Ethics Commission Recommends Doug Underhill Be Removed From Office

October 21, 2022

The Florida Commission on Ethics Friday morning recommended that Gov. Ron DeSantis remove Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill from office and fine him $35,000.

The Ethics Commission found that Underhill misused his position by publicly sharing or publishing confidential transcripts, including minutes from Escambia County Commission shade meetings. A $10,000 fine was imposed for this offense.

The Commission recommended a fine of $6,250 for each of four ethics violations for soliciting donations from a county vendor or lobbyist, and gift disclosure laws.

The recommendation goes next to Gov. Ron DeSantis who can decide whether to enforce the order.

Underhill is expected to appeal.

Comments

16 Responses to “Ethics Commission Recommends Doug Underhill Be Removed From Office”

  1. RJ on October 23rd, 2022 5:02 pm

    Ha Ha, I didn’t do nuffin. Once you start telling lies it’s hard to stop. More to come folks

  2. Anne on October 22nd, 2022 1:24 pm

    Years ago was at a meeting where Mr. Underhill and a person were running for BoCC District-2 and he was asked about going “Bankrupt” in his home construction business and how he left many local vendors, craftsmen, businesses going UNPAID for his bills due to his poor skills at managing finances.
    He seemed quite at ease with damaging the folks he left Unpaid and almost smugly proud of it. Said “I am Now Very Well Off”. His words and total disregard for others and lack of ethics is why we voted AGAINST him Every Opportunity.

  3. Beach Boy on October 22nd, 2022 10:27 am

    With all that we have to do with daily living……when it comes election time, we need to do our homework before we vote on a candidate so that we get to know where that politician stands on issues that affect us. Yes…I know that they can change when they get in office. No one ever said that electing candidates is easy.

  4. Tellmemore on October 22nd, 2022 9:32 am

    Hey Dr. Edler,

    Have you figured out yet that Doug was the leaker in your case the whole time? Was it worth it?

  5. Taxpayer on October 22nd, 2022 7:43 am

    If you’re not dirty when you’re elected you get dirty when u have power.A elected should serve 1 term an get out.u may be poor when u get in but u rich when u get out.that goes for commisioners on up.they promise to do things an it never happens.they all get comfy with their job an drive expensive cars.they are all over paid in the first place.get rid of dirty laundry an vote for the right people.remember that when u vote

  6. Wayne on October 22nd, 2022 7:10 am

    Adios,go to church..and not just physically.

  7. Bill on October 22nd, 2022 6:48 am

    He violated the “rules”. I think the information he released served the publics’ interest. He would be applauded as a whistle blower if he weren’t an elected official. That said, I have never been a supporter of his.

  8. Good Riddance on October 21st, 2022 6:13 pm

    Whatever redeeming qualities Underhill might have had were quickly lost to his arrogance and the belief that he is above the law.

  9. Jason on October 21st, 2022 5:16 pm

    I used to think that Underhill was the only one on the BOCC who was any good. I no longer think that. He’s just another alleged crooked politician.

  10. Frank Smith on October 21st, 2022 4:15 pm

    It’s driven me nuts that how for his entire tenure he’s accused all these people of corruption and he’s been corrupt the whole time. His first election he took money from the Bear’s and other people to get there, and then when they didn’t support him on his re-elect, he tries to strong-arm them and claim they’re evil.

    That, along with the constant rumors of him being reprimanded and nearly dishonorably discharged for his conduct, stealing, and lying in the military make me wonder if there’s any sort of integrity, decency, and honor in bag of flesh.

  11. Melissa Pino on October 21st, 2022 3:20 pm

    Close, Denny, except that Doug knows exactly everything he does wrong, to what degree it’s wrong, and precisely how far he has played into the grey areas. That’s all part of the game for him, and he never does anything honestly or by the book. He’s the type of guy that will work 5 times as hard to do something dishonestly as he could have gotten it honestly, and the pay off for him is in being superior to the common rabble who have to play by the rules. He has been working at grifting systems and places his whole life, with Webster’s law of diminishing returns driving him to further heights of swindling.

    What he does still believe is that there will never be any end to his grifting genius, and he probably thinks he is still under the same political protections who put him in office for their ends to begin with. They’ve gotten all they could get out of him at this point, so it will be interesting to see what happens now that his puppet masters have wrung him for the last ounce of what they could get. Maybe he’ll pack up and et on down the road, like he has done so many times before. We can only hope.

  12. TEM on October 21st, 2022 2:49 pm

    He’s Being blackballed for the NOT Doing the things Accused of him, When in Fact the Accusers are Guilty and all this Will Come out when Commissioner Underhill Sings like a Canary .

  13. Denny on October 21st, 2022 1:45 pm

    “Underhill is expected to appeal.” The boy STILL thinks he didn’t do anything wrong, even though the findings were made by an independent, out-of-town commission and NOT the “downtown crowd” supposedly out to get him for “speaking the truth.” His arrogance reminds me of Grady Albritton.

    And all y’all that said he was the kind of politician we needed…do you still feel that way???

  14. Tax Payer at Large on October 21st, 2022 12:57 pm

    When the dirty truth from corruption is brought to light and it’s uncomfortable

  15. Tim Barberi on October 21st, 2022 12:47 pm

    Shocking!!!!

  16. RaD on October 21st, 2022 12:23 pm

    Bye Doug.