By Anne Lindberg, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Janet Long is running for
re-election
to House District 51.
SEMINOLE — St. Petersburg College hired state Rep. Janet Long as a consultant last summer to help stage forums on key issues, such as the BP oil spill.
Soon after, Long, D-Seminole, sent out notices about three forums on the "Gulf Oil Crisis." Some notices were sent as a "Legislative News Flash from the desk of Representative Janet C. Long." Others were sent as campaign literature.
All of them implied Long was sponsoring the events in her role as a legislator. None mentioned she was being paid.
Long said she was justified in sending out the information in the way she did. It has a been a long-standing policy of hers to inform constituents of community happenings, such as the oil forums.
"It was simply an effort Dennis, Sen. Jones, and I were making to educate people about the oil spill," Long said. Jones, R-Seminole, spoke during at least one of the forums. Jones works for SPC in its Economic Development department.
Long conceded she was paid, but said the oil forums were a very minor part of her overall duties for SPC.
It's unclear if Long violated any rules or laws. Officials with the Florida Commission on Ethics and the House of Representatives said they could not comment on specifics, but both could explain general rules.
Whether a violation exists "turns on what the specific facts are," said Kerrie Stillman, a spokeswoman with the Ethics Commission.
Questions of misuse of a legislator's official position, for example, depends on whether "corruption" is present. Corruption, Stillman said, entails an intent to benefit, a wrongful use of position and resources, and the act must be inconsistent with performance of public duties. A conflict of interest, she said, involves balancing public and private interests.
"It's tough because you have to have a lot of details to break down a situation under the ethics laws," Stillman said. "It depends on the context of the circumstances."
Katie Betta, the State House spokeswoman, said there is a rule that bars anyone from displaying the House seal unless it is for official business of the House or official legislative business. Long's "Legislative News Flash" shows a portion of the seal behind her picture.
Long, who is running for re-election, said she has done nothing wrong and is the victim of a last-minute political smear. Her opponent, Republican Larry Ahern, is married to a former St. Petersburg Times reporter, Maureen Byrne Ahern. Mrs. Ahern asked SPC for the records.
The Ahern campaign, Long said, has twisted her record and manufactured lies about her.
"I'm trying to stay focused on the issues important to the people," Long said. "They're trying to find trashy things to say about me."
SPC contracted with JCL & Associates, Long's consulting business, in July 2009 to have her "generally address the educational, health and financial needs of Haiti … (and) conducting appropriate research on appropriate ways the College can best assist the country of Haiti," among other related duties. She was to be paid $7,000 per month plus travel expenses. The contract was scheduled to end in December 2009.
SPC signed a first amendment to the contract in December 2009 that extended the contract to Dec. 31, 2010. Long's duties were also expanded to include "other international initiatives that consultant may be assigned to … The services are not confined to initiatives related to Haiti." Long was to be paid $35 an hour plus travel expenses. Then-SPC president Carl Kuttler signed both agreements.
A second amendment to the original contract was negotiated in July. Long's new duties included "consulting services to the College to assist with public interest seminars such as the planned forums addressing the energy and environmental issues through the Institute of Public Policy Studies." Long's compensation was increased to $50 an hour, up to $45,000 plus travel expenses. The contract was extended to June 30, 2011. SPC president Bill Law signed that agreement.
It is unclear how much Long has been paid. Records were not available from SPC.