A courageous ex-employee has taken a bold stance against alleged malfeasance within Florida's environmental agency. James Gaddis, a former consultant in the Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Park Planning, has lodged a whistleblower lawsuit claiming the agency retaliated against him for exposing plans to construct golf courses, hotels, and pickleball courts in nine state parks.
According to Gaddis, he was instructed to create confidential maps outlining the proposed developments, which he believed would irreparably harm "ecologically vital" environments. The secrecy surrounding the plans was oppressive, with park staff forbidden from discussing the proposals with colleagues. Gaddis likened the experience to "charting a future catastrophe." The lawsuit, filed in Leon County... alleges that Gaddis copied sensitive documents onto a flash drive and shared them with a trusted intermediary.
The next day, the Tampa Bay Times broke the story, "revealing the plans to the public." Gaddis claims he was subsequently summoned to a meeting with a supervisor, "where he was questioned about sharing the documents." After admitting to doing so... he was placed on administrative leave and eventually terminated. Gaddis asserts that his termination constitutes disparate treatment and retaliation.
A former worker who leaked information about plans by Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration to build golf courses and hotels in Florida state parks has filed a whistleblower lawsuit. James Gaddis alleges that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection retaliated against him for sharing details of the proposals, which caused bipartisan outrage and sparked protests. Ultimately the plans were scuttled.
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