5 City Council members subpoenaed in lawsuit

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Five Jacksonville City Council members were served subpoenas Friday concerning a lawsuit over texting during council meetings.

In September, the council was threatened  with a lawsuit by Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County, which claimed that texting between council members and lobbyists were violations of Florida's Sunshine Law.

The group is upset that members were texting about city budget issues during a meeting at which they were to vote approve that budget.

After receiving the complaint, most of the council members settled and agreed not to text during meeting, but council members Reggie Gaffney, Katrina Brown, Garrett Dennis, Reggie Brown and Doyle Carter were served with subpoenas letting them know they have 20 days to respond.