Andrew Gillum trial on public corruption charges kicks off

The man who a few years ago came within less than a half-percent of being governor of Florida now faces the first day of his public corruption trial in the state’s capital. Jury selection begins today in the case of U.S. v. Andrew Gillum, the 2018 Democratic candidate for governor and former Tallahassee mayor, with opening statements expected by the end of the day. 

Gillum and co-defendant Sharon Lettman-Hicks, his former business partner, were indicted last June on charges they illegally solicited and pocketed donations to his 2018 campaign, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. Just last week, a grand jury in Tallahassee handed up a new indictment that drops a couple of wire fraud counts against Gillum and Lettman-Hicks, the paper also reported. 

Gillum won an upset primary victory against former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham for the Democratic nomination but went on to lose to now-Gov. Ron DeSantis in a general election so close it triggered an automatic recount under state law. The case against Gillum happened to come after a lengthy FBI investigation into corruption in Tallahassee city government. 

Over the weekend, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida and attorneys for Gillum and Lettman-Hicks filed their witness lists – all of which were sealed. 

– Jim Rosica

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