Islander staff reports
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation Oct. 21 into a “protected address” request from Holmes Beach Commissioner Jayne Christenson to the supervisor of elections.
Christenson, who filed qualification papers with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office to run for reelection, announced her withdrawal Oct. 11 from a three-way race for two seats.
As of Oct. 24, she had not submitted the required letter withdrawing from the race to the SOE.
Meanwhile, her withdrawal announcement led to a review of her candidate filings by The Islander and others, including Dan Diggins, one of two people who qualified to run against Christenson on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Diggins contacted the MCSO Oct. 21 and requested an investigation of Christenson’s request for privacy for her home address.
Diggins said he asked the MCSO, “Could you investigate this thing. It appears Jayne Christenson has perjured herself.”
Christenson’s home address is blacked out on the candidate forms she filed at the SOE since June, when she submitted a public records exemption request.
On a Department of State form she submitted to the elections office, Christenson checked the status box “current” and also checked that she is eligible for address protection under the category “human resource, labor relations, or employee relations director, assistant director, manager or assistant manager of any local government agency or water management district.”
However, in her statement of financial interest, Christenson says she’s employed with AbbVie, which is involved in the research and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.
On an affidavit with the SOE, Christenson lists her occupation as sales management.
And on her LinkedIn profile, Christenson’s title is “federal account manager, (VA & DoD) specialty pharmaceuticals” for AbbVie.
The Islander filed a records request for the MCSO complaint and received a largely redacted public information report Oct. 24 that only named the reporting officer.
The report stated an individual “came to the MCSO to file a report involving someone having illegitimately completed a public records exemption request, and getting it approved by the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections.”
The Islander had asked the SOE about the form before the complaint filing with the MCSO.
“When we receive a Public Records Exemption Request form, it is reviewed to make sure it is complete,” Scott Farrington, assistant supervisor with the elections office wrote in an email Oct. 17. “We then look the voter up and check to make sure the information matches what is on file. Then mark the voter record as ‘Address Protected.’”
He added, “It is taken at face value because we do not have a method to verify the accuracy and the statute does not require the voter to provide any proof.”
The notarized Department of State exemption form includes a statement that “the requestor hereby swears or affirms, under penalty of perjury, that the information contained in the foregoing public record exemption form is true and correct.”
Conviction of a perjury charge in Florida can result in up to five years in prison. The offense is classified as a third-degree felony.
Christenson’s residency in Holmes Beach previously was questioned, as she owns a home in Bradenton and her Holmes Beach property — which she owns with her mother — is registered as a vacation rental home.
Christenson did not respond to The Islander’s Oct. 21 email and phone call for comment.
Diggins told The Islander in a text message on the subject of Christenson’s address exemption: “I’m a black-and-white guy and have little tolerance of breaking laws.”
Lisa Neff, Kane Kaiman and Bonner Joy contributed to this report.
Click here to view PUBLIC RECORDS EXEMPTION REQUEST
Click here to view Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Incident Sheet.
Mr. Diggins
You are the type of person that is a nightmare of a neighbor and tattletale at work. Do you have a lot of friends? If not, maybe that black and white thinking of yours could use some graying up.
Leave it alone. She’s not running. Why are you giving so much time and money for a non/issue in your life?