Originally published May 31, 2019 | Updated July 2026 for clarity and newsroom standards.
A federal grand jury subpoenaed records related to former Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum’s 2018 campaign, according to reporting by the Tampa Bay Times in 2019.
The subpoena sought documents and communications involving Gillum’s campaign, several political associates, and organizations connected to the former Tallahassee mayor. At the time, the exact scope of the federal investigation was not publicly disclosed because grand jury proceedings are conducted under seal.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, investigators requested information related to John Jackson, executive chairman of the Massachusetts-based Schott Foundation for Public Education, where Gillum previously served on the board of directors, as well as Opportunity to Learn, an education advocacy organization that Gillum led before launching his gubernatorial campaign.
The subpoena also reportedly sought information concerning Democratic donor Donald Sussman, who contributed approximately $1.5 million to Gillum’s campaign through political committees, and Sharon Lettman-Hicks, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition.
At the time, Gillum said his campaign intended to cooperate fully with federal investigators.
“We are prepared to assist with any review of our work because I am confident we always acted lawfully and did the right thing,” Gillum said in a statement.
Neither the FBI nor the U.S. Department of Justice commented publicly on the investigation, citing longstanding policies against discussing ongoing investigations.
Investigation followed Tallahassee corruption probe
The subpoena came as federal authorities continued a broader public corruption investigation involving Tallahassee city government during Gillum’s tenure as mayor.
Throughout his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, Gillum repeatedly stated that although he had been interviewed by federal investigators, he was not a target of the investigation.
One of the most widely reported aspects of the investigation involved an undercover FBI operation in which an agent posed as a real estate developer seeking favorable treatment from city officials. During the operation, Gillum accepted a ticket to the Broadway musical Hamilton while visiting New York, an incident that later became the subject of a Florida Commission on Ethics investigation.
Gillum ultimately agreed to pay a $5,000 civil ethics fine related to his acceptance of gifts. He was not charged with a crime in connection with that ethics matter.
Broader federal corruption case
The Tallahassee corruption investigation ultimately resulted in numerous federal charges against several public officials and political associates, including former Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox, lobbyist Paige Carter-Smith, and developer J.T. Burnette.
Federal prosecutors accused the defendants of participating in schemes involving bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion connected to city government business.
The grand jury subpoena issued to Gillum’s campaign represented one part of the broader federal investigation that continued in the years following the 2018 gubernatorial election.
Editor’s Note
This article was originally published in 2019 and has been updated for accuracy, clarity, and current editorial standards. Subsequent legal developments—including Andrew Gillum’s 2022 federal indictment and his 2023 acquittal on several federal charges—occurred after the events described in this report and are not part of the original 2019 grand jury subpoena. Readers seeking current coverage can visit The Florida Pundit’s ongoing reporting on Andrew Gillum and Florida politics.
Sources
Primary Sources
- Federal Grand Jury Subpoena (as reported)
- Florida Commission on Ethics
- U.S. Department of Justice court filings
Additional Reporting
- Tampa Bay Times
- Associated Press
