UPDATE
Based on concerns related to a social media post, Keith Powell has decided not to move forward as the Ethics Officer.
“I am sorry if my past comments offended members of this community. This was never my intent,” Powell said. “I am a deeply religious man who wears my faith on my sleeve. For better or for worse, that is just who I am.”
Original Report
A review of social media posts of the recently hired Ethics Officer, Keith Powell, has caused the Chairman of the Ethics Board to request an emergency meeting.
The tweet by Powell at the center of the controversy relates to homosexual kissing.
In a tweet on Thanksgiving Day 2018, Powell wrote, “@Macys the Thanksgiving Day Parade is no place for broadcasting homosexual kisses. Make the parade about families, not agendas.”
The tweet was sent anonymously to officials.The anonymous emails appeared to include two other tweets by Powell that were critical of Democrats.
John Reid, the Ethics Board attorney, wrote “at least one” of the tweets forwarded anonymously “could be interpreted as inappropriate.”
It was reported by the Tallahassee Democrat that Ethics Board Chairman Bryan Smith was “taken aback by Powell’s post about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”
“When I first saw it, I just thought this could be problematic,” Smith told the Tallahassee Democrat. “I guess I was thinking if anyone is kissing, how is that not about families and what would be the problem with anyone kissing, irrespective of gender or whatever.”
Powell, who has worked at the Florida Commission on Ethics for 32 years, commented that his personal beliefs do not impact his work as an ethics official.
The time and place of an Ethics Board has not yet been scheduled.
UPDATED: Ethics Board to Discuss Ethics Officer Tweet About Homosexual Kissing added by Steve Stewart on
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Officer Keith Powell arrested me because someone shouted at me and called me a faggot. He pushed me to the ground and reached for the gun in his holster. The charges have been dropped because body camera footage what they could obtain of it showed that he coerced the police statement and it showed that he was in the wrong. It’s taken me months to even look more into the hate of the man who arrested me just breathing. I honestly want him to not be in charge of my safety because the area he patrols is an area known for its LGBT culture. It’s like having a trigger happy shooter in your home who wants you locked away or worst.
I agree with Willie. I spent most of my life as a bobblehead Democrat, nodding my head yes at everything that agreed with the leftist ideology. Then I woke up.
Perversion is still perversion. Always has been, always will be.
Until DDS–afflicted* Gwen Hurm is forced to resign for the same thing, I’m giving the Schmetics Board a Vote of No Confidence.
*DeSantis Derangement Syndrome
Powell out, who IS next? Perhaps they should have kept that controversial former ETHICS Officer. Hypocrites!!!
Sounded like a good man to me. Can’t believe TLH can’t do any better. This Political Correctness for personal opinions has GOT TO GO. The City Comm is RUINING our town.
A classic reaction from the Perpetually Outraged… “You have a right to your own opinion, just so long as it’s the same as ours”
Holding Hands, Walking Arm In Arm, a Quick Kiss, I don’t care who you are. Sometimes you just want to give your Partner a quick loving Kiss. But if you’re just sucking Face, I don’t care who you are, GET A ROOM.
The special meeting should really take up the mayor’s misuse of gaining free air time, the text between Curtis and Bryant, the Commissioners using funds to attend the Amelia Island Saint Augustine junkets, giving CRA funds to a hotel to add a bar on the roof, the commission too afraid to do a nationwide search for a qualified city manager so their corruption won’t be exposed, and not reacting to stories by the Tallahassee Democrat because the reporter gets his feelings hurt because of his own personal agenda. Wake up Tallahassee as there is a new sheriff in town with morals and convictions and we’re not going to take anymore nonsense from the left!
Hope, well maybe it is time for some new blood at the City Commission, scratch that, no maybe about it.
Every Republican, Independent, Libertarian, and moderate Democrat should be knocking at your door asking to volunteer, contribute, and support your campaign.
What say you Barney Bishop? What say you Evan Power?
And so it begins.
Everyone on the schmethics commission is a POS for agreeing to even take
this bogus shizz up as one of their first actions.
You all are worthless every one of you that cowered in your chair and pretended this “old gay related” tweet is even worth looking into.
Worthless.
Be ashamed of yourselves.
One more thought:
If you write about a controversy involving a gay issue, is it unethical if you are gay and fail to disclose that at the end of the story?
“I am glad, sir” said a lady to Dr. Samuel Johnson, “that you have omitted all improper words from your dictionary.”
“I hope I have, madam,” answered the surly sage, “but I see you have been looking for them.”
In other words:
People are determined to be offended in this current political climate. Shame, many such cases!
Go Keith Powell!! A wonderful honest family man with Integrity who has the God right of freedom of speech.
This should not even be an issue.
We are tired of people telling everyone what to say how to think and how to vote.
Another vendetta against a good person. Please cancel the meeting and everyone return to their senses and let Keith Powell do his job.
The only reason there should be a meeting is to discuss giving Mr Powell a raise as his starting salary should have started out at 6 figures.
Thank you for your input, Mrs. Powell.
So here’s what we’ve learned about the Schmethics Commish:
It’s OK to diddle someone in upper-level city government for whom you are responsible for oversight.
But it’s a fireable offense if you tweeted prior to your city employment about the media promoting a violation of the Ten Commandments.
Have I got that right, Sodomhassee?
When Tabitha Fraizer wanted to be on the commission had tweets about conservatives, this site was up in arms about it. You certainly weren’t trumpeting her ‘God right of freedom of speech’. That makes you a complete hypocrite.
Nobody cares what you think. Vote however you want.
Just be aware that if you express opinions that a majority of people find noxious and remnants of a past better left behind, don’t be surprised if there are social repercussions to that. What is so difficult to understand about that?
Yer right man, it worked wonders for Coonman Northam and Tricky Trudeau.
Hope yer thoughts don’t become socially repugnant in the future, what with all them computers readin’ people’s minds and stuff.
Well, Sh*t.
Just think of it as a fashion emergency.
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!!
What about Gwen’s tweets?
I found hers highly offensive.
She should be forced to resign. What hypocracy!
Let’s grab our tiki torches and protest in front of Corruption Hall!
YES, Gwen should go away BUT, it is not Hypocrisy since he CHOSE to withdraw from the Job instead of fighting. BUT he posted scathing Tweets about the Democrats, how can he be unbias towards a known Democrat that comes before him. I have always said, “If you Forgot what you did or said in your past, Run for Office, Someone will tell you”, same goes for a Job like this.