Jeff Burlew

Tallahassee Democrat

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida businessman sporting an FBI t-shirt offered cash bribes to politicians during a public meeting.

Erwin Jackson, an outspoken critic of the Tallahassee City Commission, tossed wads of money at each of the five city commissioners. It wasn't Monopoly money. It was real. Each paper-clipped bundle contained ten $100 bills.

Jackson has long accused city officials of a litany of misdeeds, but Wednesday night's antics went a step beyond his usual criticism.

“This is not a gift, not a loan payment,” Jackson said during his three minutes of speaking time. “It’s a bribe. I want to apologize (for) the economic stress my spouting off about corruption at City Hall has caused you and your families. I can imagine that lobbyists and business owners are more reluctant to offer bribes these days because they don’t want to read about it on my Facebook posts.”

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City Commissioners Scott Maddox and Nancy Miller responded by tossing their cash over the dais and onto the floor. Mayor Andrew Gillum, who is running for Florida governor, joked that he was going to keep the cash and report it on his gift disclosures before striking a more serious tone.

“We need to ask the city attorney whether or not there’s a formal complaint that could be filed for literally throwing money at the City Commission and admittedly describing it as a bribe,” Gillum said. “You’re entitled to say whatever you want ... but it is not only an insult but it is also a threat to our own safety and security for you to throw objects on the dais. We can respect that much — don’t throw objects at us.”

Jackson has ratcheted up his criticism of the city since an FBI investigation into alleged public corruption became public. In June, the FBI and a federal grand jury dropped subpoenas on the city and the Community Redevelopment Agency demanding records and emails involving the agencies’ interactions with eight local business people and more than a dozen of their companies. Earlier this month, the grand jury issued another subpoena at the city, demanding email between Maddox, former head of Florida's Democratic party, and several of his closest current and former aides and associates.

Before commissioners adjourned for the night, City Attorney Lew Shelley said he wanted to make sure Jackson took his money back.

“If he does not desire to do that, I’d like to ask the officer please to come forward ... and collect the money and please place it in the evidence room at TPD (Tallahassee Police Department),” Shelley said.

Jackson agreed to take the money back, but not before letting loose one last dig.

“We’ll see who the FBI arrests,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to be me.”

After a reporter began taking photos of the spectacle, Maddox derided it as “click bait.” Miller also complained, saying commissioners had spent many hours in meetings taking up issues “and that’s entailed a lot of work.”

“I hope some of that work is not lost by the fact that Mr. Jackson came in here at the last minute and threw money at us,” she said.

Jackson also alluded to a complaint he filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics accusing Tallahassee City Manager Rick Fernandez of taking a $5,000 “bribe” in the form of a catering discount from a city-backed restaurant. Fernandez has said he welcomes the commission’s review and is looking forward to a “positive outcome.”

“If taking a bribe is wrong,” Jackson said, “then I ask why each of you sat in silence while your employee Rick Fernandez took a $5,000 bribe,” he said.