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Will Gov. Remove Comm. Valentino From Office After Arrest?
April 24, 2010
There’s no word yet if Gov. Charlie Crist will suspend Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino following his arrest.
Valentino was indicted by an Escambia County Grand Jury Thursday on charges of the solicitation of a political contribution in a building owned by a governmental agency. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail late Thursday afternoon and released on his own recognizance.
The charge is a first degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine.
Gov. Crist is not required to suspend Valentino from office, but has the authority to do so. He has exercised that authority and suspended many indicted officials across the state during his term as governor.
Local web site Ricksblog.biz reports that Crist will appoint Rep. Dave Murzin or Holly Benson to Valentino’s District 2 seat. Benson is currently running for Florida Attorney General, and she is a resident of the district, which would allow her to run for the seat this fall. Murzin is running for a Florida Senate seat, and he does not live in District 2.
Besides Valentino, the only other candidate in the District 2 race with household name recognition George Touart, the former embattled county administrator.
Pictured: Commissioner Gene Valentino’s Escambia County Jail booking mugshot.
Comments
8 Responses to “Will Gov. Remove Comm. Valentino From Office After Arrest?”
I hope he does take Valentino out. Enough is enough.
“If they elect Touart or reelect Valentino, they deserve what they get, unfortunately”
I Pray the voters will not put a Rotten Apple into the county barrel to spoil the rest of the county commissioners.
YE SHALL KNOW A TREE BY ITS FRUIT.
It’s sad when corruption comes to be the norm rather than the exception.
But with all the reports on crooked sheriffs, sheriff department employees, county officials, court employees, law enforcement officers, etc. this type story is the norm rather than the exception in our area.
The scary part for me is the realization that we have only scratched the surface of local government employee corruption.
God save Holly Benson. There is no limit to the skills and persuasion she must possess. It never matters what the job is HOLLY IS THE MAN FOR IT. There is something wrong with the picture…. always Holly, always Holly.
I believe you will find it’s the game that makes the players not the players making the game.
They all seem to be good people when Elected by a majority.
What a terrible choice voters have in this district: Touart vs. Valentino! Either way…they lose!
Those folks in District 2 need to remember that there are at least 4 other candidates for that job. They don’t have to choose the “lesser of two evils” Check out the other candidates, there may be actually be a good one. If they elect Touart or reelect Valentino, they deserve what they get, unfortunately, the rest of us have to suffer along with them.
If household name recognition = infamy then people should get to know the “unkowns” that are running! Please…pretty please.