Ethics complaint alleges Commissioner Baugh misused public office to schedule vaccines
Following reports about Commissioner Vanessa Baugh’s involvement in putting together a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site in Lakewood Ranch, a local lawyer has filed an ethics complaint against Baugh.
Jennifer Hamey, an Ellenton-based attorney, submitted a 10-page complaint to the Florida Commission on Ethics, alleging that Baugh violated public trust when she helped organize the vaccine site for Lakewood Ranch residents.
The complaint details Baugh’s participation in planning a site that aimed to vaccinate 3,000 residents in two of Manatee County’s wealthiest zip codes. Hamey also took issue with an email Baugh sent putting herself and close friends on the list to be vaccinated.
“I was shocked and angry. I do estate planning for a lot of clients in the area, most of which are elderly clients. They’ve told me how frustrated they are with not being able to get the vaccine and they want to move on with their lives,” Hamey said in an interview with the Bradenton Herald. “I’m just mortified for these people who are witnessing this.”
“She just starts changing the rules and adds herself to the top of the list? That’s a complete violation of what she was sworn in to do,” Hamey added.
Baugh did not respond to a request for comment on Monday. One of Baugh’s attorneys George Levesque, however, had provided the Bradenton Herald with a statement late Friday regarding a sheriff’s office investigation Baugh also faces into whether she broke the law in creating the VIP list. The investigation was started after Michael Barfield, a Sarasota paralegal, filed a criminal complaint.
“Commissioner Vanessa Baugh is aware of the ridiculous and false allegations levied by Mike Barfield through a complaint to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office,” Levesque said. “During her tenure as a duly elected public official, Commissioner Baugh has faithfully fulfilled her duties to the letter of the law.”
Her defense attorney would not comment further because the investigation is on-going but said that the commissioner will cooperate with the sheriff’s office investigation.
“We intend on proving this complaint false for the simple fact that Commissioner Baugh never received a vaccine,” Levesque said. “We expect the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office will do their work in a professional manner, and that at the end of the process, Commissioner Baugh will be exonerated against Mr. Barfield’s complaint driven by his personal vendetta against her.”
On Monday, when asked for further comment in regards to the ethics complaint, Levesque said the essence of their comments remained unchanged.
The Florida Commission on Ethics is asked to consider whether Baugh violated Section 6 of Florida Statute 112.313, which states that public officials shall not “corruptly use or attempt to use his or her official position or any property or resource which may be within his or her trust, or perform his or her official duties, to secure a special privilege, benefit, or exemption for himself, herself or others.”
“When (Baugh) took the position, she was aware, or should have been aware, of her responsibilities under the Florida Statute, Florida Administrative Code and the Florida Constitution to never misuse her position of power for her benefit or the benefits of friends and family,” Hamey wrote in her complaint.
If the nine-member commission takes the matter up and finds Baugh’s actions unethical, the committee may recommend civil penalties such as fines of up to $10,000 or removal from office.
Baugh has also come under fire from local residents, fellow board members and state leaders. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the state’s highest-ranking elected Democrat, wrote Gov. Ron DeSantis Monday, urging him to suspend Baugh from public office.
