Dan McFaul, a Pensacola native who is the managing partner of the Washington, D.C., office of Ballard Partners, read my article about County Clerk Pam Childers refusing to write a $1,000 check to support Booker T. Washington High School’s state championship girls’ basketball team, even though the Board of County Commissioners had unanimously approved the expenditure.
He texted me: “This is the most embarrassing thing I think I’ve ever read. The BT Washington Ladycats represent all the best things about Pensacola. I’m in awe of their achievements, and I appreciate their excellent job representing my Alma Mater and our hometown.”
Who is Dan McFaul?
Dan is a former chief of staff for three congressional representatives—Joe Scarborough, Jeff Miller and Matt Gaetz. As a member of the Presidential Appointments Team of Donald Trump’s 2016–17 presidential transition team, he was tasked with recruiting and vetting appointees for the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, the armed services, and the intelligence community.
- He leads Ballard Partners’ federal lobbying operations. His former partner, Susie Wiles, serves as President Trump’s Chief of Staff.
Dan is a conservative Republican with credentials that few in Pensacola can match. He is stunned by Childers’ behavior.
Childers’ Statement
When Commissioner Lumon May and his fellow commissioners, Mike Kohler and Steven Barry, called out the Clerk for repeatedly refusing to honor the board’s discretionary fund approvals, Childers listed her family’s history with Washington High, then added, “However, as a clerk, my decision stands. I’ve put it in writing. I’ve made statements as to what our property taxes and the general fund should pay. This is not what we pay.”
She did not cite any Attorney General opinions that supported her decision. However, County Attorney Alison Rogers has repeatedly said these expenditures are a legislative decision, not the Clerk’s. Rogers has since released three AG opinions to the media that support her stance.
McFaul Steps Up
Dan texted: “On behalf of my sister, Lori (McFaul) Oswald, starting forward for the 1993 State Champion Ladycats, I’m donating $2000 to the Ladycats. Hopefully, our county leaders can learn how to do better from these outstanding student-athletes! Let’s go, Cats!”
- Will Childers listen? Probably not, Dan.
Pensacola City Council Hands Out Checks
At their March 26 meeting, the Pensacola City Council approved these expenditures out of their discretionary funds:
Councilman Delarian Wiggins: $500 to the Westside Garden District Neighborhood Association.
Councilwoman Teniade Broughton: $500 to Gallery Night Pensacola.
Council President Allison Patton: $500 to Give It A Tri, Inc.
I’ve worked with Dan for years while at Escambia County and the City of Pensacola. Being a credentialed Republican or homegrown is probably appealing to many in Escambia County but he is much more than that. He has objectively represented City and County interests on the Hill for years. He is ethical, logical, legally sound and just a good all around guy. It’s great that he is still engaged with us but regretful for such a petty, spiteful and yes, embarrassing issue. Thank you Dan!
Thank you, Mr. McFaul. There are so many people I have spoken with who wished to participate in covering the amount; a number of people wanted to write a check covering the full amount that day. But the sense was that, if the money was covered, she would just point to it as a win–“See? This is how it is supposed to work, with the community stepping up. Bravo.”
It is likely she will still try to swing it that direction, which is why the accompanying public message, from someone who has not been involved in the day-to-day fray, is so very important. Hopefully more people will realize just how serious this situation is, and just how damaging for our community, and follow your lead.
It seems to many that the ultimate solution for this isn’t just immediate stop-gaps, or even an AG opinion (which of course isn’t binding), or a judicial decision forcing an end to the madness. This situation has clearly demonstrated what a bad idea combining the Clerk of Court and County Comptroller positions was to begin with. Splitting those two positions up–a disastrous conflation rife with conflict of interest, however common the practice may be–would go a long way towards any future attempts to utilize the combined roles in the interest of consolidation of power, by this clerk or any other. We need to get back to a checks and balances form of government. Short of that, unbridled aspirations of dominion will continue to breed unhinged and damaging results.