After Inweekly broke the news yesterday that a hidden recording device had been found in the county administrator’s office, the other media followed with Administrator Janice Gilley.
Gilley told the News Journal that she became concerned when details of private conversations became “mainstream” in the public.
WEAR TV reported Gilley told them the search came about after information from a private conversation wound up out on the street.
The administrator didn’t disclose what information or conversation got out into the “mainstream” or define what she meant in by “mainstream.”
According to what she said this morning on Commissioner Jeff Bergosh’s “Coffee with the Commissioner,” streamed on Facebook, the information was not personal but conversations that she hinted could have been about personnel issues. However, if it was county business, she should tell the commissioners and public what was being discussed in the public sector and where was it being disclosed –Facebook, emails or in the media.
Did she disclose the information to FDLE so law enforcement could look into the people Gilley thought was leaking the county conversations being held behind closed doors?
During the Facebook session, Gilley repeated what she told the PNJ – she didn’t know FDLE had closed the investigation on Sept. 30. She told Commissioner Bergosh that she allowed FDLE to do its investigation and didn’t check back with them. She said that she was wrapped up with the recovery from Hurricane Sally.
The excuse is believable, except for the security breach happened on the most secure floor in the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building – visitors are screened by a metal detector; bags are search; a second gatekeeper is on the fourth floor that must buzz someone back to the offices; and the floors have cameras to record movement 24/7. She should have been on high alert.
As Commissioner Bergosh said this morning, the eavesdropping device must have been “an inside job.” And apparently the culprit is still working for the county, if Bergosh’s assumption is correct.
Even if Gilley was swamped, she should have assigned the county attorney, assistant administrators. deputy administrators or her admin staff to follow-up with FDLE at least once a month. Two months passed after FDLE closed the case without anyone at the county checking on the investigation.
Meanwhile, Bergosh was complaining that he wanted new locks on his office doors for eight weeks—an indication that fourth security should have been on Gilley’s radar.
Another interesting disclosure is that video and audio devices were found, according to Bergosh. Gilley would not say exactly where, only that they weren’t found in a bathroom.
Stay tuned.
Disclaimer: No hidden devices inside county buildings were used in this report.
This sounds like a slice of some Qanon dark web of grudges conspiracy fever dream machinations.
It was Corporal Biggles in the EMS truck on the county firing range with the Brickbat of Hearsay.
This story seems to be the definition of “rapidly evolving,” Rick. Please stay on it every moment…the welfare and security of the entire Fourth Floor in Escambia hinges on getting to the bottom of who planted this device, and what vital information might have slipped Ms. Gilley’s grasp and been leaked as a result.
Although you seem to be honing in, a few things still remain a bit slippery.
I’m curious as to what Janice conveyed to FDLE to bring on this “middle of the night” sweep, when she herself wasn’t on scene but some unidentified person was reporting to her that the “equipment” that they used was “very impressive,” and that equipment turned out to be an Electronics Sniffing Dog.
Which, as Commissioner Bergosh pointed out, is really a marvel. Those canine skills were developed to sniff out devices people often employ when committing crimes against children, for example,so FDLE must have thought the situation was very serious indeed to check a dog out for the evening.
I mean, what did FDLE get told that they thought this required a midnight descent into the commissioners’ offices?
Janice: “People are talking smack on the street.”
FDLE: “Do you think people are sharing your conversations or do you think it’s happening through a listening device?”
Janice: “Oh definitely a listening device nobody I talk with would share my conversations everybody loves me.”
FDLE: “Let’s roll, boys.”
And now it seems like from her answer the device wasn’t in *her* office after all, but in a “context” where conversations could be heard.
Yep. I’ll be there was context. Plenty of it.