![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/gillummug.jpg\")
<\/a>Andrew Gillum with Tallahassee lobbyist and restauranteur Adam Corey<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
Tallahassee’s Scott Maddox indicted in case that rocked Andrew Gillum’s Florida race for governor<\/h1>\n
By Mark Skoneki and Gray RohrerContact Reporters
\nOrlando Sentinel<\/p>\n
TALLAHASSEE \u2014 Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox was indicted Wednesday on 44 charges in an FBI corruption investigation that became a key issue in Democrat Andrew Gillum\u2019s campaign for Florida governor.<\/p>\n
During a hearing, federal prosecutors told U.S. District Judge Charles Stampelos that the probe was ongoing.<\/p>\n
Maddox confidant, Paige Carter-Smith, who allegedly helped him in an ongoing scheme to solicit bribes from companies seeking to do business with the city of Tallahassee, also was indicted. The charges included racketeering, bribery, extortion and bank and wire fraud. Gillum isn\u2019t mentioned in the indictment.<\/p>\n
The 66-page indictment accuses Maddox and Carter-Smith of using two companies, Governance Incorporated and Gov. Services, to defraud banks in two short sale transactions and to solicit bribes from Uber and an unnamed construction company in exchange for his support on the City Commission.<\/p>\n
Maddox, a former Tallahassee mayor and former head of the state Democratic Party, was arrested Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
Maddox and Carter-Smith pleaded not guilty to all charges. Both were released pending their trial, slated to begin Jan. 14, but were ordered to give up their passports and seek permission if they want to leave North Florida. Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order suspending Maddox from the commission.<\/p>\n
Gillum was dogged throughout the campaign by his opponent Ron DeSantis about his ties to the investigation, which included trips with a lobbyist and meetings with undercover FBI agents.<\/p>\n
The mysterious, three-year sting ensnared Gillum, mayor of Tallahassee from 2014 until last month, who narrowly lost the race for governor to DeSantis on Nov. 6.<\/p>\n
Gillum said the FBI told him he was not a subject of the probe, but DeSantis and President Donald Trump repeatedly attacked him over it.<\/p>\n
DeSantis declared him \u201cCrooked Mayor Gillum\u201d at one point, and in a tweet, the president declared that Gillum was a \u201cthief.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nIn Florida there is a choice between a Harvard\/Yale educated man named @RonDeSantisFL who has been a great Congressman and will be a great Governor – and a Dem who is a thief and who is Mayor of poorly run Tallahassee, said to be one of the most corrupt cities in the Country!<\/p>\n
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n