Jax State Rep. says she’s being “targeted” by Commission on Ethics

Jacksonville, FL — After the Florida Commission on Ethics finds probable cause on violations against Jacksonville Democratic State Representative Kimberly Daniels, Daniels says she plans to fight the case.

WOKV told you yesterday that the Commission found probable cause to support Daniels filed inaccurate financial disclosure forms during three years she was on the City Council. Specifically, the complaint against her alleges she did not list several property-related liabilities, including mortgages.

“People make mistakes all the time, and they simply do amendments, and that’s what we did. But that wasn’t good enough, because these people aren’t looking for truth, they want to harass,” Daniels tells our partner Action News Jax.

Daniels issued a range of accusations during that conversation, including that the Commission is unfair and actively working against her.

“An investigation should be done on the Florida Ethics Commission for using their position to work with my political enemies. I believe these people are just a bunch of sore losers who have no respect for the democratic process, even when the people have spoken,” Daniels says.

The allegations in this complaint previously led to an Ethics case, however, that had to be dropped because a jurisdictional issue arose relating to the time that complaint was filed. The allegations have been brought forward again, in this new case.

Daniels says the properties in question are owned by her church, and it would be a violation of the separation of church and state to claim them as her own.

“This is religious discrimination, and you know what, I’m not going to settle with them. I’m going to take it to a higher court,” she says.

Following these claims, WOKV circled back with the Commission, who denied any wrongdoing.

“The Commission takes its responsibility of the application of Florida’s ethics laws very seriously. The outcome of each complaint filed with the Commission, including the complaint filed against Representative Daniels, is determined based on the facts of the case. Investigations are ordered in any complaint filed alleging a possible violation of Florida’s Code of Ethics. The Florida Commission on Ethics has never targeted any public officer or employee,” says a statement from Kerrie Stillman, with the Commission.

Daniels can either seek to reach a settlement agreement, or go through an evidentiary hearing before an Administrative Law Judge at the Division of Administrative Hearings, per the Commission. That ALJ would issue a Recommended Order, and if any of the parties take issue with a portion of that order, they would file “exceptions”. The Commission would then rule on all the exceptions and the Recommended Order, as part of its Final Order determining if there was wrongdoing. If that is sustained, Daniels would be subject to some penalty.

The Final Order can be appealed to the District Court of Appeals.