Previous Florida gubernatorial prospect and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum was discovered not guilty of lying to the FBI on Thursday by a federal jury. Jurors were deadlocked and the court stated a mistrial for the other 18 counts– that included charges of wire scams and conspiracy– versus him and co-defendant Sharon Lettman-Hicks.
Gillum, a once-rising Democratic star who almost won a 2018 race for Florida guv, was prosecuted in 2015 on charges of conspiracy, wire scams and making incorrect declarations.
” They have actually rather actually attempted to take whatever from us. And the appeal is, is that in our system, the powers at be do not constantly get to choose. Daily individuals like you and me in some cases get our swing at the at the ball,” Gillum stated following the jury’s choice.
“( A) s far as I’m worried, they understood 2 through 19 is phony. Now ideally we can get our lives back, when the federal government chooses to stop losing its cash, our cash, our tax dollars, all of your tax dollars,” Lettman-Hicks stated.
According to CNN affiliate WCTV, the jury reached the decision on the charge of lying to the FBI after pondering for 5 days and more than 30 hours.
A 26-page grand jury indictment that was unsealed in 2015 declared Gillum and long time partner, Lettman-Hicks, participated in a yearslong plan to turn political contributions and grant funds into individual earnings. According to a Department of Justice press release, the 2 acquired funds through “incorrect and deceptive guarantees and representations that the funds would be utilized for a genuine function.”.
Gillum was likewise implicated of lying to the FBI throughout an examination into corruption inside Tallahassee Town hall, where he worked as mayor, and was implicated of appealing political favors to those who economically supported him.
Source: CNN.