State Attorney Jack Campbell said he doesn’t have enough evidence before him to open a criminal investigation into City Manager Rick Fernandez accepting football tickets and a discount on his daughter’s wedding reception.

“I am familiar with the allegations set out in the media concerning the City of Tallahassee and its employees including the City Manager,” Campbell said in a Tuesday letter to Steve Hougland. “I have also read articles concerning the football tickets and a wedding reception discount, but these stories are hearsay and cannot support a criminal charge.”

Hougland, a college professor and former sheriff's deputy who ran for City Commission last year, had asked Campbell to refer the matter to the foreman of the Leon County Grand Jury to open an investigation into Fernandez’s conduct because it may violate the state’s gift ban for public officials. He said that the grand jury has a duty to make investigations on its own, including into the conduct of public officials.

More:City Manager Fernandez takes leave pending ethics investigation

Fernandez tries to explain football ticket scandal to commissioners

City issues new ethics rules for employees

But Campbell recommended that if Hougland or anyone else has firsthand knowledge that a crime was committed, it should be reported to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Last spring, Campbell referred a complaint about Mayor Andrew Gillum's use of political email software to the Leon County Sheriff's Office to investigate.

"Here, (Hougland) is saying what's in the paper is evidence of a crime," Campbell said.

In his letter, Hougland pointed out that “two documents exist within the public domain” about Fernandez. One of them is a bill from the Edison Restaurant showing Fernandez received a $5,000 discount on the catering bill for his daughter’s wedding reception. The other is a set of text messages showing he requested and received four free tickets worth $2,000 to a Florida State University football game from a lobbyist with Adam Corey's firm.

The wedding reception discount and free football tickets are among the allegations made in a complaint filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics.

Campbell said those documents are among the many records already provided to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in federal subpoenas delivered to City Hall as part of its investigation of the Community Redevelopment Agency and possible political corruption.

“As such, I am confident they are being investigated by our federal partners,” Campbell said.

Furthermore, Campbell said, that as legal adviser to the grand jury, he was not allowed under state law to disclose the existence of or the subject of any grand jury investigation.

“I take the integrity of public office very seriously and am working to earn and maintain the trust of this community,” Campbell said.

He closed the letter to Hougland saying his office would only file charges supported by sufficient admissible evidence. “We will continue to seek all such evidence.”

Contact Schweers at jschweers@tallahassee.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffschweers.

CLARIFICATION

An earlier version of this story had a headline that indicated that State Attorney Jack Campbell “won’t pursue criminal charges over tickets” requested by Tallahassee City Manager Rick Fernandez. While Campbell told the Democrat that information provided to him “cannot support a criminal charge” and that if anyone has firsthand knowledge that a crime was committed they should contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, he also said his office will “continue to seek all such evidence.”