Eatonville’s suspended mayor
Ex-Eatonville chief: I’m denied access to public records
says he wants to keep up with what’s going on in town government but he’s being denied access because he’s not allowed to review the interim mayor’s emails, letters and more.
Suspended Eatonville Mayor Anthony Grant said he is trying to keep up with the actions of town officials, but contends he’s being denied access.
He sued the town last week in Orange County Court, accusing it of public records law violations. The suit asks the court to allow Grant to review interim Mayor Eddie Cole’s emails, letters, drafts, notes, phone messages, calendars, contracts and any document signed by Cole on a daily basis.
In a public records request dated May 13, Grant told the town clerk, “I would like to see this information on a daily basis moving forward,” court records show.
“I want to stay on top of what’s going on in my town,” Grant said Wednesday. “I’m coming back to office once my preceding is done, and that’s my way of staying abreast of what is happening my community.”
He was referring to a 25count indictment, which accused him and two others of voter fraud in Grant’s 2015 election victory. A grand jury said Grant, Mia Antionette Nowells and James Randolph obtained an absentee ballot from a person who didn’t live in Eatonville, marked ballots for voters and forced others to register to vote.
Grant was suspended by Gov. Rick Scott in March, one day after the indictment was released. He’s set to face trial Jan. 17, court records show.
Cole, elected interim mayor of the town of 2,000 in a June special election, said he was disappointed the suit was filed. He vowed the town wouldn’t settle — as court records show it did in a previous public records suit with Grant. Details of the previous settlement weren’t revealed.
“He pretty much wanted to know everything but my diet,” Cole quipped. “What he’s trying to do is inundate us with stuff so we can’t do the will of the people who elected us.”
Emails attached to the latest suit reveal conversations between Grant, Cole and Town Clerk Cathy Williams.
Williams and Grant agreed the suspended mayor could review his requested records on June 14, but limited the sus-
pended mayor to 30 minutes citing Williams’ “busy schedule,” records show.
“The [town] gave me 30 minutes to view 14 emails — that’s it,” Grant said. “That’s nothing compared to what I asked for.”
In his 2015 election win, Grant received 65 votes while former Mayor Bruce Mount had 80. However, Grant trounced Mount 196 to 69 in absentee votes — a far greater margin in absentee votes than previous races. Mount contested the results by filing a lawsuit soon after, which was dismissed on a technicality.
Grant, who was the town’s mayor from 1994 to 2009, was acquitted on voter fraud charges in 1991. He was charged with taking absentee ballots to voters outside of the town — and also was an elected councilman.