The Florida Commission on Ethics tossed out complaints against Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum on Friday.
All three state officials faced ethics complaints relating to their use of state aircraft for personal travel. The commission met in closed session Friday to determine if probable cause existed in the three cases, and will announce its findings to the public next week.
However, Kottkamp, Sink and McCollum confirmed that the complaints against them were dismissed.
"The Commission conducted a very comprehensive investigation," Kottkamp said via e-mail. "I always believed that after all of the facts were reviewed they would conclude that I had made every effort to do the right thing and that my travel in service to the people of Florida as Lt. Governor was no different than the travel of Lt. Governors Jennings, Brogan and MacKay."
Sink said through a spokesperson: "I appreciate the Ethics Commission's thorough review of the facts in this case and I am pleased the Commission found no cause to support the complaint."
From Richard Coates, attorney for McCollum: "The Ethics Commission confirmed what we already knew by finding no probable cause. The Attorney General is pleased that this matter is concluded, and looks forward to addressing the issues facing our state."
The commission plans to ask the Legislature for further clarification of the rules governing personal use of state aircraft, according to Coates and Mark Herron, attorney for Sink.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement
Advertisement