On Monday during public comment former Town Council member and recall committee co-chair Bill Veach said he would withdraw his appeal to John King’s recall but only if the 4 current council members appointed Tom Brady.
A judge ruled that the petition Veach and former Mayor Ray Murphy used to recall King was fatally flawed because it did not specify who the recallers were claiming King tried to have fired on the town’s staff. In addition to the judge ruling in King’s favor, King has denied all the recall allegations. Over 60% of those who voted in the November recall voted to have King recalled. They also voted to recall Karen Woodson.
Brady came in 2nd place on the recall ballot with Rebecca Link receiving 9 more votes. Link took Woodson’s spot on the council. The same judge who ruled in King’s favor also ruled that Woodson’s recall ballot was valid. Woodson has also denied all the allegations against her. Both Woodson and King have filed defamation lawsuits against Veach and Murphy. Both Woodson and King have filed defamation lawsuits against Veach and Murphy.
Brady has announced he’s interested in Atterholt’s seat, along with LPA member Jim Dunlap.
Toward the end of the council meeting King said Veach’s offer to drop the appeal was blackmail and added Veach could drop the appeal at any time.
When asked to comment on Veach’s offer, King’s attorney Morgan Bentley said “I have to hand it to him – that is pretty cheeky to just get up and ask for that in public. So was all of this about a recall or about getting his friends appointed to the Board.”
Fort Myers Beach taxpayers are covering King’s legal fees with Bentley in the recall court cases because King was an acting Town Council member when the recall accusations came to light.