State Attorney Will Not Investigate "Our Generation"

[Bob Hudson]

State Attorney won't investigate group in Walton commission election

By TOM McLAUGHLIN

The State Attorney’s Office will not investigate allegations that a group called Our Generation has been illegally inserting itself into two Walton County Commission races.

But Greg Marcille, the assistant state attorney who investigated complaints lodged by commissioners Bill Imfeld and Bill Chapman, said he would recommend the Florida Elections Commission take up the matter.


“There is insufficient information at this time to establish that a crime has been committed,” a letter from Marcille to the commissioners said. “We do believe, however, that this is a matter that should be reviewed by the Florida Elections Commission.”

Our Generation appeared on the scene in Walton County around July 1 with mailers hyping the credentials of commission hopefuls Melanie Nipper and Bill Fletcher, who are running in the GOP primary against Imfeld and Chapman, respectively.

The group, which has since been tied to a Washington non-profit, later had a newspaper advertisement published that slammed the incumbents as “Two Bad Bills … Wanted for Failures.”

Imfeld and Chapman went to the Florida Elections Commission at the same time they took their complaints to the First Judicial Circuit’s State Attorney.

They alleged “Our Generation violated the Florida Election Law by failing to use the proper disclosure and not filing the required expenditure reports,” the State Attorney’s Office news release said.

Marcille explained in his letter that election campaign advertising generally falls into one of three categories; electioneering communication, independent expenditures and political advertisements.

It is unclear into which category Our Generation’s advertising campaign would fall, Marcille said, and thus to know what the group’s reporting and disclosure requirements might be.


“For this reason, we have determined there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Our Generation acted with the intent necessary to establish a criminal violation,” the letter said.

Marcille added in his letter, “We do believe that the questions raised in this matter are appropriate for review by the Florida Elections Commission” and said the matter could be revisited by local criminal authorities.

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the Florida Elections Commission does with it,” Imfeld said when contacted about the release from the State Attorney’s Office.

The Elections Commission does not comment on complaints or ongoing investigations.

 

[John G]

The first thing they say is the Believe there is Evidence a Crime has been Committed.

BUT - Bill Eddins and company won't handle it. They think it should go to Ethics.

Bill Eddins has now learned how to do the Walton County Two Step.

He'd get way too much political heat if he goes after My Gen and he knows it.

That's your District One State Attorney for ya!

It's also not the first time they have "passed" on a crime with heavy political implications...

 

[Misty]

Actually what the news brief from the State Attorney Ofc. said was there was INSUFFICIENT evidence to prove that a crime had been committed and referred it to the Florida Ethics Commission.

Ethics campaign violations most often only result in fines. With the kind of money Our Generation has been throwing around I doubt any fine imposed on them would stop the ads and wasn't even a blip on their radar when both Bill's went to the State Atty.

 

[John G]

Actually what the news brief from the State Attorney Ofc. said was there was INSUFFICIENT evidence to prove that a crime had been committed and referred it to the Florida Ethics Commission.

Ethics campaign violations most often only result in fines. With the kind of money Our Generation has been throwing around I doubt any fine imposed on them would stop the ads and wasn't even a blip on their radar when both Bill's went to the State Atty.

Thanks for the correction. I miss read it.

No surprise no action taken regardless .

 

[Matt J]

Seriously John G.? You're so bitter that now the state attorneys office should just find crimes where none exist?

Again I don't like Our Generation, but you can't prosecute a dislike.

 

[Misty]

It's also not the first time they have "passed" on a crime with heavy political implications...

What crime John G? Being shady isn't a crime...just look at Phony Tony supporters!