JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico’s attorney says the public is not entitled to all of Carrico’s text messages and emails turned over under subpoena, arguing personal communications do not automatically become public records under Florida law.
Attorney Mitch Stone said in a statement that “the fact that private communications were disclosed in response to a subpoena does not transform those communications into public records subject to disclosure under Florida law.” Stone also said the subpoena captured personal messages with family and friends that contained keywords but were not sent or received in Carrico’s capacity as a public official.
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News4JAX obtained some of Carrico’s texts through a public records request, but portions were redacted, including the recipient of at least one message and surrounding context.
Constitutional attorney Rod Sullivan said Stone’s argument generally aligns with Florida law. Sullivan said that documents subpoenaed by the State Attorney’s Office do not become public records simply because they were produced to investigators.
However, Sullivan said records custodians are typically required to explain redactions by providing a log or citing the specific legal exemptions that allow information to be withheld.
News4JAX and other media organizations are requesting redaction logs and the Florida statutes being used to justify the withheld information.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan called the situation “a political errand” and said she hopes new council leadership will bring less drama and more focus on city business and JEA.
Carrico declined to comment, saying he will not address the matter until the State Attorney’s investigation is complete.