Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiDecember 4, 2017

Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday, along with three years of supervised release, $62,650 to the IRS, $452,000 of additional restitution and $664,000 of forfeiture. But she shouldn’t be fitted for an orange jumpsuit just yet, according to Brown’s attorney, James Smith,. “This court does not have the last word concerning the Congresswoman’s […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 11, 2017

Monday saw post-conviction motion hearings for acquittal and for a new trial in the matter of Corrine Brown, the former Congresswoman who was found guilty on 18 counts in a fraud trial earlier this year. Rulings have yet to be rendered on either motion, yet the hearings were lively. Brown’s attorney, Orlando barrister James Smith, asserted Monday […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 7, 2017

On Monday afternoon, in Jacksonville’s federal courthouse, Corrine Brown came one step closer to learning whether or not she can avoid time in prison. But she did not get a definitive answer in court. Convicted of 18 counts in a federal fraud trial regarding “One Door for Education,” a sham educational charity Brown and her cohorts raised […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 20, 2017

Community Rehabilitation Center – the non-profit of Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney best known for its cameo appearances in the Corrine Brown trial and a Medicaid overbilling scandal – is back in the news. The subject this time: a late-May whistleblower lawsuit in Florida’s 4th Circuit, filed by an employee who alleges that she was “unlawfully terminated” […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 9, 2017

Is the Holy Spirit an external force? That concept is, improbably, what the appeal for a new trial of convicted former U.S. Congresswoman Corrine Brown is predicated upon. Meanwhile, Brown’s lawyers also filed an acquittal motion late Thursday, contending that the government did not prove its case, as some One Door money went toward charity, and there was no […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 15, 2017

Could juror drama and input retroactively affect the verdict of the Corrine Brown trial after all? Could it play into a motion for a new trial? With drama swirling relative to certain jurors, there is reason to wonder, with Brown’s lawyer voicing oral motions to interview jurors. While the oral motions were denied, written motions […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 11, 2017

Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown faced myriad federal counts related to conspiracy to defraud via what prosecutors call a fake charity: “One Door for Education.” Those charges include conspiracy to commit and aiding and abetting wire and mail fraud, and multiple counts of fraudulent filing of federal tax returns. FloridaPolitics.com delivered deep-dive coverage of the entire trial: jury selection; opening statements; […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 5, 2017

Prologue: Nine months ago, a 24 count federal indictment dropped. It changed Jacksonville politics — forever. Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown and her chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, were named as co-defendants in a federal suit about One Door for Education. One Door was a charity, marketed with Brown’s name and likeness, that did a great job bringing money […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 25, 2016

Tuesday’s status conference for Rep. Corrine Brown and her chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, in a Jacksonville federal court laid out the basic framework for a multi-week trial beginning in April, involving dozens of witnesses, including members of Jacksonville’s donor class. Meanwhile, there seemed to be daylight between strategy and preparation between the lawyers for Brown and Simmons, suggesting […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 15, 2016

Rep. Corrine Brown and her chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, are staring down 24 counts for fraud and misrepresentation related to the One Door for Education charity. And now, they are staring down a status conference, slated for Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. at Jacksonville’s federal courthouse. Neither Brown nor Simmons have to attend. Counsel for the defendants and […]

Tag: James Smith
A nice warm evening in Tallahassee on a very busy street while taking this shot.

Corrine Brown lawyer: ‘This court does not have the last word’

Audrey Gibson: ‘Corrine Brown says she’s innocent and that is that!’

Corrine Brown’s lawyer: Former congresswoman’s guilt is a ‘myth’

Reggie Gaffney disclaims responsibility for non-profit’s alleged training and HR failures

Corrine Brown motions seek new trial, acquittal after fraud conviction

Juror drama swirls in aftermath of Corrine Brown verdict

Corrine Brown trial coverage: GUILTY on 18 counts; motion for new trial pending

No plea deal: Corrine Brown gears up for epic late-April fraud trial

Corrine Brown/Ronnie Simmons fraud trial pushed back to April 2017

Status conference set for Oct. 25 in Corrine Brown, Ronnie Simmons trial