Updated 3/19/15 @9:44 am
According to NewsMax ousted Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Gerald Bailey has been meeting with federal prosecutors who have been urged to look into his dismissal and complaints of it being politically motivated by Governor Scott.Bailey stated he met with members of the U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh’s staff in Tallahassee two weeks ago.
Back in December Bailey said he was in his office when he was ordered by Scott’s former counsel Pete Antonacci to vacate his commissioner job. After that happened the governor immediately replaced him with one of his assistants, Rick Swearingen.
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It was further reported by the Miami Herald Gov. Scott’s Chief of Staff, Melissa Sellers was behind the incident and it was done partially because Bailey had hindered the Scott campaign’s effort to mix politics with law enforcement duties. Question is if there is found to be wrongdoing on the behalf of Governor Scott or his administration, will some of his staff be asked to resign or be fired?
Scott on the other hand claimed Bailey resigned but Bailey has since stated:
I did not voluntarily do anything. If he said I resigned voluntarily, that is a lie. If he said that. He’s being totally untruthful.
Since Bailey’s dismissal there has been a lawsuit by news outlets seeking his sworn testimony. These news outlets, along with open government advocates have accused the Governor and three Cabinet members who oversee FDLE of violating the Sunshine Law. This is because Bailey’s was removed from his job without public discussion or vote.
The Cabinet members being accused are Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and the Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.
Bondi has since came out condemning the actions of Governor Scott. She has even asked for an investigation into the Governor’s handling of the matter.
Bailey has also agreed to testify under oath in a deposition on April 22.
Even though the suspicious firing of Bailey is already damning, what is more alarming is his allegations Gov. Scott’s former Chief of Staff Adam Hollingsworth pressured him to state the acting clerk of court in Orange County was the target of a 2013 FDLE criminal inquiry. This was after two prison inmates used forged papers from her office to plot an escape from jail.Bailey refused to cooperate and Scott has since denied the allegations.
As of the time this article was published, my efforts to get a comment from either Governor Scott or Melissa Sellers in regards to the impending investigation have gone unanswered.