Ray Sansom
Encyclopedia
Ray Sansom was a member of the Florida House of Representatives
, representing portions of Okaloosa
and Santa Rosa
counties from 2002 to February 21, 2010.
Sansom is married to Tricia Raimey Sansom and they have three children. Sansom lists his religious affiliation as Baptist and actively attended Wright Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach, FL for many years.
Sansom received his Bachelors degree in Political Science from the Florida State University
in 1984 and his Masters in Education from the University of West Florida
in 1993. Prior to his election to the Florida House of Representatives, he served on the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners from 1992 to 2000. He received the Okaloosa County Management Association's Presidents Award in 1999 and the Association of Counties, Freshman of the Year award in 2003.
Sansom was elected Speaker of the Florida House on November 18, 2008. He temporarily stepped down on January 30, 2009, following a scandal over accepting an unadvertised job. On February 2, Sansom formally resigned the speakership just minutes before his caucus was due to oust him.
Sansom has been formally charged with third-degree felony grand theft and conspiracy. He resigned on the eve of his criminal trial for misappropriation of state tax dollars. If Sansom had remained at his post, he could have been the first lawmaker "expelled from the Chamber in nearly 50 years".
1n 2008, Sansom was one of the driving forces pushing to create an "oversight board for community colleges that emphasizes undergraduate education". This proposal received resistance from some community college presidents who were not for the change and also from private colleges who offered 4-year degrees on these community college campuses.
Also in 2008, Sansom was appointed Vice President for Development and Planning at NWF State College - his former alma mater from his hometown. The college's Board of Trustees appointed Sansom to this position. This was the same week Sansom was sworn in as the Florida Speaker of the House.
In response to his appointment, Sansom said, "The work that I will be doing at Northwest Florida State College is something I've been preparing for throughout my career. I'm honored and excited to be associated with an institution that's at the forefront of educating the workforce that will sustain the economy of northwest Florida well into the future. Beyond that, it means a lot to me to return to an institution that my wife and I both attended as students and that enabled me to get a college education. Throughout my time in the Legislature, I have tried to help the college grow and prosper, precisely because its success is so important to the future of our region."
One of his duties, as outlined by College President Bob Richburg, would be to assist with "...formalizing agreements with local governments for training emergency personnel and for the use of the college's Community Services Complex during times of natural disaster. The 120,000 square--foot facility, currently under construction on the college's Niceville campus, will house the Okaloosa County 911 Emergency Operations Center, college athletic and instructional programs, and serve as the county's primary hurricane shelter. Sansom's new role will include leading the conferencing and training efforts of the college, including statewide training opportunities related to the joint use facility."
However, it was this appointment and specifically, this area of his responsibility, that would subsequently raise questions and eventually led to Sansom's arrest.
, filed a complaint against Sansom asserting that Northwest Florida State College
rewarded Sansom with a $110,000/year job in return for funneling millions of dollars towards his constituency's hometown college—even amid statewide budget cuts. The Herald/Times also documented how over the past two years, as Sansom was in charge of the Florida House budget, he secured about $35 million in extra or accelerated funding for Northwest Florida State. According to several Florida news journals, some of this money also paid for the creation of Sansom's vice-president post at the college.
According to the Orlando Sentinel
, there was also a $6 million appropriation for an "education facility" for the same college. However, according to several Florida newspapers, the money actually went to build an airport hangar on land owned by a friend and campaign contributor. In the same time period, other allegations developed surrounding Sansom's involvement with the college—including e-mails from college President to Sansom discussing how to hold public meetings in private. Local celebrity and past United States Congressman Joe Scarborough
wrote an editorial published in the Pensacola News Journal
discrediting Sansom and his ethics.
On January 6, 2009, Sansom resigned from his post as vice president of development at Northwest Florida State College
amidst statewide criticism.
On January 10, 2009, Rep. Sansom wrote an open letter, published in his district's newspaper, the Northwest Florida Daily News
, to clarify his position.
On January 30, under growing pressure from his fellow Republicans, Sansom announced that under a little-known House rule, he would temporarily "recuse" himself from his authority as Speaker. Under that rule, Speaker Pro Tem Larry Cretul
, Sansom's roommate while the House is in session, was due to serve as acting Speaker in Sansom's absence.
