{"id":169713,"date":"2026-02-26T06:03:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T06:03:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/169713\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T06:03:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T06:03:16","slug":"jacksonville-city-council-president-served-subpoena-after-big-favor-text-exchange-revealed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/169713\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacksonville City Council President served subpoena after \u2018big favor\u2019 text exchange revealed"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Action News Jax\u2019s Ben Becker has learned that Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico has been served a subpoena by the State Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Becker was the first to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/news\/local\/carrico-text-suggests-big-favor-driving-push-replace-jea-board-member-with-boss\/33SIBSFN2BFPZMLCASZPN3254Y\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:break the story;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">break the story<\/a> that led to the investigation.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/live-breaking\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:&gt;&gt;&gt; STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE &lt;&lt;&lt;;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">&gt;&gt;&gt; STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE &lt;&lt;&lt;<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">We\u2019re told investigators want more communications. The questions from prosecutors come after Becker first reported on a Carrico text message last week which said he was trying to replace a JEA board member as a \u201cbig favor\u201d for a friend.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Carrico sent the text to current JEA board member Arthur Adams on February 5.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Carrico was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/news\/local\/jacksonville-city-council-president-moves-appoint-his-boss-jea-board\/Z3WMY3LPHNBCHGMECUKCYAIAB4\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:aiming to replace Adams;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">aiming to replace Adams<\/a> with Paul Martinez, Carrico\u2019s boss at the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/news\/local\/carrico-text-suggests-big-favor-driving-push-replace-jea-board-member-with-boss\/33SIBSFN2BFPZMLCASZPN3254Y\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Carrico text suggests \u2018big favor\u2019 driving push to replace JEA board member with boss;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Carrico text suggests \u2018big favor\u2019 driving push to replace JEA board member with boss<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The text read, \u201cWhat up bro &#8230; hey I owed a big favor to a friend and opted to put him on the JEA board as your term is expiring &#8230; Not sure if you wanted to stay but I needed to do this for my guy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Martinez <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/news\/local\/paul-martinez-withdraws-consideration-jea-board-after-carricos-big-favor-texts\/FSCIBU4RKJFHHKNH55H5PHC4LQ\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:dropped out from consideration;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">dropped out from consideration<\/a>, soon after we brought that text exchange to light, and Adams is still on the board for now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Following the revelation of that text, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/news\/local\/embattled-city-council-president-accuses-jea-racism-toxic-culture-after-text-controversy\/QAJZPQNGP5ALTN3O7IXOKQZDQ4\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Carrico accused JEA CEO Vickie Cavey;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Carrico accused JEA CEO Vickie Cavey<\/a> of racism and creating a toxic culture at the utility.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">[DOWNLOAD: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/mobile-apps\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Mayor Donna Deegan\u2019s office called it a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/news\/local\/vile-smear-campaign-deegan-defends-jea-leadership-board-turmoil-sparks-political-showdown\/A4LG2KFVDNBXTMQZOOFKSZTSXQ\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:smear campaign;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">smear campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The board on Tuesday gave Cavey a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/news\/local\/jea-ceo-survives-confidence-vote-amid-workplace-accusations-council-member-hints-investigation\/3OVDJHFM3BBQNBHO6YVCS7252U\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:vote of confidence;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">vote of confidence<\/a> and did not discuss the Carrico text controversy, nor did the City Council at its Tuesday meeting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/news\/local\/corruption-jacksonville-city-council-members-react-carricos-big-favor-jea-board-text\/YWY6AJINU5GWVLXVVVJFQXJ7HM\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:we asked all 18 other City Council members;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">we asked all 18 other City Council members<\/a> about the Carrico texts the day after we first reported on it, but only four responded to our questions and all four were critical of or troubled by the words Carrico used.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">[SIGN UP: <a href=\"https:\/\/membercenter.actionnewsjax.com\/newsletters\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter<\/a>] <\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Councilman Jimmy Peluso called the texts \u201ccorruption.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Becker reached out to Carrico multiple times and he sent the following statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cOur office fully complies with and respects all records requests. We are cooperating and will respond to any additional requests as needed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Boys &amp; Girls Clubs said Martinez is traveling and they are working to provide a statement. The Mayor\u2019s Office declined comment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/mobile-apps\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Click here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Click here<\/a> to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/mobile-apps\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:click here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">click here<\/a> to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/video\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:click here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">click here<\/a> to stream Action News Jax live.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Action News Jax\u2019s Ben Becker has learned that Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico has been served a&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":169714,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[1913,344,75612,25320,116,4040,118,117,501,5896,73056,8782,5516,4720],"class_list":{"0":"post-169713","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-jacksonville","8":"tag-action-news","9":"tag-action-news-jax","10":"tag-arthur-adams","11":"tag-ben-becker","12":"tag-jacksonville","13":"tag-jacksonville-city-council","14":"tag-jacksonville-headlines","15":"tag-jacksonville-news","16":"tag-jea","17":"tag-kevin-carrico","18":"tag-paul-martinez","19":"tag-state-attorneys-office","20":"tag-text","21":"tag-text-message"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/169714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}