Ex-Manatee official accused 2 commissioners of Sunshine violation. Prosecutors disagree
Two Manatee County commissioners accused of discussing official business outside of a public meeting will avoid charges after an investigation into the complaint, prosecutors announced Friday afternoon.
Former Acting County Administrator Lee Washington filed a whistleblower complaint in June that accused Commissioner Mike Rahn and former Commissioner Vanessa Baugh of violating Florida law during a March 2023 lunch conversation. The State Attorney’s Office said it could not find enough evidence to file charges against either commissioner.
In November, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office found probable cause to determine that Rahn and Baugh had broken the law, but in a memo released Friday, the State Attorney’s Office said it conducted an investigation but declined to prosecute the case, citing “insufficient evidence.”
Washington filed his complaint more than three months after the conservation happened. He told investigators he waited that long because he, “did not want to put the county through more chaos than was already happening,” according to the memo.
Prosecutors said they requested video surveillance of the conversation from the restaurant and the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, but the video was no longer available.
State Attorney’s Office investigators said they also spoke with two patrons who were at the restaurant during the alleged incident, but those witnesses said they could not hear the details of the conversation.
No charges in Sunshine Law investigation
Washington’s complaint, which has been reviewed by the Bradenton Herald, said that Rahn invited him to have lunch at O’Bricks and meet with Jon Mast, CEO of the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association. Baugh also joined that meeting, Washington said, and began to discuss with Rahn the possibility of hiring Mast as a deputy county administrator.
Under Florida law, elected officials who serve on the same board may not discuss official government business outside of a publicly noticed meeting.
Washington said both commissioners later pressured him to hire Mast, but he refused. A few weeks after the lunch meeting, Rahn led a failed effort to dismiss Washington and install Mast as the county administrator.
Both Baugh and Rahn have ties to Mast and the BIA, a developer-interest organization. Baugh’s husband is on the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association’s board of directors, according to the BIA’s website. Rahn is also listed on the website as a “life director.”
Baugh, a Republican, served on the Manatee County Commission for 11 years before resigning from office in July. During that time, she represented District 5, which includes Lakewood Ranch and parts of East Bradenton.
Rahn, who is also a Republican, first joined the Board of County Commissioners in 2022. He represents District 4, which includes Tallevast, Bayshore Gardens, Whitfield Estates and parts of West Bradenton.
Board members recently selected Rahn to serve as chairman of the board in 2024.
