The FBI investigation into public corruption in Tallahassee City Hall that became an issue in this year’s governor’s race because of possible connections to Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum has reportedly resulted in the indictment of city commissioner Scott Maddox.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, sources close to the investigation say Maddox was indicted by a federal grand jury on public corruption charges. The Democrat says the FBI would not comment on the report and no documents have been filed indicating an indictment had been handed down.
Maddox is a former Tallahassee mayor who also once held the position of chairman of the Florida Democratic Party.
Maddox, an attorney, was first elected to the city commission in 1993 and became mayor in 1997. In 2003, he stepped down as mayor and tried his hand in statewide politics–running unsuccessfully for attorney general, agriculture commissioner and governor. He regained a seat on the city commission in 2012.
A federal search warrant affadavit made public earlier this year revealed Maddox, along with his longtime friend and associate Page Carter-Smith, were being investigated by the FBI for Mail Fraud and Bribery. was being investigated by the FBI for mail fraud and bribery. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Paige-Smith was also indicted.
The ongoing FBI sting operation has involved undercover agents posing as developers interested in doing business with the city.
Maddox and Carter-Smith were the subject of a federal subpoena issued over a year ago. Maddox has previously downplayed any involvement in the FBI investigation.
“While I am unaware of any specifics in this inquiry, it is clear that I am included in the big net currently being cast. As my voting record clearly shows, I have always protected the taxpayers’ money and advocated in their best interest. This community knows how responsive my office has been to their needs and that will not waver as we cooperate fully with whatever is asked of us
Although Gillum insisted the FBI had informed him he was not a target of the investigation, the speculation over his possible connection and questionable actions he took involving some of those undercover agents and key subjects in the investigation bogged down his campaign. His opponent, Republican Ron DeSantis, frequently made the FBI probe an issue on the campaign trail. At one point, DeSantis referred to his opponent as “Crooked Mayor Gillum.”
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