JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A series of anonymous text messages criticizing prominent Jacksonville leaders has escalated, with the sender now directly contacting News4JAX Anchor/Reporter Tarik Minor.
Hours later, the anonymous author launched a fresh round of attacks against the city’s mayor.
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The News4JAX I-TEAM has tracked the messages for three weeks, as hundreds, if not potentially thousands of residents, have reported receiving mass texts targeting public figures.
The latest wave, sent on Friday, criticized Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and included a link to a newly formed political action committee.
Shortly after News4JAX published a story on the issue on Friday, noting that the messages could be considered protected speech under the First Amendment, Minor received a text from a spoofed number addressing him by name.
“Congrats on discovering the First Amendment, Tarik. Only 234 years later,” the message read.
Hours later, additional mass messages were sent to the public, again targeting Deegan and referencing controversy at JEA under CEO Vickie Cavey.
The anonymous campaign has also targeted JEA leadership and the Jacksonville business community, including Chamber of Commerce President Daniel Davis. The timing and content of the messages suggest the sender is monitoring local news coverage.
News4JAX political analyst Rick Mullaney said the situation has raised widespread questions across the community.
“It’s something the whole community is asking — who’s doing it and why,” Mullaney said. “And it appears from the attack on Donna Deegan that part of it’s political.”
Mullaney said the focus on the mayor could signal early activity ahead of Jacksonville’s next mayoral election in March. However, he added that the broader scope of the messages, including references to JEA and business leadership, suggests other financial motivations.
“There’s an ongoing investigation on multiple fronts as to what’s going on at JEA,” Mullaney said. “Some of that could involve lobbying contracts and political influence. The most logical suggestion is that there’s potentially a political motive as well as a financial motive — and maybe something else.”
The investigation Mullaney referenced involves scrutiny of communications tied to JEA, including those involving CEO Vickie Cavey, City Council President Kevin Carrico and lobbying firm Ballard Partners. The probe is examining potential political influence and misconduct.
Jacksonville City Council member Matt Carlucci described the anonymous texts as a coordinated effort.
“I think it’s a group of persons working together toward a political end,” Carlucci said, calling the campaign “cowardly.”
Carlucci urged residents to research issues independently and not rely on anonymous claims.
“Don’t believe them and opt out,” he advised.
Questions have also emerged about whether political operatives could be connected to the messages. Former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, now a lobbyist with Ballard Partners, denied any involvement through a spokesperson.
“Whoever is behind this has a lot of money to spend on phone number lists,” a Curry spokesperson said. “Lenny Curry has never lobbied JEA. He has never been on an email or a call on JEA. Curry is not responsible for the text messages.”
Ballard lobbyist Jordan Elsbury, Curry’s former chief of staff, also denied any connection, saying to Minor on the phone that he “is only aware of the situation through news reports.”
The identity of the sender and the motive behind the messages remain unknown.