One-time DeSantis challenger Gillum’s charges dropped after jury deadlock
Asher Notheis
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Andrew Gillum, the former mayor of Tallahassee and the Democratic candidate in the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election against then-Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), looks to be in the clear after federal prosecutors moved to drop all charges against him Monday.
A judge’s dismissal of the charges came after jurors overwhelmingly favored acquitting Gillum and his political mentor Sharon Lettman-Hicks, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
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“Andrew Gillum had the courage to stand up and say I am innocent,” a statement from Gillum’s defense attorneys David Oscar Markus, Margot Moss, and Katie Miller read. “And that is finally being recognized. We want to thank the hard working jury who did their job and explained to the government why it should drop the case. Andrew has endured a lot over the past few years and now can resume his life and public service.”
The dismissal became official after Judge Allen Winsor issued an order completely dismissing the case. Additionally, he canceled a scheduled hearing that had been set for Wednesday, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
On Monday, Gillum shared a screenshot of the motion. “But God…,” Gillum captioned the post that included emojis.
https://twitter.com/AndrewGillum/status/1658157185338163202?s=20
Monday’s ruling comes almost a year after Gillum and Lettman-Hicks were indicted on 21 counts that included wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and making false statements to the FBI. The wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud charges both included a maximum of 20 years in prison, and the false statements to the FBI charge carried a penalty of up to five years in prison.
In response to the indictment, Gillum insinuated the trial was the result of politically motivated attacks, and he said that there has been “a target on my back ever since I was the mayor of Tallahassee.”
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Gillum was found not guilty of lying to the FBI earlier this month.
Gillum served as the mayor of Tallahassee from 2014 through 2018. As the Democratic nominee for the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election, he lost to DeSantis by less than 1%.