At the last Tallahassee city commission meeting, Mayor Andrew Gillum ignored questions about his interactions with the Tallahassee Democrat over a controversial photo, and instead, publicly accused TR editor, Steve Stewart, of assaulting Gillum’s recently appointed chief of staff, Jamie Van Pelt.
Specifically, TR was seeking answers to questions based on our previous report that indicated the Tallahassee Democrat and Mayor Andrew Gillum had negotiated a deal over what would be reported about a picture of Gillum and Adam Corey.
After Gillum finished an interview with a WCTV reporter, Gillum, Van Pelt and Stewart headed towards the entrance of the city hall chambers.
Stewart was actively recording and asking Mr. Gillum a question.
After Van Pelt and Stewart bumped shoulders trying to get through the entrance of the doorway leading into the city hall chambers, Gillum ignored all questions and repeatedly accused Stewart of physical assault.
A video of the doorway incident -which lasted less than two seconds – clearly shows that Gillum did not witness the bumping. Also, the video shows that Mr. Stewart was recording with his smart phone in his right hand for the entire episode.
Despite this, Gillum repeatedly accused Stewart of assault and putting his hands on Mr. Van Pelt.
Gillum said “you physically assaulted a city staffer….. you put your hands on him I saw you..”
After Gillum told city manager Reese Goad that Stewart put his hands on a city staffer, Mr. Stewart continued to ask questions – all were ignored. Stewart then left the meeting.
However, that was not the end.
At the end of the city commission meeting, when elected officials freely discuss issues, Gillum commented on the incident and publicly stated he would support Van Pelt if he filed charges against Stewart.
“Unfortunately earlier today a citizen did physically put his hands on Jamie ….I actually observed this once before….when it happened before, I shouldn’t confess this but I encouraged him to just to sorta let it go and keep moving. And when I saw it happen this second time, I told him whatever he wanted to do I would support his decision if he wanted to file any charges…”
No charges have been filed by either party over the bumping incident and TR’s questions remain unanswered.
Mayor Gillum Accuses Reporter of Assault, Ignores Questions About Tallahassee Democrat Negotiation added by Staff on
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The last frustrated grasping at straws by Andy as his campaign is circling the toilet bowl.
At this point he’s in the any press coverage is good phase. And if there is an Anglo Saxon male anywhere nearby to throw shade upon…all the better for Andy to get his name in the news.
I challange any honorable FBI agents working Tallahassee corruption issues to throw down an indictment or 2.
Go ahead and seperate yourselves from the Comey Weasels…yo can do it!!!!
1. Looks like an intentional and thorough slanderous presentation with abuse of position (malfeasance?) by Mayor Gillum and should be addressed as such;
2. Where’s Dustin Daniels in this apparent attempted set-up?
3. Will Cassandra Jackson and COT Legal be defending this behavior; of course – she/they will.
4. Will Cynthia Barber (over the Tallahassee Police Department) be involved? Yep.
5. Where’s the COT communication office (Alison Faris) on this issue? Sounds like Mayor Gillum made a huge and serious unfounded accusation that should be addressed by the COT mouth-piece (and the Democrat)?
6. How to handle this – Acting City Manager Goad?
How about: A) Immediate retraction of Gillum’s statement – that would be the appropriate course correction; AND B) Assign this investigation to your/COT ‘Ethics’ Department, please?
(This is a Formal Anonymous Request for a Formal Ethics Commitee review – COT).
See the extensions and manifestations of these corruption issues, FBI?
The Tallahassee community doesn’t deserve this from the Mayor.
74% of Gillum’s PAC money has come from out of state.
Soros – New York $250,000
Collective Future – Washington, D.C. $281,000
Forward Florida my a$$!
Cannot imagine any straight thinking person voting for Gillum for anything! Everyone should be aware by now that he has received a hefty donation from George Soros! That in itself should be enough to know that he is not anyone to be in a position of authority!
The tactic of a true communist; always blame it on someone else and the weak minded will believe you.
Gillum’s dismal polling number(8%) and his pitiful PAC dollars($500 halfway through April) have the candidate grasping at straws.
More proof that people read TR and these comments.
It’s a serious matter. Let me make some jokes about it. What a hack.
Depending on where this goes – this could be slander and/or libel. Hopefully, an attorney will step forward and offer to help. As stated by others countless times, Andrew Gillum IS an embarrassment. He has acted like a petulant child each time he gets a question he does not like or finds uncomfortable. The Democrat is so completely compromised it is irrelevant in most serious news stories. It is consistently an example of poor or incomplete reporting. So, he gets softballs from the “reporters” there and moves merrily along. TR askes real questions and this is what happens. In the future, TR may need to double up and have someone record the efforts to report with a 2nd camera. Sad.
All of Gillum’s juvenile antics will, no doubt, be seen again in political ads placed by his adult opponents in the governors race.
I imagine his opponents are also on the hunt for the unaltered photo in question. Oh wait, he’s not polling high enough to justify the effort. Guess we’ll never know!
Andrew Gillum is an absolute embarrassment for the City of Tallahassee. It is a complete joke that he is running for Governor, but then again Adam Corey is still a board member for the TMH Foundation.
I’m hoping I will wake up from this bad dream soon.
Uh an uh uh, and uh uh, uhm, uh, uh, uh. Loser.
The utterances of someone who cannot tell the truth.
Run, Andy, Run! lol.
During Governor Scott’s impromptu press briefings, this happens all the time. It’s called the “media scrum,” as reporters, videographers and photographers jockey for position.
No one ever files charges.
Then again, Scott doesn’t try to be evasive and briskly walk away either.
Andy couldn’t pull a stunt like this on the state media – he’d get blasted. He is just giving voters another reason why he is unfit to run the state. Apparently, even Florida Democrats are catching on – he’s dropped to third in a three-person primary race.