JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Some Jacksonville councilmembers are criticizing the plans to reform an investigative committee of the city council, calling the committee an abuse of power and political move.
Councilmembers Brenda Priestly Jackson and Randy DeFoor say the city council's job is legislative not investigative and councilmembers have no power to investigate each other.
"What if next year, someone, the president, the council, has beef with one of the city councilmen, are they going to have a special committee to investigate them on some chumped-up charge?" asked Councilmember Randy DeFoor.
Priestly-Jackson and DeFoor both served on the original committee looking into the sale of JEA but are in opposition of a new committee, saying it's a political move ahead of the March mayor's race.
"I'm deeply troubled by it," Councilmember Brenda Priestly Jackson said.
The new committee was created to investigate city councilmember and mayoral candidate Leanna Cumber and whether she disclosed her husband's involvement in the failed sale of the city utility. Councilmember Matt Carlucci agreed with Priestly Jackson and DeFoor.
"The chair and the vice chair of this committee to me called for this committee to be put together they have direct ties to a mayoral campaign, and they've made bias comments, the credibility of the city council I'm telling everybody here is at stake," Councilmember Matt Carlucci said.
In response to the criticism, Councilmember and Chair of the Special Investigatory Committee of JEA Matters Rory Diamond tells First Coast News in a statement: "I'm not sure why anyone would oppose finding out the truth. If there is corruption or an allegation of corruption in our city government, we owe it to our community to get to the bottom of it one way or another."
Priestly Jackson says she cares about the city council's credibility and integrity.
"Our desire to protect our neighbors' interests, our desire to legislate and fund and to protect, and ensure that we don't face a similar amount about municipal utility or any other independent authority being for sale," Priestly Jackson said.
This discussion and comments come a day before the newly re-started Special Investigatory committee is supposed to hold its first meeting Wednesday morning in city council chambers.