Florida Ethics Officials Find Probable Cause On Gillum Complaint

TALLAHASSEE, FL — The Florida Commission on Ethics has determined that probable cause exists that 2018 Democrat gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum violated state ethics laws.

The commission voted Friday in a closed-door meeting to proceed with charges against Gillum. Gillum is accused of accepting gifts from lobbyists and vendors during his time as Tallahassee’s mayor.

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Gillum attorney Barry Richard asserts that his client followed the law. He says Gillum would contest the ethics charges before an administrative judge.

A Tallahassee businessman filed a complaint against Gillum that alleged he did not pay for expenses related to trips to Costa Rica and New York City. The state’s ethics investigation was separate but overlapped with an ongoing FBI investigation into city government.

Gillum, the former mayor of Tallahassee, lost a close race to Republican Ron DeSantis for the governor's mansion in a contest that ended in a recount.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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