Grand jury to look into Fla. Speaker’s dealings
TALLAHASSEE (AP) – A grand jury Monday asked for an investigation into House Speaker’s Ray Sansom’s dealings with a Panhandle college.
State Attorney Willie Meggs said jurors wanted more information on Sansom’s conduct when it convenes in mid-February.
“It’s the greatest tool for finding out the truth that is out there,” said Meggs.
“One of the duties of a grand jury is to look into the operation of governmental affairs and they chose to do so,” Meggs said. “We’ll try to gather some information and be present then with some testimony at the next session.”
The complaints forwarded to Meggs’ office accused Sansom, R-Destin, of receiving a six-figure job at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville as payback for channeling more than $25 million to the school. Sansom resigned the college job earlier this month, but has remained as speaker and declared his innocence.
Sansom has also been accused of putting $6 million in the 2007 state budget for an aircraft hangar to benefit a political supporter.
“I have acted honestly in all matters, including in my work as a state legislator,” the speaker responded in a release from his office. “The complaints are based on news articles, not personal knowledge of the facts.”
The executive director of Florida Common Cause, a government watchdog group, described Sansom’s dealings as “stinky” whether he broke the law or not.
“It just doesn’t look good,” Ben Wilcox said Monday. “I don’t think any ordinary citizen presented with the facts would think that’s the way they’d want to see government run.”
When asked in Kissimmee if he thought Sansom could be an effective speaker while he’s being investigated, Gov. Charlie Crist said, “So far, he’s doing it.”
The legal issues are piling up for Sansom at an awkward time as lawmakers prepare for their regularly scheduled session that begins March 3.
“Once the facts are fully aired, I expect the outcome of this inquiry will be positive,” Sansom said. “I will cooperate fully and look forward to a speedy conclusion.”
Sansom, 46, also faces possible discipline from the state ethics commission.
Sansom, who has served since 2002, hired former Statewide Prosecutor Pete Antonacci to help him in the grand jury investigation and Tallahassee attorney Richard Coates to assist him with the ethics complaints.