This was not enough for his fellow Republicans, who met on the night of February 2 to remove Sansom from the speakership. However, while that meeting was underway, Sansom resigned as leader of the House Republican caucus, a post which automatically made him Speaker since the Republicans have a large majority in the chamber. Cretul was unanimously elected his successor, and is virtually assured of being formally elected Speaker on March 3, the first day of the regular legislative session.
, and Jay Odom, businessman and a major GOP contributor. They were charged with official misconduct
, a third-degree felony which could result in a five year prison sentence. A circuit judge dismissed most of the charges in October and an appellate court reaffirmed the judge's ruling on the last day of 2009.
On January 6, 2010, the Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs charged the trio with grand theft
and conspiracy. When asked why those charges weren't filed initially, Meggs stated that he thought the original charges and penalty were appropriate. "You can kill a fly with a fly swat, or you can kill one with a sledgehammer." When the judge gutted the first case, Meggs refused to drop it. "I cannot in my mind as a prosecutor put a pretty face on this. It's just not right."
As of August 2010, Meggs himself went on trial for what opposing counsel says was "unethical behavior". Attorneys for Sansom and his co-defendants in the criminal trial - former college President Bob Richburg and developer Jay Odom - want Meggs removed from the case for "prosecutorial misconduct". Testimony from both sides concluded on Friday August 20 but lawyers have up to one month to submit closing arguments, after which time Judge Terry Lewis will decide if Meggs will remain on the case.
is also linked to Ray Sansom. The Taj Mahal is a name which Florida judges have attached to the extremely expensive and lavish First District Court of Appeal of Florida courthouse while their budgets were cut. After Florida Senator Charles S. Dean, Sr.
(R) Inverness
denied funds for the new courthouse, the legislative process was "bumped-up" to the Appropriations Chairman Ray Sansom and Rep. Marco Rubio
(R) Miami
, now a U.S. Senator. The final budget included $7.9 million to begin planning and construction of the courthouse.
On August 30, 2010 Chief Financial Officer of Florida
Alex Sink
sent letters to the Florida Supreme Court
and Florida's Department of Management Services that preliminary findings warranted an audit
via her DFS, Bureau of Auditing for excessive spending on the courthouse. The CFO's office states that money may have been misused and as much as $16 million may have spent in a financial raid on the state's Workers' Compensation
Trust Fund. A $30 million bond for construction was attached to a transportation bill and passed on last day of the 2007 legislative session insuring it would pass.
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
, representing portions of Okaloosa
Okaloosa County, Florida
Okaloosa County is a county located in the state of Florida. Located in northwest Florida, it extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. As of the 2000 census, the population was 170,498. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 182,172. The 2009 estimate for the...
and Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa County, Florida
Santa Rosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 117,743, while a July 1, 2005, estimate placed the population at 143,105, an 18% increase making it the 84th fastest growing county in the United States between 2000 and 2005. ...
counties from 2002 to February 21, 2010.
Sansom is married to Tricia Raimey Sansom and they have three children. Sansom lists his religious affiliation as Baptist and actively attended Wright Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach, FL for many years.
Sansom received his Bachelors degree in Political Science from the Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
in 1984 and his Masters in Education from the University of West Florida
University of West Florida
The University of West Florida, also known as West Florida and UWF, is a mid-sized public university located in Pensacola, Florida, United States. UWF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida. The University of West Florida is a Research University, which specializes in...
in 1993. Prior to his election to the Florida House of Representatives, he served on the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners from 1992 to 2000. He received the Okaloosa County Management Association's Presidents Award in 1999 and the Association of Counties, Freshman of the Year award in 2003.
Sansom was elected Speaker of the Florida House on November 18, 2008. He temporarily stepped down on January 30, 2009, following a scandal over accepting an unadvertised job. On February 2, Sansom formally resigned the speakership just minutes before his caucus was due to oust him.
Sansom has been formally charged with third-degree felony grand theft and conspiracy. He resigned on the eve of his criminal trial for misappropriation of state tax dollars. If Sansom had remained at his post, he could have been the first lawmaker "expelled from the Chamber in nearly 50 years".
Early Political Career
Prior to his election to the Florida House of Representatives, Sansom served on the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners from 1992 to 2000. He received the Okaloosa County Management Association's Presidents Award in 1999.1n 2008, Sansom was one of the driving forces pushing to create an "oversight board for community colleges that emphasizes undergraduate education". This proposal received resistance from some community college presidents who were not for the change and also from private colleges who offered 4-year degrees on these community college campuses.
