JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Jacksonville City Councilman is calling out fellow members of the commission as well as Mayor Alvin Brown in regards to a recent decision to support the reappointment of Dr. Parvez Ahmed to the Human Rights Commission.
On Tuesday, the City Council Rules Committee voted 4-3 to support Ahmed's reappointment, bringing him one step closer to another term on the Human Rights Commission. The full council is expected to vote on it on Tuesday.
But, Action News has obtained an email sent from Councilman Robin Lumb to members of the mayoral administration calling out four of his fellow Rules Committee members saying they "hijacked the proceedings."
Lumb also adds that "it's not unreasonable to conclude that the administration was at the center of coordinating a series of actions that effectively deprived duly elected officials, and the citizens of Jacksonville, of a thorough, thoughtful and legitimate vetting process regarding the Ahmed reappointment."
Lumb says he had asked the administration if Ahmed could be there at Tuesday's meeting so he could ask him questions, but was denied.
"What I was hoping to communicate to them, and what I thought I did, was that at the end of the day if we don't cross our T's and dot our I's, it's going to undermine the public's confidence in what happens down here and the process will look tainted," said Lumb.
But City Councilman John Crescimbeni calls his allegations of a conspiracy hogwash.
"I know of no action that's been questionable or controversial or that would warrant the attention or the allegations that are being thrown about," Crescimbeni said.
Dr. Ahmed's reappointment is scheduled to be voted on by full council at the upcoming meeting on Tuesday.
