Wanchick tells staff about Manuel investigation

June 13, 2008

Historic City News contacted the office of St. Johns County Administrator Michael D. Wanchick this morning in an attempt to clarify events surrounding an article that appeared on the front page of The Record this morning alleging that County Commission Chairman Tom Manuel is the subject of an FBI criminal investigation.

Karen Pan in the Office of Public Affairs, verified some of the published comments and clarified some questions on others.

Radio Talk Show commentator Kerry McCarthy, who usually hosts Commissioner Manuel on her privately financed Friday morning talk show, apologized for Manuel’s understandable absence from her WFOY program this morning. McCarthy’s comments supported her belief in Manuel’s innocence - until proven guilty. McCarthy also said that she did not have a long time friendship with Manuel; having met him since his rise to political power in the past couple of years.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office in Jacksonville will not comment on the details of any ongoing investigation until it is concluded or results in an indictment or public trial.

Special Agent Jeff Westcott of the FBI’s Jacksonville office said, “There is an ongoing FBI investigation of Mr. Manuel. There may be more people to be interviewed.” according the The Record article that appeared this morning.

Administrator Wanchick’s office received a call from St. Johns County Sheriff David B. Shoar to inform them of the news concerning the Manuel investigation – news that Shoar says he learned from the FBI. I called Sheriff Shoar early this morning and he confirmed his discussion with Wanchick for the purpose of preparing county staff for this process.

Karen Pan says that Wanchick contacted each commissioner on Wednesday afternoon by telephone to inform them of his conversation with the Sheriff. Wanchick has continued to be in communication with members of the Board regarding this turn of events since his initial call to them on Wednesday, according to Pan.

On Thursday afternoon, Wanchick called a meeting of the county department heads to announce the retirement of County Commissioner Jim Bryant and other business, including the announcement by the Sheriff that Manuel was under investigation by the FBI. Shoar attended yesterday’s meeting, not to discuss details of the investigation, but to encourage county department heads to cooperate fully with FBI investigators who may be contacting them in the coming weeks.

According to Wanchick’s office, he was concerned that the members of the Board and county employees were going to hear about this in the media before they heard it from the source; so he acted to make everyone aware of his communication with the Sheriff as quickly as possible.

I’ve written to Chairman Manuel, by e-mail, offering him an opportunity to present any information that he may have that could be discussed publicly on the topic of this investigation. As of the time of this article, he has not responded.

It is expected that there will be an official announcement from the county administrator’s office once more is known about this developing story.

Written by Mike · Filed Under Government

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One Response to “Wanchick tells staff about Manuel investigation”

Freddy on June 15th, 2008 6:05 pm

Chairman Manuel questioned by FBI
St. Johns County Commission chair was detained in Jacksonville Beach

by KATHY HARTMAN
Ponte Vedra Leader Editor
http://www.beachesleader.com/articles/2008/06/15/ponte_vedra_leader/news/doc48528c8ad7efc387745058.txt

Thomas G. Manuel, chairman of the St. Johns County Commission, has been questioned by the FBI in an ongoing investigation, an FBI special agent confirmed Thursday.

Manuel, 63, was outside Giovanni’s Restaurant on Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach June 5 and was detained, said Special Agent Jeff Westcott, spokesman for the Jacksonville FBI field office.

Westcott would not say what matter was being investigated nor how long the investigation has gone on.

He said Manuel was detained, questioned by FBI agents and released.

Reached by telephone Thursday and asked about the investigation, Manuel said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

He said he had not been questioned by the FBI or any other police agency in the past week and that if the FBI gave such information, they would be lying.

Manuel said he was not at Giovanni’s restaurant June 5 but was “probably at home with my family.”

Manuel repeatedly denied being questioned by the FBI adding, “And I will sue you if you run any article.”

Jacksonville Beach police, who spoke with the owner of Giovanni’s last week, said Manuel is a frequent customer of the upscale restaurant.

Before the commissioner went outside Giovanni’s, he was dining with another person in a private dining room at the restaurant, according to Jacksonville Beach Detective Sgt. Mark Evans.

Manuel was elected to the District 4 Ponte Vedra Beach seat on the County Commission in 2006, defeating fellow Republican and incumbent Bruce Maguire after a race in which the two exchanged accusations and innuendoes.

Manuel lists his address on the St. Johns County web site as 129 Ocean [sic] Edge Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach, although the property on Ocean’s Edge is owned by two persons in Palm Coast, according to St. Johns County property records.

Manuel said Thursday that he lives there with his wife, Terry.

Property records also list Manuel as an owner, with Terry L. Manuel, of a home in Northwest St. Johns County.

First Manuel confirmed he owned the Julington Creek house, then said the house is owned by his wife alone through a quit claim deed.

Under 2006 law, county commissioners were required to live in the district to which they are elected upon taking office.

Manuel was sworn in as St. Johns County commissioner Nov. 21, 2006, along with the District 2 commissioner, Ron Sanchez. The web site lists him as retired

(Editor’s note: Kathleen Bailey, The Beaches Leader editor, and Johnny Woodhouse, associate editor, contributed to this report.)

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