JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A joint investigation by News4JAX and The Florida Trib is raising new questions about whether Jacksonville City Council attorney Jason Teal is stretching the limits of his authority as the council’s legislative counsel.
The investigation, led by Florida Trib reporter Molly Farrar, examines Teal’s expanding role in major city matters, including City Council’s investigative work involving JEA, disputes over public records and a recent Jacksonville Aviation Authority meeting that drew criticism from current and former city leaders.
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‘Less like a lawyer, more like a prosecutor’
Teal drew scrutiny during City Council’s Special Investigative Committee hearings involving JEA, where he questioned top executives for hours.
During one exchange, Teal asked, “At what point in time was it determined that senior leadership needed to be brought into the loop?”
Some council members suggested the approach risked crossing from fact-finding into advocacy.
Council member Matt Carlucci said during one proceeding, “And I just feel like we are tilting the scales of justice here in this investigation.”
Farrar said the hearing was an example of how Teal’s work is being viewed by some inside and outside City Hall.
“So I think that kind of raised some alarm bells,” Farrar said. “What we’re seeing now is that he is stepping out of that administrative role at potentially the behest of city council leadership.”
Carrico text messages and public records fight
Farrar’s reporting points to other high-profile examples, including the release of text messages involving former City Council President Kevin Carrico.
The texts were subpoenaed by the State Attorney’s Office after Carrico was caught trying to get his boss appointed to the JEA board as a “favor.”
When multiple media outlets, including News4JAX, requested the messages, the initial estimate was about $4,000. After media attorneys became involved, the cost was reduced to about $200.
When the messages were released, News4JAX reported the documents were improperly redacted.
Teal defended the redactions, writing in part, “The subpoena requested all correspondence the Council President possessed which met the criteria contained in the subpoena. The Council President’s compliance with the subpoena included both personal communications and public records which contained the search terms provided in the subpoena. You made a public record request for the subpoenaed documents, but only those documents that were actually a public record would be responsive, not the private communications.”
When media lawyers were involved again, the unredacted text messages were released, revealing conversations about a land deal with the Boys and Girls Club involving JEA-owned property.
Rick Mullaney, who served more than 10 years as City of Jacksonville general counsel, said the dispute is larger than whether specific redactions were appropriate.
“The question is who gets to make that call, and that call should generally be made by the general counsel’s office,” Mullaney said.
Farrar said Teal’s involvement raised concerns about whether he appeared to be defending Carrico personally rather than acting strictly as the council’s counsel.
“Jason Teal, for all intents and purposes, appeared to be representing Kevin Carrico in this ordeal,” Farrar said. “And I think that that’s another thing that, like, is that a legislative matter.”
In a written statement to News4JAX, Carrico defended Teal and said City Council appointed him as legislative counsel in August 2025 after the council concluded it needed independent legal counsel.
Carrico said the decision followed council members’ loss of confidence in then General Counsel Michael Fackler, citing what he described as the “destabilizing effect” of some legal opinions.
Carrico also noted the authority for City Council to employ independent legislative counsel has existed in Jacksonville’s charter since 1985.
“This is not a new concept,” Carrico said in the statement.
JAA meeting and ‘pushing the envelope’
Farrar’s investigation also cites a recent Jacksonville Aviation Authority board meeting where Teal warned board members they could face personal liability if the authority sued the City of Jacksonville.
Teal told News4JAX by phone that he was not speaking in his role as City Council’s attorney.
Still, the remarks drew criticism. JAA board member Bill Gulliford told The Florida Trib that the comments were “inappropriate.”
Former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney said, “It’s pushing the envelope no question. The legislative counsel for the city council is not really supposed to be issuing legal opinions.” Delaney also previously served as the city’s general counsel.
Mullaney said concerns about the comments were widespread.
“So many believe that pushes the limits. I think that’s true,” he said.
Teal and council leadership defend the job
Teal told The Florida Trib, “The City Charter gives legislative counsel broad authority,” and said, “The real danger would be putting someone in the job who doesn’t understand Jacksonville’s consolidated government.”
He rejected criticism that he has overstepped, calling it “a narrow view of the role.”
City Council President Nick Howland also defended Teal’s work in a statement, describing Teal’s duties as both council director and legislative counsel.
“In his dual roles as Council Director and Legislative Counsel, his responsibility is to provide legal advice and advocacy for the Council and its President, just as any attorney represents a client,” Howland said. “A month into my term as Council President, I can say with confidence that Jason Teal is doing an excellent job so far.”
Howland added that after his installation, he asked Teal to help the council work collaboratively “across all aspects of local government to make it work better for the people of Jacksonville.”
One legal voice for consolidated government
Mullaney said the larger issue is less about any one person and more about maintaining an independent legal structure for Jacksonville’s consolidated government.
“For the public, what’s important is that we have a highly functioning local government, an executive branch with a strong mayor, a legislative branch with 19 members for appropriations, and legal services that allow us to speak one voice,” Mullaney said. “What you’re beginning to see, unfortunately, is that’s being dramatically strained, a bit of a fracture.”
Teal told News4JAX he did not want to add anything beyond his comments to The Florida Trib.
Teal earns about $281,000 a year, just below City General Counsel Michael Fackler’s salary of roughly $288,000.
For more on the joint investigation, see The Florida Trib.