Inweekly asked the Hayward Administration whether Mayor Ashton Hayward needed to have separate legal counsel since Judge Roger Vinson ruled he was individually named in fired Pensacola Fire Chief Matt Schmitt’s lawsuit.
City Public Information Officer Vernon Steward emailed the newspaper this reply: “It is our understanding that he does not need to hire his own attorney just because I was personally named in the suit.â€
Agree 100%. How does a city employee get to be awarded as a business leader? Kind of like t Bentina At gulf power being named an entrepreneur at the Entrecon awards.
Don’t forget, he also received “Emerging ‘Business Leader’ of the Year” award.
Which struck me as he is a “government employee.” Gotta love ole’ Pensacola!
Glad they thought that response out fully.
The Mayor obviously sent Vernon out to respond to this, like Trump sends out Sean Spicer, “just go out there and tell them anything – but the truth.”
If there has EVER BEEN a case where the “City” and the “Mayor” have a “true legal conflict of interests” – it is this one. For the Mayor to send Vernon out with this response, shows the mayor is extremely incompetent and/or lacks ethics and legal knowledge.
Clearly, this is a “feeble attempt” to provide the public “alternative facts” regarding the legal exposure of the City and the blatant conflict of interests. He is trying to “line up votes” on the City Council to “waive” the City’s conflict of interests with the “city’s” attorney handling this litigation.
If the City Council waives such “conflict of interests” THEY should be held “Personally Liable” for willful malfeasance and maladministration, given the volumes of “case law” on such conflicts of interests between Cities and elected officials that act outside of their authority and with willful unlawful activities.
Does anyone proof read? Jeez these people are morons.
Now that looks like an educated response from a PACE emerging leader and Rising Star. Pitiful.
Great use of the nouns there Vernon, used “our”, “he” and then “I” way to go PIO. A little consistency never hurt anyone.