There comes a point when the norm-breaking, destructive behavior of a politician is no longer his responsibility alone, but that of his enablers. We’ve seen this with Donald Trump for the past five years. The very same politicians of his own party who once denounced him before he was elected are now numbers in his political harem, as Bob Woodward details in his new book, debasing themselves at his command for the short term power grab he affords. The hell with endangering democratic norms, the hell with protecting institutional civility.
We saw the very same dynamic at work this week on the much smaller scale of the Flagler County Commission. That scale became even smaller and more contemptible thanks to Commission Chairman Dave Sullivan and fellow-Commissioner Don O’Brien. They allowed Joe Mullins to get away with publicly insulting Commissioners Greg Hansen and Charlie Ericksen. O’Brien and Sullivan refused to join Hansen and Ericksen to censure him.
We’ve always known that Mullins is a vulgar little arrested adolescent who gets off on demeaning others and flashing his money to grease his narcissism. He doesn’t know governance from gumbo, but he knows how to buy his vassals. Early on he bought off County Administrator Jerry Cameron in a slick deal that cleared Cameron’s mortgage, ironically placing the administrator forever in the commissioner’s debt. Mullins threw money at a PR company O’Brien’s son owns and has been a loud backer of Sullivan’s and O’Brien’s reelection campaigns. I could understand how scared they were to endanger that. But as the commission’s two more thoughtful men, I didn’t think they’d debase themselves to the point of licking his boots while turning their back on Hansen and Ericksen, and of course on the commission itself and what it represents.
It wasn’t just their astonishing refusal to censure Mullins–or Sullivans’s nonsensical refusal to let the public weigh in on the motion–but the rationale they spoke, that leaked venality. Respect for the commission, and therefore voters, was irrelevant. They made it all about themselves. Basically, as long as Mullins isn’t coming for them, they’re going to give him cover.
“He without sin, go ahead and cast the first stone,” O’Brien said, cherry-picking scriptures before turning to a pile of stones and hurling them at fellow-Commissioner Greg Hansen, who has been critical of Mullins. O’Brien spent more time stoning Hansen than he did setting Mullins straight. He might’ve paid more attention to scriptures’ admonition against double-minded people, not to mention its cautions against the arrogance of self-aggrandizers.
Here’s O’Brien massaging the indefensible when he was asked about his stance at Wednesday’s Tiger Bay forum: “I specifically did not vote for a resolution of censure because I felt that it was a document that had no weight of law and no penal effect whatsoever. But I felt that my words and my comments were, you know, just as strong as a resolution would have been and got the job done in terms of communicating how I felt.”
O’Brien’s claim that a censure has no weight of law is a rubbish deflection. The state Supreme Court censures lawyers and judges from time to time without going further, without removing them or suspending them, because the weight of the court behind that motion represents the weight of the state, and is enough to send a message that respect for the institution is paramount. That’s what Hansen and Ericksen were asking for. That’s what O’Brien refused to do while hiding behind his red herring. The way he put it, he actually thinks that his own words have more effect than the institutional words of a commission resolution. Maybe next time the commission adopts a resolution honoring veterans or decrying racism, they should just let Daniel Webster O’Brien speak his own words instead and leave it at that.
Sullivan’s reasoning was equally self-absorbed. He’d learned that in a century of commission history there’d never been a censure vote, which is not surprising when you consider that in a century of commissioners there’d never been a specimen as abject as Joe Mullins. But Sullivan sent a message. He didn’t care about the institution. What he cared about was his record. “I personally as chairman don’t want to be the chairman who’s the chairman when we voted to censure someone,” Sullivan said, again making it all about himself. The hell with the commission as an institution and with the voters it represents.
Both Sullivan and O’Brien had spent the weekend before the meeting furiously figuring out with Cameron’s administration how to get Hansen to back off and protect Mullins from a censure that could’ve caught the governor’s attention and led to more serious consequences. The deal was done by the time they got to the meeting, their lawyered acquittal a Babel of double-talk. For good measure they even had Mullins vote on the censure motion.
