TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A former employee of Andrew Gillum and Sharon Lettman-Hicks took the stand on Monday. Mike Alfano was Gillum’s ‘Campaign to Defend Solutions' manager.
The focus of his testimony was on the CDLS' budget.
Lettman-Hicks company, P&P Communications, was responsible for cutting the checks for Gillum’s CDLS campaign.
In his role, Alfano came up with a budget of a total of $154,000. That breakdown was later changed to $171,000 by Lettman-Hicks. Lettman-Hicks’ attorneys defended that increase in numbers by saying that there was a difference in overhead pricing. Alfano testified that at Lettman-Hicks’ request, certain amounts could be frozen within the account.
Lettman-Hicks’ attorneys argued this was to ensure salaries were able to be paid, including Alfano’s, until more funding was secured. The prosecution asked Alfano if he and Lettman-Hicks had any disagreements before. He responded yes, describing Lettman-Hicks’ personality as intense and forceful.
Gillum and Lettman-Hicks are being charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and lying to a FBI agent. As for now the jury is still expected to listen to more testimonies.
