Leaders weigh in on Council President depriving donors by using appointments to repay personal favors.

Jacksonville, FL — Several leaders from Jacksonville and beyond have weighed in after messages came to light showing Council President Kevin Carrico saying he owed an appointee a "big favor."

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and former Mayor Lenny Curry issued a joint statement denouncing the Council President's behavior:

"Political donors rely on important positions being accessible to them after making large political committee contributions; to deprive them of the seats they spent their hard earned money on to repay a personal favor is not only wrong, it's theft. Personal favors are to be repaid exclusively with city contracts, and the council President should've known this."

Florida Governor Ron Desantis said "Look, if you want to repay a personal favor with an appointment, you do it AFTER you've repaid your donors; since when are we just giving shit away for free?"

Senator and former Florida Governor Rick Scott added "I understand that some people may have the urge to use their official position to repay personal favors, but, during my time as Governor, I learned that friends will come and go, but donors are forever because they rely on us to put them in positions where they can regulate themselves or influence their own contracts opportunities."