For a moment there I thought he just might apply to the situation Steps 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of his 12-step program and vote for censure. But that would have presumed nobility from an ignoble man. Of course he voted no. Days later at Ericksen’s retirement lunch Mullins got him a gift certificate for a massage. I doubt he grasped the irony. But it was as emblematic a gift as any from a man who’s turned a majority of the commission into his own massage parlor.
Mullins is quick to remind us every chance he gets that he’s a recovering addict, even repeatedly using the county’s PR office to play himself up on that score. As he well knows, addiction is often and unfortunately exacerbated by its enablers. That’s what Sullivan and O’Brien are to Mullins, and not for the first time. Last December and again in February they both refused to draw a line against his attacks on constituents, emboldening him instead. They are cowering enablers of his bigotry, his bullying, his indecency. Mullins must be laughing all the way to his next offense.
Pierre Tristam is FlaglerLive’s editor. Reach him by email here. A version of this piece airs on WNZF Friday.
Alex says
Enablers are as accountable if not more than the one who they enable.
They should speak up now before election to save the GOP. for future generation.
Concerned Citizen says
And this BOCC continues to tell Flagler County to F Off. And this County continues to allow it to happen.
I’ve been a staunch opponent of our BOCC for years. From the unethical and criminal dealings, I list some of them. Captains BBQ,Multiple shady real estate deals and the Sheriff’s Office Operations Center are just the tip of the iceberg. To the hiring of “temporary” wink wink nudge nudge Administrator Jerry Cameron. An individual who didn’t meet the hiring requirements so our ENTIRE BOCC worked it so he could. After having a shady track record in St. Johns no less. To their current failure of handling little man Mullins. And lets not forget they have compromised themselves so much with bribes ooops I meant “campaign contributions” that most of this county will be owned by developers.
We as voters are mostly responsible because we as voters keep recycling the same trash in hopes of better results. A wide person once said”Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” Well this is clearly the case with this so called BOCC. How much longer does it have to go on? Especially since it will mean running this county into the ground?
This BOCC is nothing but a collection of corrupt,tired old men. With the exception of Mullins (who is younger but cut from the same cloth) who have sat in their position for years. Comfortable with their little salary and taking kick backs and bribes from developers and special interests. They stopped representing their constituents a long time ago. And when called on it would rather bluster, bully and threaten you with physical violence (HA HA) than to own up and do the right thing.
How much longer will we allow this to happen? I have done my part to initiate recalls,made phone calls and write scathing comments with the hope of getting you all fired up. My next step is to load them up with ethics complaints. Besides myself and a few other residents where is the community support for change? Are you so comfortable with the current environment that you would tolerate this rather than demand change?
I said it in my last lengthy comment. I love this county and it is my home. It saddens me to see the current state of affairs with our governing political body. But at this point we have ourselves to blame. How much longer does it have to go on?
This county needs change and fast. And it needs it badly. Stop rehashing the same and expecting different.
Steve says
I hear you loud and clear. My Parents felt the same way after residing in your County for decades. They are gone now and having the privilege to test drive what is FPC I left pronto when given the oppurtunity. To me at this point in my life it was not worth the effort to deal with constant local drama. Its called For Sale, Offer, counter, accept , closing gone. Good Luck and God Bless
Roy Longo says
Mullins and his little man syndrome will leave a stain on this commission for years to come. The fact that he gets a free pass every time can only embolden his disdain towards anyone who disagrees with him. He is nothing but a cancer on the commission and Sullivan and O’Brien allow that cancer to spread. Thank you Commissioners Hanson and Erickson for standing up to the bully. If only your fellow commissioners had the same fortitude.
