The findings come a year after two residents filed complaints against Braddy and stem from his friendship with former Gainesville police union President Jeff McAdams.

The Florida Commission on Ethics has found probable cause that former Gainesville Mayor Ed Braddy accepted prohibited gifts that could have influenced his vote.

The commission found probable cause that: Braddy accepted a gift from a lobbyist or lobbyist's representative worth more than $100; that he solicited or accepted a gift based on an understanding that his vote, official action or judgment could be influenced; that he accepted an item of value to influence a vote or other action in which he was expected to participate in an official capacity, that he violated state rules by soliciting gifts and that he failed to disclose reportable gifts worth more than $100.

The findings come a year after two residents filed complaints against Braddy and stem from his friendship with former Gainesville police union President Jeff McAdams. McAdams is accused of embezzling at least $56,000 of union funds and spending funds on three hotel stays for Braddy, several meals and a trip to a Daytona strip club.

Braddy maintains his innocence in the matter and later repaid the police union $515.46 for expenses. McAdams awaits trial. Braddy responded in filings to the ethics commission that he never saw McAdams, his longtime friend, as a lobbyist.

“The Commission has only found probable cause at this stage in the proceeding,” Braddy wrote in an emailed statement to The Sun. “I was surprised by the Commission's finding, particularly after its own Commission Advocate stated there was no probable cause on five of the six allegations.”

Braddy said he's exploring options to either settle the case “as a prudent business decision” or to ask that it be referred to an administrative law judge for review.

“Either way, I did not commit the violations referenced in the complaint,” he wrote. “I certainly would never trade the power of my office as Mayor, or vote a certain way for a few hundred dollars in expenses, or knowingly solicit any gifts from a lobbyist.”

Braddy and McAdams — friends for many years — traveled together to Ocala, Gainesville and Daytona and the trips came months before the City Commission was set to vote on new contracts for the city’s Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) in 2013, which McAdams headed for 14 years. McAdams also traveled with the city’s former human resources manager, Tiffany Dorsey, who later resigned.

City Commissioner Craig Carter defended the former mayor and said if anyone meant to bribe Braddy, they did a “crappy job.”

“We did not vote, nor did (Braddy), the way the FOP wanted us to,” Carter said. “I think the findings will come out that he never took a bribe. He and Jeff McAdams were friends for years, and that didn’t come out.”

Braddy attempted to self-report the incidents to the ethics commission in December 2015, only to learn that self-reporting isn't allowed. Two city residents later filed complaints.

The gifts were first reported in November 2015 in The Sun, after state law enforcement officials' investigation of McAdams became public. With the ethics question against him unsettled, Braddy lost in the mayor's race to Lauren Poe in March.

The ethics commission ordered a public hearing to decide whether Braddy violated six Florida statutes.

— Contact reporter Andrew Caplan at andrew.caplan@gvillesun.com or on Twitter @AACaplan.