about my county st johns county florida

I have a question for those who are angry about the censure here in St. Johns County.  Here is the question: What if she did violate the law?

It’s an honest question. Ten-fifteen years ago (maybe longer 😕), the court of public opinion would probably be swayed by a legal opinion that the law was broken.  While they might still fume privately because they didn’t get their way, it was generally frowned upon to continue pushing misinformation. Once a link between the law and the action that broke the law was evident, it was usually time to settle down.

Today, I’m not sure.

We seem to have become inured to elected officials breaking the law, instead rewriting the narrative to excuse the action or provide some noble cause. 

On November 21, 2023, Commissioner Joseph made a “public service announcement.”  As I listened to the statement on GTV, I thought “she’s making a political statement about who to elect in the next election, and why.”  I don’t think I’m the only one who thought that.

She was quickly interrupted on point of order yet continued to argue about her right to speak freely.

Can Commissioners speak freely on the record?  To protect us – the citizens – elected officials relinquish that right when they take office so that they don’t inadvertently influence decisions based on their personal beliefs.  They become guardians of the County – all citizens of the County, not just those they agree with.

On December 5, 2022, Commissioner Dean moved to censure Commissioner Joseph for her remarks and asked for approval to engage legal counsel to determine if election law had been violated. That motion passed 4-1.

The brouhaha that ensued was loud and vicious and completely ignored the question: What if she did violate the law.”

Don’t we care?  Shouldn’t we care?

While some say Commissioner Dean was throwing stones without proof, I think most people would consider him to be wise and cautious.  Oh, and he is an attorney.  Do we really think he just pulled Section 104.31(1)(a) out of his head without having at least looked at the code and formed an educated opinion?

So, the Board of Commissioners, based on the approved motion, did seek legal opinion and I suspect that legal opinion will be made public.

What if the legal opinion indicates that she did break the law? 

Will her followers find excuses and claim noble causes to defend her, or will they agree that the law is there for a purpose – to frame the appropriate behavior of an elected official who has agreed to serve the County?

I suspect that we will find out soon enough.