Also in 2008, Sansom was appointed Vice President for Development and Planning at NWF State College - his former alma mater from his hometown. The college's Board of Trustees appointed Sansom to this position. This was the same week Sansom was sworn in as the Florida Speaker of the House.
In response to his appointment, Sansom said, "The work that I will be doing at Northwest Florida State College is something I've been preparing for throughout my career. I'm honored and excited to be associated with an institution that's at the forefront of educating the workforce that will sustain the economy of northwest Florida well into the future. Beyond that, it means a lot to me to return to an institution that my wife and I both attended as students and that enabled me to get a college education. Throughout my time in the Legislature, I have tried to help the college grow and prosper, precisely because its success is so important to the future of our region."
One of his duties, as outlined by College President Bob Richburg, would be to assist with "...formalizing agreements with local governments for training emergency personnel and for the use of the college's Community Services Complex during times of natural disaster. The 120,000 square--foot facility, currently under construction on the college's Niceville campus, will house the Okaloosa County 911 Emergency Operations Center, college athletic and instructional programs, and serve as the county's primary hurricane shelter. Sansom's new role will include leading the conferencing and training efforts of the college, including statewide training opportunities related to the joint use facility."
However, it was this appointment and specifically, this area of his responsibility, that would subsequently raise questions and eventually led to Sansom's arrest.
Scandal and College resignation
In December 2008, a resident of Clearwater, FloridaClearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
, filed a complaint against Sansom asserting that Northwest Florida State College
Northwest Florida State College
The Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College is a charter school in Niceville, Florida that was established in 2000. The Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College is an innovative charter school that enables 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to simultaneously earn...
rewarded Sansom with a $110,000/year job in return for funneling millions of dollars towards his constituency's hometown college—even amid statewide budget cuts. The Herald/Times also documented how over the past two years, as Sansom was in charge of the Florida House budget, he secured about $35 million in extra or accelerated funding for Northwest Florida State. According to several Florida news journals, some of this money also paid for the creation of Sansom's vice-president post at the college.
According to the Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
, there was also a $6 million appropriation for an "education facility" for the same college. However, according to several Florida newspapers, the money actually went to build an airport hangar on land owned by a friend and campaign contributor. In the same time period, other allegations developed surrounding Sansom's involvement with the college—including e-mails from college President to Sansom discussing how to hold public meetings in private. Local celebrity and past United States Congressman Joe Scarborough
Joe Scarborough
Charles Joseph "Joe" Scarborough is an American cable news and talk radio host, lawyer, author, and former politician. He is currently the host of Morning Joe on MSNBC, and previously hosted Scarborough Country on the same channel...
wrote an editorial published in the Pensacola News Journal
Pensacola News Journal
The Pensacola News Journal is a daily morning newspaper serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida. It is Northwest Florida's most widely-read daily....
discrediting Sansom and his ethics.
On January 6, 2009, Sansom resigned from his post as vice president of development at Northwest Florida State College
Northwest Florida State College
The Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College is a charter school in Niceville, Florida that was established in 2000. The Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College is an innovative charter school that enables 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to simultaneously earn...
amidst statewide criticism.
On January 10, 2009, Rep. Sansom wrote an open letter, published in his district's newspaper, the Northwest Florida Daily News
Northwest Florida Daily News
The Northwest Florida Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. It was founded in 1946 and is one of 65 newspapers owned by Freedom Communications...
, to clarify his position.
On January 30, under growing pressure from his fellow Republicans, Sansom announced that under a little-known House rule, he would temporarily "recuse" himself from his authority as Speaker. Under that rule, Speaker Pro Tem Larry Cretul
Larry Cretul
Larry Cretul is a Florida real estate broker, Republican politician, and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the State of Florida. He represents House District 22, based in Ocala....
, Sansom's roommate while the House is in session, was due to serve as acting Speaker in Sansom's absence.
This was not enough for his fellow Republicans, who met on the night of February 2 to remove Sansom from the speakership. However, while that meeting was underway, Sansom resigned as leader of the House Republican caucus, a post which automatically made him Speaker since the Republicans have a large majority in the chamber. Cretul was unanimously elected his successor, and is virtually assured of being formally elected Speaker on March 3, the first day of the regular legislative session.
