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State commission finds probable cause Gillum violated ethics rules

"Probable cause also was found to believe he misused his position to accept things of value for himself and others in return for access and influence," the state commission said.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum accepted gifts and should have known they were intended to influence his actions, the state ethics commission determined Wednesday.

In a statement, the commission said Gillum "accepted things of value based on an understanding his official action would be influenced and when he knew or should have known they were given to influence action in which he was expected to participate. 

"Probable cause also was found to believe he misused his position to accept things of value for himself and others in return for access and influence. The Commission found probable cause to believe he accepted gifts with a value of more than $100 from a lobbyist or vendor of the city and/or he failed to report gifts. 

"However, no probable cause was found to believe he solicited any gifts from a lobbyist or vendor of the city."

But this is not an indictment.

The case will now proceed to a public evidentiary hearing before an independent judge, which has not yet been scheduled.

RELATED: Andrew Gillum is joining CNN as a political commentator

RELATED: Probable cause found that Andrew Gillum violated state ethics laws, newspaper report claims

"Mr. Gillum did not ask anybody who paid for anything," Elizabeth Miller, an advocate for the state, told state ethics commissioners during a closed-door hearing Friday.

"He never intended to know what was paid for, or who paid for it, because he wasn't going to report it if it was a gift."

Miller's audio is included in several recordings and documents pertaining to the ongoing investigation made public by the commission on Wednesday.

Miller told commissioners Gillum was intentionally ignorant.

The findings zero in on trips he took to Costa Rica and New York City in 2016 and specifically what happened on those trips.

It's alleged Gillum accepted now-infamous tickets to see the Broadway show "Hamilton" while in New York. The tickets were supposedly a gift from Gillum's longtime friend and former Tallahassee lobbyist Adam Corey and undercover FBI agent Mike Miller, who was posing as a developer.

"Do you have any idea how much those tickets cost?" Gillum was asked by ethics investigators on recordings released Wednesday.

"Probably in the $700 range," Gillum responded.

Gillum maintained his brother gave him his ticket, but a text message from Corey showed otherwise: "Miller and the crew have tickets for us for Hamilton.” 

On the Costa Rica trip, Gillum claimed he paid Corey back for any expenses, contradicting statements made by Corey in a sworn affidavit. 

"I have never received any cash from or on behalf of Gillum," Corey said in the affidavit.

Corey refused to be interviewed by the ethics commission.

Gillum’s attorney Barry Richard told commissioners during the probable cause hearing that Corey had the motivation to lie.   

"A man who has refused to be interviewed by the commission investigator and has refused to be deposed," Richard said.

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