JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Ethics Commission decided last night not to take any action against former mayoral candidate and current council member Leanna Cumber and a recent investigation looking at her connections to the failed JEA sale.
Action News Jax spoke with Cumber this afternoon about this meeting.
“It was a clear weaponization of local government,” says Cumber.
Emails obtained by Action News Jax showed Cumber’s husband played a role in the attempt to sell the public utility.
Cumber herself stated in writing she had no conflict of interest regarding the controversial bid to sell.
“This shame investigation was set up as a political ploy to hurt my credibility and help their chosen political candidate,” says Cumber.
According to Cumber, in last night’s meeting the Jacksonville ethics commission voted unanimously to stop this investigation against her.
“It is a sad state when five colleagues from the city council feel that they need to weaponize the government to help them choose a mayoral candidate,” says Cumber.
Cumber added she knew that Terrance Freeman, Rory Diamond, Nick Howland, Michael Boylan, and Sam Newbey are all connected to Jacksonville’s mayoral candidate, Republican Daniel Davis.
Cumber was one of his main Republican opponents in the election for mayor held last month.
She only received 7.5% of the vote, while Davis moved on to a run-off election against Democrat Donna Deegan.
Cumber says she is satisfied that the politics behind her investigation has become clearer to the ethics commission.
“We’re seeing these sort of politics on the national level and now they took it to a whole new level and did something that has never been done in the city,” says Cumber.
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