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Comm. Gene Valentino Indicted By Grand Jury
April 23, 2010
An Escambia County Grand Jury returned an indictment Thursday afternoon against Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino for the solicitation of a political contribution in a building owned by a governmental agency, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
Valentino is accused of accepting a campaign donation at his county office from Pensacola developer Dan Gilmore on November 5, 2009.
The charge is a first degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine.
Valentino will be released on his own recognizance.
Comments
14 Responses to “Comm. Gene Valentino Indicted By Grand Jury”
To: A Watchman on April 26th, 2010 7:58 am, you mention “…is an indited THUG”
I cringed. As I read further and noticed you have a boner with Pilose, Ried, & Frank, aha, it’s clear. You are a NeoCon, bitter, and bent to douse liberals with your constant stream of misinformation. Actually, just thought I’d give you a quick English lesson as I’m sure you’d want to do your “Founding Father’s” proud. Your usage of the word
“indited”
Now, if your usage of “indited” referred to a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime then I would warn you in the future to please use this tool available on all PC’s and MAC’s call SPELLCHECK.
Afterall, doing so would greatly reduce your further misinformation.
One last thing, I think you are the real thug because you appear to be anything but a Patriot.
To Joan,
Who says GV is “highly valued & well respected”. He is an indited THUG. Likely he was set up, but more likely he is also guilty of abuse of power, graft & corruption. Why not DO THE JOB without the BS! Be a servant of the people – you are not entitled to impose your ideas, out of the box or not, on the people. That is what is wrong with Pilose, Ried, & Frank.
GV (and all) should Face ethics charges over the “bid fiasco”too.
The END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS!
REGARDING:
“He’s still the only Commissioner we have who “thinks outside of the box” and the only one who is not one of the “good ole boys” ”
But if the box outside of which he is thinking is the box limiting selling his office to contributors, is that really a good thing?
If I read this correctly, people wanting to do business with the county came to him and he asked them for money to finance his campaign. A request under such circumstances carries a lot of weight.
It looks similar to soliciting a bribe.
According to Wikipedia a good ol’ boy network describes a system of social networking .
There is nothing inherently wrong with that is there?
And “Some negative effects of the good ol’ boy network … generally to reinforce traditional power structures over any other elements in the society.”
Alright, here’s how it can be abused but it looks like that is what he is accused of doing, so how would he be OUTSIDE of the good old boy system if he were doing it, using his power to retain his power?
David for social networks for benefit of society
Not a GOB? Look at my forum name!!!!
Just another sad chapter in our area’s politics like W.D. and Willie Jr.
Funny how Gene and his supporters always want to blame someone else. It was Gene himself that first made the accusations.
Im not sure why anyone would want to support someone who has bragged about “fluffing off” his constituents.
Certainly smells fishy to me… George Touart tends to pop up in deals like this one….
… Sure hope the folks in district 2 don’t fall for this.
What another one caught?
Hang in there Gene. Sorry that it happen and if it’s true I would have thought you were smarter than that.
Another media article says that Dan Gilmore is a political ally of George Touart, who is running against Valentino for the Commissioner seat. WOW! Also says that Dan Gilmore wants to develop 16,000 acres between Beulah and Hwy 29. WOW! This whole thing reeks of the typical Pensacola good ole boy “honor” system. I’m actually wanting Valentino to walk away from this clean whether he did it or not because Touart scares me a lot more and can/will do a lot more damage than Valentino ever could.
A lot of people would say contributions from the Down Town crowd and county vendors is politics as usual. ( “Good Ole Boys” )
Sorry Joan but he’s not that well respected by everyone.
I wonder why Eddins didn’t put the Judge before a Grand Jury. Isn’t that something? Eddins just made the decision on his own that the crooked Judge is a GOB. Oh, but wait1 Are they friends?
Very disappointed in Gene. It is sad.
crook
He’s still the only Commissioner we have who “thinks outside of the box” and the only one who is not one of the “good ole boys” — I hope the Governor has the good sense not to remove a highly valued and well respected Commissioner who has done more for Escambia with less time in service than any other. Joan Wagner, Cantonment