Does Dustin Daniel’s non-response to an interview request mean Daniels, if elected as Tallahassee’s new mayor, will continue at least one policy of his former boss, Mayor Andrew Gillum — Gillum’s contentious, combative attitude toward Tallahassee Reports?
Hopefully not.
Tallahassee Reports reached out to Daniels to include him in the paper’s ongoing political profiles of candidates running for local office. Evidently, he was unable to return any of our calls.
Questions for Daniels were designed to determine if Daniels was looking to be Gillum 2.0 or his own man.
As the former Chief of Staff to the Office of the Mayor, does he see being Gillum’s right-hand man as a curse or a blessing in his quest to become Tallahassee’s next mayor?
How is he different from Gillum? What are his priorities if elected? Which of the city’s many projects he oversaw is he most proud? What are some Gillum’s priorities or projects that Daniels would like to amend or do away with?
How would Daniels’s address Tallahassee’s crime problem? Does he see the FBI investigation as an isolated incident or is there a climate of corruption and cronyism in the Capital City? What changes, if any, would he make in the City’s dealings with lobbyists? With the Ethics Board?
Who knows?
All voters can ascertain from his campaign website is that he was “product of poverty and social hardship” but the beneficiary of “a great deal of privilege.” He is highly educated, having graduated from Florida State University (FSU) and the London School of Economics.
He was Chief of Staff to the Office of the Mayor and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the City of Tallahassee for the last four years. He is the youngest teaching faculty member at FSU’s College of Social Science and Public Policy, and lectures frequently on International Development, Social Entrepreneurship, and Interdisciplinary Social Policy.
His website says, “Before taking his role in local government, Dustin worked as a consultant in international development and corporate social responsibility, working with clients such as IBM, Barclays Bank, CARE International, Practical Action Sri Lanka, and the Rwandan Ministry of Education. Dustin has worked in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in over 10 countries, and continues to serve in various volunteer roles with several global and local nonprofit organizations.”
But as far as any specifics on his plans for the city, voters need to take his word that he will “move the city forward” in a positive manner. No other local media has dared to ask Daniels these questions. When Tallahassee Reports attempted to ask, the silence was deafening.
Mayoral Candidate Dustin Daniels: Gillum 2.0? added by Karen Murphy on
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Let’s not even delve into the possibility of daniels being elected mayor.
Wow…you people are batshit crazy
When will the FBI finish their investigation and indict Gillum, Mattox, PCS, JT, Kristin Dozier, John Marks, Adam Corey, etc? This city has been stagnate with zero growth now for 25 years. The Chamber has lauded all of the above as leaders. All of it is disgusting and an embarrassment. Highest crime, highest taxes, highest utility rates—and corrupt local politicians and yet, all of the above, lauded as great leaders by our Chamber. What a joke!
gillum’s buying personal use software with city $$$ crime, never should have gone to the State Attorney. gillum should have been given the option of being fired or resign…the same as the city employee in city report #0820 (2008). The report is on the city web site and if you read it many of you will recognize the name. gillum is a snake oil salesman and is pure poison. He lives the political life of the double standard.
Note: I am a good user of upper and lower case. Where you see lower case here and think it should be upper case…my use of the lower case is intentional.
My votes for mayor, COT commissioners (and Governor) will strictly go to Conservatives, no Liberal, Democrat, or “moderate” (translation: Liberal trying to avoid the Liberal label). I realize voting for Conservatives may be a futile goal in Tallahassee, which seems like a miniature Chicago with the rampant Liberal Democrat corruption and graft. However, I still will vote for a Conservative turnaround in Tallahassee, and perhaps we can finally begin to clean up what is now a corrupt, crime-ridden city (as are all other cities with entrenched Liberal Democrat government).
It puzzles but no longer surprises me that Liberals will enthusiastically vote for the blatantly corrupt such as Hillary and Gillum, and to a slightly lesser degree several of our present COT commissioners. I cheered the news this morning that the Florida Commission on Ethics unanimously found “probable cause” for 20 of 24 allegations against Rick Fernandez. Gee – Here in Tally, Fernandez hardly got so much as a slap on the wrist. My hope is that Dr. Jacksons’ newest Ethics filing against mayor gillum has similar judicial success. No false hopes here, but the FBI jumping in with wholesale COT indictments would be even more welcome!
Why hasn’t Dr. Jackson filed charges against Gillum with the FCOE for his conversion (or misappropriation) of taxpayer funds into what were a series of campaign ads? TR posted a copy of the receipt. I reject having my taxes used for this, and am disgusted the money ended up in Gannett’s (The Evil Empire’s) pocket.
Ima “little” hopeful that RWV will get some respect from the Tallahassee citizenry. I like her “ethics” approach and think she could be a 180 from the status quo!!!
IT’S TIME to change the political landscape in Tallahassee. What are we afraid of? Do we really want to continue the poor leadership that has led our City to turn to the tax payers to fix what they ignored. There is a candidate who is running, was first to run, when the incumbent was in the race, before the FBI came to town, and who LEADS a program that does more with less everyday. You have a chance to stop the City insiders from controlling another election, BUT WILL YOU? Billschack.com
Tallahassee is a Democrat Hellhole. Say hello to your next mayor.
Mr. Daniels serves on the board at the Tallahassee Leon Federal Credit Union where the credit union is making questionable expenditures for video productions and red carpet events?
1) Was the video meant to be a campaign video for the TLFCU CEO, Lisa Brown?
2) Were credit union funds used for the red carpet event in conjunction to the video at the Challenger Learning Center? What was the total cost for the event/video production? Did Mr. Daniels attend the event?
3) Is Mr. Daniels aware of these expenditures? Did Mr. Daniels participate in approving these questionable expenditures?
4) Will Mr. Daniels answer questions regarding the TLFCU video expenditures? Who produced the video, what was the cost, who approved these expenditures, what account were these expenditures paid from, and what was the benefit to the TLFCU members regarding these expenditures?
If Mr. Daniels cannot answer questions regarding questionable expenditures at the TLFCU where he serves on the board, then should he be trusted as mayor?
Perhaps, if credit union members and the public are unable to be provided answers to the above questions they should contact the National Credit Union Association – NCUA Fraud Hotline at 1-800-827-9650.
Hope, don’t know many details but do know the video producer. Not political.
Mimi,
Who is the video producer?
I perdict Justin will get the 2% LGBTQ vote regardless of if he “comes out” before or after the election.
Oh.
Hell.
No.
Here’s to hoping the FBI makes a late-October move and knocks some clarity into the local block-voters noggins.
And for all you political neophytes, do a little research on the derivation of “Forward” as used by politicians.
I guess Dustin Daniels doesn’t care to reach all segments of voters. I’m with News Maven. Let us all remain hopeful the FBI comes in and cleans house.
So what if he doesn’t want to be interviewed by you? First Amendment: he can say something, or not. Trump doesn’t like to speak to some outlets and that’s his deal. Don’t like it? Get someone else to approach him and ask questions. It’s your job to get the facts instead of publishing questions.
The First Amendment prevents government from restricting your right to speak. It has nothing to do with local press asking questions.
“Tallahassee Reports reached out to Daniels to include him in the paper’s ongoing political profiles of candidates running for local office. Evidently, he was unable to return any of our calls.”
Perhaps he was in Philly with Sean Pittman?