Criminal charges
In April, 2009, a grand jury indicted Samson, Bob Richburg, former president of Northwest Florida State CollegeNorthwest Florida State College
The Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College is a charter school in Niceville, Florida that was established in 2000. The Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College is an innovative charter school that enables 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to simultaneously earn...
, and Jay Odom, businessman and a major GOP contributor. They were charged with official misconduct
Malfeasance in office
Malfeasance in office, or official misconduct, is the commission of an unlawful act, done in an official capacity, which affects the performance of official duties. Malfeasance in office is often grounds for a for cause removal of an elected official by statute or recall election.An exact...
, a third-degree felony which could result in a five year prison sentence. A circuit judge dismissed most of the charges in October and an appellate court reaffirmed the judge's ruling on the last day of 2009.
On January 6, 2010, the Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs charged the trio with grand theft
Grand theft
Grand theft or grand larceny is a category used to rank the severity of crime associated with theft.Generally, in the United States it is defined as intentional taking property of others in an amount exceeding the state statutory amount....
and conspiracy. When asked why those charges weren't filed initially, Meggs stated that he thought the original charges and penalty were appropriate. "You can kill a fly with a fly swat, or you can kill one with a sledgehammer." When the judge gutted the first case, Meggs refused to drop it. "I cannot in my mind as a prosecutor put a pretty face on this. It's just not right."
As of August 2010, Meggs himself went on trial for what opposing counsel says was "unethical behavior". Attorneys for Sansom and his co-defendants in the criminal trial - former college President Bob Richburg and developer Jay Odom - want Meggs removed from the case for "prosecutorial misconduct". Testimony from both sides concluded on Friday August 20 but lawyers have up to one month to submit closing arguments, after which time Judge Terry Lewis will decide if Meggs will remain on the case.
Florida Taj Mahal scandal
The Florida Taj Mahal scandalFlorida Taj Mahal scandal
Florida Taj Mahal scandal is an investigation by Chief Financial Officer of Florida Alex Sink for possible misuse of state funds by one or more individuals on construction of the $48 million First District Court of Appeal of Florida courthouse located in Tallahassee, Florida...
is also linked to Ray Sansom. The Taj Mahal is a name which Florida judges have attached to the extremely expensive and lavish First District Court of Appeal of Florida courthouse while their budgets were cut. After Florida Senator Charles S. Dean, Sr.
Charles S. Dean, Sr.
Charles S. Dean, Sr. is a Republican member of the Florida Senate, representing the 3rd District since June 2007. Previously he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2002 through 2007. Dean was Sheriff of Citrus County from 1981 to 1996. His father had previously served as...
(R) Inverness
Inverness, Florida
Inverness is a city in Citrus County, Florida, United States. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,210. It is the county seat of Citrus County.-Geography:...
denied funds for the new courthouse, the legislative process was "bumped-up" to the Appropriations Chairman Ray Sansom and Rep. Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio
Marco Antonio Rubio is the junior United States Senator from Florida . A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives ....
(R) Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, now a U.S. Senator. The final budget included $7.9 million to begin planning and construction of the courthouse.
On August 30, 2010 Chief Financial Officer of Florida
Chief Financial Officer of Florida
The Chief Financial Officer of Florida is a statewide constitutional officer of Florida. The office was created in 2002 following the 1998 reforms of the Florida Cabinet....
Alex Sink
Alex Sink
Adelaide "Alex" Sink is an American politician of the Democratic Party. Sink was the Chief Financial Officer for the state of Florida and treasurer on the board of trustees of the Florida State Board of Administration...
sent letters to the Florida Supreme Court
Florida Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. The Supreme Court consists of seven judges: the Chief Justice and six Justices who are appointed by the Governor to 6-year terms and remain in office if retained in a general election near the end of each...
and Florida's Department of Management Services that preliminary findings warranted an audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
via her DFS, Bureau of Auditing for excessive spending on the courthouse. The CFO's office states that money may have been misused and as much as $16 million may have spent in a financial raid on the state's Workers' Compensation
Workers' compensation
Workers' compensation is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her employer for the tort of negligence...
Trust Fund. A $30 million bond for construction was attached to a transportation bill and passed on last day of the 2007 legislative session insuring it would pass.