Jett is challenging Stearns in Florida's newly-drawn 3rd congressional district and said he was offered "a job on Stearns' campaign staff or cash to cover the approximately $25,000 Jett has personally spent on his congressional run... He also said he was told there could be a job heading the Florida Department of Law Enforcement or a U.S. marshal position once there are vacancies."
Political Wire
The Florida Times Union has more.
Clay Clerk of Courts James Jett told a group of Republicans today the FBI is looking into Rep. Cliff Stearns for what Jett said is a plot to buy him out of this fall's congressional primary.
Jett, who bowed out of the county clerk race after the state Legislature redrew congressional election lines, is running against Stearns for the newly-drawn Florida District 3, which includes much of Clay County. Stearns currently represents Clay County in District 6 from his home in Ocala, but that city has been drawn out of the area in once-a-decade redistricting. He has said he will move to Orange Park to run for re-election.
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Jett said former state Education Commissioner Jim Horne was the middle man who offered everything from money to appointed political positions.
And guess who is peripherally involved?
There were subsequent conversations with Horne and Orange Park Republican heavyweight donor Judd Sapp acting as a go-between, Jett said. Two of the taped voicemails, supposedly from Sapp, are heard to talk of a meeting with "Jim" and others to finalize a deal. The second voicemail says the meeting was to take place at Sapp's riverfront home on Friday, March 2, at a gathering that was to include House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio.
The FBI wiretapped Jett's phone, he said, and recorded conversations between him and others. He asked about wearing a microphone to the party at Sapp's house, but he says the FBI wouldn't let him wear a wire in Boehner's presence.
Jett said doesn't believe Boehner was aware of the conversations.
The FBI wouldn't let him wear a wire in Boehner's presence. I wonder if that's customary for the Speaker, or if they are protecting Boehner?
The FBI wouldn't confirm or deny an investigation, Special Agent Jeff Westcott said Wednesday.
Florida law requires constitutional officers such as clerks of court to report potential corruption, Jett said. He said the FBI gave him permission to speak publicly about the investigation.