Steve says
I hear you loud and clear. My Parents felt the same way after residing in your County for decades. They are gone now and having the privilege to test drive what is FPC I left pronto when given the oppurtunity. To me at this point in my life it was not worth the effort to deal with constant local drama. Its called For Sale, Offer, counter, accept , closing gone. Good Luck and God Bless
The Voice Of Reason says
Like rump and desantis do on a state and national scale, commissioners mullins, o brien and sullivan guarantee themselves a prominent place in the Hall Of Shame of disgraceful gutter politics. They are all reptilian republicans. A party that has lost it’s way. A party that lives in the sewer of lost morals, values and hypocrisy. All have no place in office. However, their voters have shown an ability to debase themselves to any depth to hang on to political power. They gleefully swim in the cesspool of republican politics. When the time comes, they will be judged harshly.
mullins, you need to resign immediately. You’re not fit for office. Your recovery looks questionable at best. There is a line in the big book, “if you want what we have, (sobriety) you will go to any length to get it. It would appear your journey to a better life has not begun yet. You appear to be a fraud.
Paul Harrington says
Who would have expected any less from Dave Sullivan. He has an honor, amongst corruption and thievery anyway. Maybe he’s just been in this system too long. Just a gut feeling.
We expected more from Commissioner O’Brien, an eloquent talk with young Mullins at least. But he to acquiesced to his nemisis.
Sad that we have come to the point where we thrive on failure and bullying and think it is Great. There must be a scripture for that. On the Rosey Side, divisiveness has it’s consequences, a better day lies ahead.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Mullins I allege is a FRAUD as a person who took $3,000 away from 3 individuals who can’t get $1,000 each because he swore, under penalty of perjury, that his 2 GEORGIA ‘Domestic’ based businesses are home based in FLORIDA. The Cares Act staff refuses to explain to me why they sent him $3,000 for one of his Georgia businesses but turned down the other when both show the same physical address : 300 Applecross Road in Augusta Georgia.
The Perjury complaint I filed as a Witness under oath on September I was told on the phone today ( after 4 phone calls to the Sheriff’s office) by 2 different people that it was assigned to a detective L……. who insists that it was not assigned to him.
The same detective told me that my signed complaint of personal threats for a close to a year, signed by and County Commissioner Joseph Mullins and sent via county e-mail show ‘inactive’ status. I was originally given the phone number of a ‘beauty pallor’ twice of the detective that case had been assigned. Oh yes Detective L….. did call back to tell me the phone records at the sheriff’s office were also wrong,
I always thought one strike, two strikes, three strikes you are out… Well Sheriff you got four strikes from me today. What happened to your duty to protect ? Doesn’t it include e v e r y o n e?
PalmTreed says
O’Brien has lived in Flagler County nearly 30 years, but you’d never know it. What do I mean by that? Those of us that came here years and years ago as transplants that have built friendships and business in this community learned to do this by assimilating into the community no matter, politics, religion ethnicity or bank account. This is the same guy that will repeatedly look down at the ground rather than greet a fellow citizen as he strolls along the bike path or other public places, unless your in the circle he’s trying his best to be in. That’s the reason he won’t condemn his fellow lollipop kid. Mullins says and does things he’s probably aspiring to do himself but he’s not quite there yet. Soon they’re all going to be saying “The president has said worse, why should we condemn his actions?”
Mythoughts says
Pierre thank you for this article, great reporting.
It is obvious not only do we have corruption in the Oval Office which gets thrown in our faces day in and day out, but now after reading this I can see we also have corruption in Flagler County. It appears that is one of the qualifications these days to be in politics and it is ruining our county and also our country.
I often wondered about those that can buy others off because those individuals are that greedy for money and this is a perfect example of the greed that now is also in Flagler County Commissioners. Time to clean house in our next election.
Dennis C Rathsam says
Pierre, Too many old febble gentlemen ( and I use the word gentleman loosely) they are a product of years gone by. Time has past these old folks by. How long do we live in the past? Its time for new, invigerated, blood, people with a passion to serve & help. People with honesty!!!! These old fossils are of a generation , long ago. Old ideas, old greed, and the need to be somebody….Too bad they dont know when to retire. Vote all these old has beens out! This is 2020!
Steve says
When in doubt, VOTE them out.
