TALLAHASSEE — Former Speaker Ray Sansom lost a bid Thursday to delay House action on an ethics complaint until his criminal charges are resolved.
The House Select Committee on Standards of Official Conduct refused to stop its proceedings on the advice of its independent counsel, Melanie Hines. The former statewide prosecutor said constitutional provisions and court rulings say a criminal defendant’s rights are not paramount to the public interest.
“Of course, the public’s interest in the integrity of the legislative process is at stake here,” Hines told lawmakers.
The committee could recommend the House do anything from dismiss the complaint, which was filed by a citizen, to expelling the Destin Republican.
The ethics case and criminal charges both stem from millions of dollars in taxpayer money Sansom steered to Northwest Florida State College for special projects while serving as the House’s budget chairman. The funding included $6 million to build an airport hangar allegedly intended for use by a friend of Sansom, Destin businessman Jay Odom. The school then gave Sansom a $110,000-a-year job.
Sansom subsequently resigned the college job and stepped down as speaker. The college also canceled the hangar project.
Sansom is currently charged with perjury, accused of lying to the grand jury that indicted him. A judge dismissed charges of official misconduct against Sansom, Odom and former college president Bob Richburg. A charge of perjury against Richburg was also dismissed. Sansom’s trial is on hold because prosecutors have appealed the judge’s decision.
Committee Chairman Bill Galvano said the panel would move ahead with caution and could reconsider a delay if an issue comes up that prejudices Sansom’s rights. Galvano said he plans to hold hearings the week of Jan. 25.
Richard Coates, a lawyer representing Sansom in the ethics case, argued there’d be no harm in delaying the House proceedings because it has six months left to act.
Hines, though, said it easily could take longer to resolve the criminal charges and pointed out the ethics complaint would become moot if the House doesn’t act before April 30, the final day of the 2010 regular legislative session. Sansom’s term expires in November.
Sansom’s criminal lawyer, Stephen Dobson, argued in a letter that the proceedings should be delayed out of respect to a fellow lawmaker who already has sacrificed his speakership and job. He also wrote that publicity about the House proceedings might make it difficult to get an impartial jury.
Hines noted there are other ways to protect Sansom’s rights, such as moving the trial if a jury cannot be seated in Tallahassee.
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