Dean Black calls on Duval Teachers’ Union to ‘come clean’ after FBI, IRS raid
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 2/9/23-Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, during the Civil Justice Subcommittee, Thursday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

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'The people of Duval County demand action on this matter.'

In the wake of an FBI and IRS raid of the Duval Teachers United, a Republican legislator from Jacksonville wants answers.

Rep. Dean Black wants the labor organization to “come clean” in the wake of reports that computers and other documentary evidence were targeted and removed by the feds.

“Like all Duval County residents, I was horrified to see that the FBI raided the office of the Duval County Teachers Union. According to media reports, the FBI, in conjunction with the IRS, has an ongoing investigation involving alleged ‘misappropriation of union funds,'” Black asserted.

“What is even more troubling is the silence from union leadership since this raid. To restore the trust of taxpayers and dues paying teachers, the Duval County Teachers Union must immediately release a complete accounting for how all union funds are being spent, come clean about what specifically this investigation entails and make public all pertinent documents pertaining to the FBI and IRS investigation.”

Black’s comments come after Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to reporters earlier Thursday, saying he had “no insight” into the operation completed by “federal agencies,” beyond the “control” of the state and without “advanced warning” given to the EOG.

“The people of Duval County demand action on this matter. We must expect full transparency from those who have the responsibility of representing our local teachers —  not deafening silence,” Black added.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


15 comments

  • Anti union state

    September 7, 2023 at 5:25 pm

    You can be the anti union state of Florida , the Governor and repulsive legislators are in on this raid

  • tom palmer

    September 7, 2023 at 6:30 pm

    Did the reporter even try to get comments from the union?

  • T

    September 7, 2023 at 6:31 pm

    We all know who is behind this attack on the Duval Teachers Union, and that is what it was an attack, I hope the DTU fights back as they should.

  • Bill Pollard

    September 7, 2023 at 6:49 pm

    Nothing was said about the union being contacted for this story. I guess, then, they were not.

  • No respect for teachers

    September 7, 2023 at 7:53 pm

    I lost all respect for teachers, for their actions during Covid lockdown. They wanted to stay home and get paid, and not teach at school, sorry.

    • Rick Whitaker

      September 7, 2023 at 9:19 pm

      so in desantistan people that have no respect for teachers, is a majority. how sad for the kids. if the voting age parents are haters and fools, why should the kids suffer. kids won’t respect their teachers if their parents bad mouth them. in the future, florida is going to be a bigger hell hole than it is now. that’s scary.

    • ScienceBLVR

      September 8, 2023 at 9:14 am

      And we have little respect for uninformed folks who probably wouldn’t last an hour in a classroom. We were still teaching during COVID lockdowns, just doing it online, a task made much more difficult due to lack of state funding for technology. And of course that pesky COVID caused illness and death that decimated the teacher ranks since we live in a science denying state.

    • Susan Beauchamp

      September 9, 2023 at 11:40 pm

      You are obviously not a teacher, so your comments are incorrect and unwarranted! Teachers give their “heart and soul” to their students; work very hard; and certainly do not need your comments, or the treatment they’re receiving from our bullying Governor!

  • Sonja Fitch

    September 8, 2023 at 6:15 am

    No one is above the law. My concern is the charges have not been made public! But the humiliation by DTU and others in education is appalling!

  • Karen

    September 8, 2023 at 6:28 am

    The Teachers Unions have been exempt from scrutiny for too long! If the FBI and IRS smelled something rotten it is there obligation to investigate! Everyone is accountable under the law! Stop the favoritism of this two tiered justice system.

  • Pack E. Derm

    September 8, 2023 at 8:58 am

    Dear “General” Black,

    You do not speak for “all Duval County residents.”
    You do not speak for all Duval County Republicans.
    You do not speak for all Duval REC members.
    Please shut up.

  • Phil Morton

    September 9, 2023 at 9:15 am

    Change the law to fit what you want. “As of July 1st, 2023 Florida public employers are no longer allowed to electronically deduct union dues from paychecks of its members, rather they have to collect those dues from the employees directly.” DeSantis signed the law but has no insight into it’s results. Got it!

    • My Take

      September 11, 2023 at 3:48 pm

      But exempted police unions I believe.

  • My Take

    September 11, 2023 at 3:51 pm

    Did D.B. “dirtball” Dean Black similarly call on Trump to “come clean” after his FBI raid?

  • Raymond

    September 13, 2023 at 2:27 pm

    Anyone that thinks the most evil union in America is goong to come clean of anything is ignorant. Dean Black can’t even be transparent about Rec funds. He hides behind pretennding he can’t disclose trade secrets for his bosses Tim Baker and his do boy keyboard and mailbox warrior Alexander Pantanakis AKA Pancake. How about explain the $950K flipped from PAC man Jones to Duval Gop account to On Target Messaging?

Comments are closed.


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