New article from the Orlando Sentinel.
"Glen Gilzean, the head of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Disney World oversight district, has continued to serve as the chairman of Florida’s ethics commission, despite a state law that members of the government watchdog panel cannot hold “public employment.”
Florida law specifies that “no member may hold any public employment” and serve on the ethics board. Gilzean was hired by the governor-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in May, drawing a $400,000-a-year salary from the special taxing district.
The Florida Bulldog, an investigative news website, revealed Gilzean’s potential conflict of interest, which had gone publicly unnoticed.
Gilzean attended ethics commission meetings in June and July, videos of those meetings show.
Gilzean’s dual roles as ethics commissioner and government administrator appear to violate state law, said Michael Barfield, director of public access initiatives for the Florida Center for Government Accountability.
“The legal requirements are there for a reason, and that is for transparency and to prevent conflicts of interest,” he said. “You can’t be sitting in a watchdog capacity in the position of the ethics commission and at the same time be … subject to the authority of the ethics commission. That is an inherent conflict of interest.”
A tourism district spokesman referred questions Monday to the Commission on Ethics. A spokeswoman for the Commission on Ethics did not respond to an email and phone message seeking comment.
Gilzean could not be reached by phone. A DeSantis spokesman also did not respond to an email seeking comment.
The nine-member ethics commission is tasked with investigating complaints of “breach of the public trust by public officers and employees.” With a staff of about 25 employees, the commission describes itself as the “guardian of the standards of conduct for officers and employees of Florida.”
Board members, appointed by DeSantis and the leaders of the Florida House and Senate, do not receive a salary from the state.
DeSantis first appointed Gilzean to the ethics commission in 2019. He was elected chairman in January. His term on the commission expires in June 2024."
Full article below.
www.orlandosentinel.com
"Glen Gilzean, the head of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Disney World oversight district, has continued to serve as the chairman of Florida’s ethics commission, despite a state law that members of the government watchdog panel cannot hold “public employment.”
Florida law specifies that “no member may hold any public employment” and serve on the ethics board. Gilzean was hired by the governor-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in May, drawing a $400,000-a-year salary from the special taxing district.
The Florida Bulldog, an investigative news website, revealed Gilzean’s potential conflict of interest, which had gone publicly unnoticed.
Gilzean attended ethics commission meetings in June and July, videos of those meetings show.
Gilzean’s dual roles as ethics commissioner and government administrator appear to violate state law, said Michael Barfield, director of public access initiatives for the Florida Center for Government Accountability.
“The legal requirements are there for a reason, and that is for transparency and to prevent conflicts of interest,” he said. “You can’t be sitting in a watchdog capacity in the position of the ethics commission and at the same time be … subject to the authority of the ethics commission. That is an inherent conflict of interest.”
A tourism district spokesman referred questions Monday to the Commission on Ethics. A spokeswoman for the Commission on Ethics did not respond to an email and phone message seeking comment.
Gilzean could not be reached by phone. A DeSantis spokesman also did not respond to an email seeking comment.
The nine-member ethics commission is tasked with investigating complaints of “breach of the public trust by public officers and employees.” With a staff of about 25 employees, the commission describes itself as the “guardian of the standards of conduct for officers and employees of Florida.”
Board members, appointed by DeSantis and the leaders of the Florida House and Senate, do not receive a salary from the state.
DeSantis first appointed Gilzean to the ethics commission in 2019. He was elected chairman in January. His term on the commission expires in June 2024."
Full article below.
DeSantis’ Disney board chief faces scrutiny over ethics role
Glen Gilzean, who heads both Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Disney World oversight district and Florida’s Ethics Commission, is facing questions over whether he can fill both roles under state law.
www.orlandosentinel.com
