By James Call
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-887180.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – A lawyer for former House Speaker Ray Sansom says he couldn't have gotten a fair hearing from a House panel investigating an ethics complaint against the Destin Republican. The panel met briefly Monday to close the case due to Sansom's resignation the night before.
The select committee was investigating whether Sansom violated the public trust and the House's integrity. He stands accused in Leon County Court of funneling millions of dollars to a state college before accepting a six-figure, part-time job at the school. The House and Court proceedings are separate. His attorney Gloria Fletcher says the cards were stacked against Sansom in the House.
"He couldn't defend himself in this process. There was no way for him to compel the attendance of witnesses. It certainly was a procedural due process issue, and his due process rights were significantly violated by not being able to defend himself."
Committee members disagreed. In the House, Sansom was a subject of a citizen's complaint involving an airplane hanger, state college and a campaign donor. The committee spent months and more than a hundred thousand dollars looking into the relationship between Sansom, former college president Bob Richburg and campaign donor Jay Odom. While the committee did its work, state attorney Willie Meggs pursued criminal charges against the men.
Committee Chairman Bill Galvano says the House made every effort to give Sansom a fair hearing.
"I know the committee and the members took extraordinary steps to make sure that we could provide as much fairness and due process as is possible. So, whether that is said or not, I disagree with it. I think we were very fair and had we continue with a hearing this morning, it would have been conducted in a very professional, thorough, open and fair way."
Galvano says the final report outlines procedures for the House to follow if it ever has to investigate another member. It appears that Sansom is the second lawmaker in the last fifty years who could have been expelled from the House. His resignation ended a process where there would have been a public hearing on how the Legislature makes spending decisions.
Rep. Rich Glorioso says the day's event left him with mixed feelings. On the one hand he has empathy for Sansom. On the other, he would have liked some answers.
"Nothing was proven. That's what I was looking for today. I wanted to see the evidence come out. I wanted to hear it, and unfortunately, we didn't. He decided that he was going to resign instead. So, it leaves a lot of voids as far as where in my mind, was there anything wrong? How was it wrong? Was it all perceptions?...I wanted to see the evidence laid out, so that we could make an honest decision of what we were going to do."
The criminal charges allege Sansom, aided and abetted by former college president Bob Richburg and Destin businessman Jay Odom, hid the true purpose of a $6-million appropriation the lawmaker obtained for Northwest Florida State College. That purpose allegedly was to build an airport hangar for use by Odom, a friend and political supporter of Sansom.
No trial date has been set. A case management conference is scheduled for March 19th.