Jacob Ogles
Rep. Elizabeth Fetterhoff’s re-election campaign paid thousands to a consulting firm founded by her and husband John Ward.
Ward last April founded FWD Consulting, a Florida limited liability corporation that lists a Deland home as its primary business address. Fetterhoff is listed in corporate filings with the state as the company’s CEO, while Ward serves as president, a title also included in his Twitter biography.
But while Fetterhoff was listed as CEO when the company was formed, she said she isn’t working with the company right now.
“FWD Consulting Group is a company my husband, John Ward, runs,” she told Florida Politics. “I have taken an indefinite leave of absence and am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the company. My husband has multiple clients that he works with besides myself in both state and congressional races. His clients include Rep. Mike Caruso, candidates Christopher Wright for Florida House, Janet Frivola for Florida House, and congressional candidate Erika Benfield early on in her race. We have fully vetted the arrangement with our attorney.”
Ward said he has been involved in politics for about 20 years. He said while Fetterhoff’s name still appears on corporate filings for her financial protection, she is not involved with the company right now. He also said the couple keeps their finances separate, something addressed in a prenuptial agreement.
Ward and Fetterhoff wed last May at a marriage ceremony at the Historic Senate Chambers of the old Capitol.
“There’s nothing illegal or shady,” Ward said. “My wife’s campaign is charged significantly less to avoid an appearance of something wrong.”
Neither the LLC nor the nonprofit have filed an annual report yet. But as first reported by POLITICO, campaign contributions show thousands have been handed from Fetterhoff’s campaign and a political committee associated with the Deland Republican’s candidacy.
Records covering spending through February show Fetterhoff’s candidate account spent $7,358 with FWD Consulting between Nov. 12 and Jan. 19. That includes a reimbursement of $1,745 for supplies associated with a campaign event, and $5,612 tied to finance consulting.
Meanwhile, United for Florida’s Future, a committee chaired by Fetterhoff, spent another $4,470 with FWD Consulting. That includes $4,200 in finance consulting and another $270 to reimburse event tickets on Jan. 19.
Of note, the political committee previously used K. Ballard Consulting in Tallahassee for finance consulting. But the last payment to the firm was on Nov. 12, three days before the first payment to FWD Consulting for the same services.
Fetterhoff’s campaign also has directly given $5,296 to Fetterhoff in reimbursements and mileage payments, between August and January.
The same address for FWD serves as the place of business for the Fetterhoff Ward Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation launched by the couple in August. Corporate filings list Fetterhoff as president of the foundation and Ward as vice president. Ward said that entity was founded to fund the Badge of Hope Gala last year and continues to support Volusia County charitable causes in a number of arenas.
The second-term lawmaker right now faces fellow Rep. Webster Barnaby, a DeBary Republican, who represents a neighboring district. The decennial redistricting process put the two incumbents and their respective Deland and DeBary political bases in the same House district.
While 19 incumbent House members seeking re-election ended up in districts with House colleagues, most conflicts have been resolved by moves to other districts. Barnaby and Fetterhoff are expected to be the only House incumbents matched against each other this election cycle.
