A whistleblower who leaked documents that forced Gov. Ron DeSantis to pull the plug on controversial state park plans resigned from a previous state job in lieu of dismissal after a co-worker relationship soured, according to personnel documents given to a Gainesville TV station.
According to the ABC affiliate WCJB , a source in the Florida Agency for Health Care and Administration (AHCA) gave it paperwork that shows James Gaddis quit his job in January 2022 after another employee accused him of sending persistent harassing text message and emails.
When reached Thursday, Sept. 5, by The Palm Beach Post, Gaddis acknowledged his 2022 resignation and called the incidents surrounding it "personally traumatic" but noted that he was hired about two months later by the Department of Environmental Protection. He was promoted to a senior park planner in November 2022. The Post also obtained the personnel documents, which redact the name of the other party involved.
Gaddis called the release of the file detailing the complaint against him a “somewhat expected hit piece, irrelevant to anything involving state parks.”
“This is a closed chapter from the past that all parties have moved on from,” Gaddis said. “It was an unfortunate situation from three years ago that involved a messy end to a brief workplace fling that resulted from a communication breakdown and hurt feelings on both sides.”
State parks whistleblower, James Gaddis, was fired from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for leaking proposals to put golf course in nine Florida state parks
Gaddis, 41, was fired from the DEP park planning job on Aug. 30 for leaking proposals to put golf courses, pickleball courts, hotels and disc golf courses at nine state parks.
He has been heralded a hero by environmentalists who said they may have been otherwise unaware of the plans. A GoFundMe account that he set up with a goal of raising $10,000 was up to $211,985 near noon on Thursday.
More: State parks whistleblower says he was fired, but had to 'stop the madness.' No regrets
"In addition to thanking each and every one of you, I also pledge to be ethical and transparent about what these funds are used for," Gaddis wrote to contributors. "I plan on seeking professional financial advice in order to maximize public good."
Gaddis said he was working as a cartographer in the DEP’s Office of Park Planning when in late July he was asked to add amenities to nine state parks. At Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County he was told to add three golf courses — two 18-hole and one nine-hole.
Around Aug. 19 he said he leaked the plans after feeling that they were being fast-tracked in secret with little to no public input before hour-long meetings that were all scheduled on the same day statewide.
The park documents — and seeming lack of transparency — caused a surge of public and political outrage throughout the state. Ultimately DeSantis withdrew the plans saying he hadn’t approved them and calling them “half-baked” and “nowhere near ready for prime time.”
More: DeSantis downplays anger over state park golf courses plan; it's part of "left wing" narrative
Gaddis’ DEP dismissal letter says he intentionally released “unauthorized and inaccurate” information. Gaddis admitted what he did and said he acted alone.
Jessica Namath, who spearheaded the protests against the golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson, said she isn’t surprised that someone would try to tarnish Gaddis’ reputation.
“I think it’s terrible that the agency would try to discredit him for something he did for us and that has no relevance on what they are digging up from the past,” Namath said. “To drag this up, and we don’t have all the sides, I think is an unfortunate and very bad look coming out of Tallahassee.”
Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism; subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Documents leaked on state parks whistleblower reflect forced resignation from previous job
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