UPDATE (January 25, 2013 - 1:33 P.M.)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Complaints of ethic violations filed against Tallahassee mayor John Marks have been dropped.
Members of the Florida Commission on Ethics voted 6-1 to drop the complaint.
Florida Commission on Ethics spokeswoman Karrie Stillman says the vote stood with an Administrative Law Judge's previous recommendation that the charges be dropped.
Erwin Jackson filed the complaints against Marks with the ethics commission claiming the mayor used his position to get contracts for companies Marks worked for. Jackson claims Marks voted to help Alliance for Digital Equality and Honeywell get contracts with the city.
Mark's attorney, Barry Richards, told WTXL during the previous hearing that Marks wasn't aware of any conflicts of interests.
"John Marks made a conscientious effort to find out whether it was a conflict and he was given valid information there there was not," Richards said. "I mean he really made a conscientious effort here on two separate occasions so he real relationship between Adorno and Yoss and Honeywell."
"Whether he gets a way with it, time will tell but this is a serious problem. That shows, what we need, this community needs a more private a more stringent ethics policy for the city of Tallahassee," Erwin Jackson previously told WTXL.
Stillman says the Florida Commission on Ethics is expected to issue a final order on the matter next week which would officially close the matter.
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Tallahassee Mayor John Marks took the stand in his defense Monday, contesting accusations that he violated state ethics laws.
Mayor Marks was hammered with questions today as he took the stand facing accusations he broke state ethics laws. A Tallahassee man, Erwin Jackson filed complaints with the ethics commission claiming the mayor used his position to get contracts for companies he worked with.
He claims marks voted to help alliance for digital equality and Honey Well get contracts with the city. The ethics commission found probable cause on two counts but dropped others.
But, the mayor's attorney says Marks wasn't aware of any conflicts of interests. Erwin says the state's ethics laws need to be changed.
"John marks made a conscientious effort to find out whether it was a conflict and he was given valid information that there was not i mean he really made a conscientious effort here on two separate occasions so he no real relationship between Adorno and Yoss and Honey Well," said Barry Richards, Mayor Mark's attorney."
"Whether he gets a way with it, time will tell but this is a serious problem. That shows, what we need, this community needs a more private a more stringent ethics policy for the city of Tallahassee," said Erwin Jackson.
The judge is expected to make an final decision between the next 30 to 45 days. So far, no word on what penalties Mark's may face.
