. Meanwhile, Council President Greg Anderson on Thursday issued a prohibition on cell phone use by council members during meetings.