Editorial by Robert Anderson Publisher Lehigh Acres Gazette
Chairman Cathy Kruse alluded at the fire board meeting of Sept 2, 2016 that she was offer bribes since she has been on the fire board, but she did say whether she has not taken any. She would not elaborate in detail in the meeting but she did a make assumption of a possible connection with other board members.
She also would not comment about these so called bribes when we enquired about her statements. Yet she did say “The good ole boy network is hard at work in the Lehigh Acres Fire Department.”
During the meeting Lehigh Acres Gazette reporter heard Battalion Chief Rudy Naranjo say “here comes the negativity”…….. When Kruse was about to speak.
Kruse went on for more than 7 minutes you could have heard a pin drop on the floor and the union members in the back of the room went deadly silent.
The other Commissioners during the meeting Becker, Carter, Adams and Smith were as quiet as a mouse at church during Kruse rant about the bribes.
Right after Kruse’s statement, Commissioner (and former Chairman) Larry Becker stated he has never taken a bribe but he would not elaborate if he was ever offered one.
Florida Statue 838.015 “Bribery” means to knowingly and intentionally give, offer, or promise to any public servant, or, if a public servant, to knowingly and intentionally request, solicit, accept, or agree to accept for himself or herself or another, any pecuniary or other benefit not authorized by law with an intent or purpose to influence the performance of any act or omission which the person believes to be, or the public servant represents as being, within the official discretion of a public servant, in violation of a public duty, or in performance of a public duty.
When the Lehigh Acres Gazette called the fire board’s Attorney Richard Pringle and asked about what Kruse said the phone want silent and then Pringle said, “I do not recollect what she said at this time.“
We asked him different way and the phone went silent again, and finally again he said, “I do not recollect what she said at this time.” And then he referred us to the recording of the meeting.
When the Lehigh Acres Gazette asked for a copy of the recording of the meeting we received two hours of soundless audio. When the Lehigh Acres Gazette questioned why it was blank, Susan Platas the Director of HR for Lehigh Acres Fire and the person that keeps the records stated that both recording devices failed to record the meeting on Sept 2, 2016 meeting.
Pringle as attorney is an officer of the court. Officer of the court definition “any person who has an obligation to promote justice and effective operation of the judicial system, including judges, the attorneys who appear in court, bailiffs, clerks, and other personnel. As officers of the court lawyers have an absolute ethical duty to tell judges the truth, including avoiding dishonesty or evasion about reasons the attorney or his/her client is not appearing, the location of documents and other matters related to conduct of the courts.”
Since Pringle was at the meeting and now is using, “I do not recollect what she said at this time.” So is he going to tell the truth and avoid dishonesty and or evasion of the facts? An officer of the court would by definition have to report a crime if one happened?
Also when Fire Department staff was questioned about Kruse’s comments they all mentioned about use of the word “bribery” but would not go into details about Kruse’s full statement. The most telling of all the statement given to the Lehigh Acres Gazette was made by one employee of the Lehigh Acres Fire Department, “Yes, it is common for the union to uses bribes and intimidation to get their way.” The person that gave this statement asked that with did not give their name out of fear of losing their job and for the lives of their family.
Is it that bribes, intimidation and other tactics are used to keep employees and commissioners of the Lehigh Acres Fire Department in line and tight lipped? What you have to ask yourselves, is Cathy Kruse just covering her bases or is she Lehigh Acres’ very own Richard M. Nixon?
Looks like the Lehigh Acres Fire Department is taking lessons from Hillary Clinton and the Federal State Department. Don’t say anything to anyone, deny and delete any recordings of past meetings that might incriminate a board member about unlawful actions by the Fire Department Board.