Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll is telling supporters she is preparing to fight allegations from a fired underling facing felony charges.
Carroll has started to respond to emails this week from individuals offering her encouragement after AP reported Tuesday that court documents filed by attorneys for former aide Carletha Cole included a comment that she had caught her boss in a compromising position with another female staffer.
I will be fighting back against these blatant lies, Carroll wrote Franz H. Metz, who had told her to stand firm and fight this attempt to discredit you and your office.
Carroll told Lake Mary residents Mary Jane and George Duryea that such support helps, while taking a critical shot at the sensationalized reporting of the allegations.
Unfortunately, as an elected official, character defamation that is totally fabricated can occur like this and there is not much I can do, Carroll wrote.
The media love to put out sensational stories without doing due diligence to verify the authenticity. Having supporters like you helps me and my family get through these trying times.
Cole, who is facing five years in prison, was charged in October after releasing an illegally taped conversation to the Florida Times-Union involving Carrolls chief of staff.
In Florida it is illegal to electronically record someone without their knowledge, with an exception for certain conversations in public places.
Cole was fired shortly after the tape was released and she publicly complained about atmosphere within Carrolls office.
A number of emails to Carroll were spurred by a release from Cindy Graves, president of the Florida Federation of Republican Women and the GOP state committeewoman for Duval County, who came to Carrolls defense on Thursday.
"The scurrilous accusations against our fine friend and mentor come from a disgraced woman facing criminal charges stemming from incidents which caused her to be fired from the lieutenant governor's office," Graves wrote.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
