Andrew Gillum joined CNN as a political commentator, even as an ethics complaint surrounding the former Tallahassee mayor’s acceptance of gifts moves forward.
“Thrilled to be joining @CNN as a political commentator,” Gillum tweeted Wednesday morning.
Last week, Florida state officials decided to move ahead with the longstanding complaint, after finding probable cause in five of the six counts against him, surrounding his acceptance of gifts from lobbyists in 2016 during his time as mayor of Florida’s capital city.
CNN did not immediately respond to request for comment on its decision to go forward with hiring Gillum, amid the ethics probe.
Thrilled to be joining @CNN as a political commentator. ? ???? pic.twitter.com/UpOC7MRKAz
— Andrew Gillum (@AndrewGillum) January 29, 2019
“We’re going to have a full evidentiary hearing before an independent judge. It’ll be open to the public, and everybody can decide for themselves,” Gillum’s lawyer Barry Richard said Friday after a closed-door hearing at the 1st District Court of Appeals, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “There for sure will be no settlement.”
Gillum was not present at the hearing Friday.
Within the next two months the case will go before an administrative law judge.
The complaint was originally filed last year by businessman Erwin Jackson, who alleges that Gillum received gifts above the state limit of $100 while he was on trips with lobbyist and friend Adam Corey.
Gillum was the surprise winner of the 2018 Florida Democratic gubneratorial nomination, but in November narrowly lost his bid for governor against Republican Ron DeSantis.
