Valentino/Hall Sunshine round-up

As many of you know, Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino and Pensacola City Councilman Sam Hall are being investigated by the State Attorney’s office for a possible Sunshine violation. The investigation centers on a meeting the two had on April 28. Rick Outzen and Co. have covered the details, so I won’t rehash them here.

There’s a flurry of updates on the situation today:

Jamie Page’s Notebook:
“Councilman says he may have violated the Sunshine law”

Councilman Hall made some newsworthy comments at yesterday’s meeting of the Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission (PEDC). News Journal reporter Jamie Page quoted Hall as saying during the meeting that he had “unwittingly broken the Sunshine law.”

When Mr. Page contacted Councilman Hall to clarify the remark, Mr. Hall said that he had been unclear and said, “I do not think I broke the Sunshine Law, but if (it is found in the investigation) that Gene and I broke the Sunshine Law then I broke it with Mort [O'Sullivan] too.”

Rick’s Blog:
“State attorney has Valentino computer”

Commissioner Valentino is also being investigated for not releasing public records promptly. Mr. Valentino has voluntarily surrendered his personal laptop to the State Attorney’s office.

Pensacola News Journal:
“Valentino turns over laptop”

The News Journal’s account of the same.