DELTONA BONA FIDE

The wheels of justice turn slowly, sometimes not at all

January 28, 2007

Doing the right thing isn't always easy - especially in Deltona. Consider the case of a local resident who has been trying to do the right thing since July of 2006. That's when a formal complaint was filed with what was then believed to be the proper authority regarding perjury by an elected official. Return receipt snail mail confirmed delivery of the complaint, but many months of subsequent silence by that governmental agency and a rejection from another has left the concerned citizen feeling disregarded.

Early last year the complainant became aware of what is alleged to be multiple cases of perjury by an elected official during the course of an official proceeding - a second-degree felony in the State of Florida. The State of Florida will not investigate such cases unless specifically invoked by a citizen. So evidence was obtained, questions were asked, the State was consulted, and an official complaint was purportedly filed with the State Attorney's office.

Five months afterwards, absent any acknowledgement and after numerous unreturned phone calls to attorneys, supervisors and assistants, it was surmised that the State Attorney's office did not have jurisdiction over perjury cases.

The complaint was then filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics, who quickly rejected it as being outside of their jurisdiction. It was a plus that the Florida Commission on Ethics at least acknowledged and responded to the complaint. Still there was no word from the State Attorney's office.

Deltona's City Commission was then asked to investigate the matter of suspected perjury. When sworn into office, each commissioner took an oath such as this:

But despite the oath sworn by all Deltona commissioners, Deltona appears to be limp on the matter of perjury by elected officials.

Feeling unheard and frustrated, the complainant asks "Who are the taxpayers paying to investigate perjury-under-oath concerns?"

More calls to the State Attorney's office and then to the Governor's office resulted in the complaint being filed yet again - but this time with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The complainant hopes that finally his job as "boss" is done and that the State will take it from here: "Having an elected leader lie to the people while under oath is unacceptable the first time it happens. Having it happen more than once is reprehensible. The only thing that troubles me more is having a City Commission that does not consider perjury under oath a problem."

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