Sheriff Accepts Plea Deal!!!!

The Florida Times-Union
April 14, 2007
Sheriff will pay for ethics breach
By GORDON JACKSONThe Times-Union

WOODBINE - Camden County Sheriff Bill Smith has agreed to pay a $1,350 fine for five violations of the state ethics law for failing to file an accurate list of his property and business holdings on financial disclosure forms in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Russ Willard, a spokesman for the Attorney General's office, said Smith admitted to the five violations and agreed to pay the fine on April 5. In return, a hearing scheduled with the State Administrative Hearings office about the alleged violations has been canceled and all other charges against Smith are dropped.
"I am pleased to be exonerated of these politically motivated charges," Smith said in a prepared statement. "I look forward to putting this issue behind me and continuing the work of protecting the citizens of Camden County."
Rich Gamble, a candidate for Camden County sheriff who was defeated by Smith in 2004, filed the complaint against Smith during the campaign. Gamble said Smith's reaction to the dismissal of other charges didn't address the sheriff's inaccurate paperwork filed with the state.
"He should be saying, 'I made a mistake and let's move on,'" Gamble said. "He's trying to make it like it never happened."
He said the dismissal doesn't address the fact that Smith failed to disclose all his assets, just that the state decided not to fine the sheriff for failing to file accurate paperwork.
"Does that mean it didn't happen, or that they [state officials] didn't want to do anything about it?" he said.
Gamble's complaint claimed Smith failed to list 10 pieces of property and direct ownership in three companies on his 2001 financial disclosure form.
The complaint also said Smith failed to list eight pieces of property and direct ownership in three businesses in his 2002 disclosure form. It also asserts Smith failed to disclose the address of a business in his 2002 and 2003 disclosure forms.
Smith faced a possible $1,000 fine for each asset he failed to claim on the disclosure forms. Every constitutional officer, elected state official and executive head of every state department or agency, whether elected or appointed, is required to file the paperwork covering the previous calendar year by July 1 each year, according to the State Ethics Commission.
Taylor James, the Atlanta attorney representing Smith, could not be reached for comment. Prior to the ruling, James said Gamble's complaint inaccurately listed property owned by a W.E. Smith. But it was another man living in Camden County with the same name as the sheriff.
"Someone did a title search and found a bunch of property owned by W.E. Smith," James said during an interview with the Times-Union in November. "It's not him; he didn't own it."
James acknowledged the sheriff forgot that he owned bank stock left to him by his father and failed to disclose it on the paperwork.
Despite the sheriff's claim, Gamble said his complaint against Smith was never politically motivated.
"It took me running for office to look [at the disclosure forms]," Gamble said. "It spoke of an integrity issue. It was the point I was trying to make."

gordon.jackson@jacksonville.com, (912) 729-3672

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/041407/geo_9238425.shtml.

Reviewing the RED:
First, what charges were dropped.
Second, Mr Smith, you were not exonerated, You plead guilty to a lesser charge. Why do you insist on telling lies to the people of Camden County.
Third, Now it is political, It was not political when Charlene Sears posted that stuff here on my blog.
Mr. Smith, You accepted a plea deal so you would not have to go to Atlanta. Your Attorney said so in the Tribune. Stop the lies and tell us the truth. How many people have you thrown in jail over political reasons. I know of at least 2. I am sick and tired of hearing lies from the office of the Sheriff.