Jimbo99 says
Wasn’t/Isn’t that simple, Flagler is a small county as you are aware and Palm Coast even smaller municipality. Flagler Beach as I understand it, is Mullins district and they keep putting him in there. Just like California gives us Pelosi nationally. As much venom as there is for Trump, it won’t take Biden long before he leaves a lot of his voters behind. The NAACP early December had their meeting with Biden-Harris and they are cashing in their chips for expectations, even more so since the Senate results in GA. If you youtube that 2 hour Biden-Harris video you’ll find Biden was nothing more than the Democrats best shot at beating Trump. You get the feeling the rest of them have their agenda and now they have to tolerate Joe Biden as the one they have to go thru. Biden was already holding up the Constitution to walk back how hard his uphill battle will be. He blanket stated that he would have to get the 74 million Trump voters to be on board, even though he intends to not get them anything much over his years. Trust me, we’ll be tired of him long before a 2nd term, if he even has that in him. I think the Democrats realize that Trump is still a legitimate threat for 2024. They know Harris can’t pull off the POTUS thing if Biden croaks. So they need Trump to be banned completely from a potential 2024 run. It just doesn’t fit the narrative that Trump is the evil one here. He gets 62+ million votes in 2016, 74+ million in 2020. That’s 48% of who voted. Biden gets 7 million more votes and it’s not the landslides that either HRC or Biden were supposed to win by in both elections. so regardless of the spin, they are going after eliminating Trump from ever running again. How criminal is that of the Democrats and Swamp. Because let’s face it, Federal, State, County Municipal politics is a swamp. They’re building the new FCSO on swamp land that needs 3 feet of dirt on that plot, so the mold doesn’t permeate the foundation of the new structure.
Anyway, back to Mullins, since Flagler Beach won’t recall him, even if that’s a possibility even, Removing that districts elected one is really not good for Flagler Beach being inclusive to the county. So the county commission’s hands were tied. They had to give him one more chance. But he has blown it. Maybe if the county commission censures him, Flagler Beach may pursue a recall & replace ? But who do they have ? Seems who they did have has since passed away ?
Mike Cocchiola says
Every time Mullins or one of his Trump Clubers acts out crudely, profanely and without honor, there must be consequences. If our spineless commissioners will not take action then we, the citizens of Flagler County, must.
We cannot let OBrien (if reelected) and Sullivan vote Mullins in as county chair. We must elect Corinne Hermle and Denise Calderwood as county commissioners. They have the strength and community spirit to block Mullins and put him in the corner with other out of control childern.
We must take action. We must take control of our BOCC. Do not let Mullins get away with any more nonsense.
Eva says
Amen to that!
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Thank you Mike for echoing my exact feelings.
Trailer Bob says
Corinne Hermle and Denise Calderwood are Democrats, though one states “non-affiliated”. You need better republicans running to get rid of Mullins and others.
John the Baptist says
Hey Obrien,
While you were mocking Greg Hansen about the 18 year old pimple faced sailors he commanded, you forgot one crucial thing. Those 18 year old pimple faced sailors were willing to sacrafice their lives so you could have the freedoms of the First Ammendment to allow you to make of them. What a coward you are.
Oh, Sullivan, I am thoroughly disgusted by your failure to lead and censor Mullins. Besides the money he contributed to your reelection campaign, one has to wonder what else he has on you! I imagine that at one time in your Navy career you showed leadership by virture of the rank and command experience you held. Your failure to do your job and censor Mullins shows your soft under belly and I can asure you that you stand as a mockery to the tradions of the Naval Service!
Roy Longo says
Well said JTB. It’s a point I missed, and I was one of those 18 year old pimple faced sailors. I, and all of my Brothers and Sisters, volunteered for whatever service we went to. Fortunately, we were not involved in a war when I went in but those signing up today to defend the rights of assholes like Mullins, Sullivan and O’Brien are willingly going to war. It is a sad day For Flagler County.
ASF says
Napoleon Syndrome–in spades. The next time he displays similar behavior in public, he should be arrested for creating a public disturbance/nuisance and a TOX screen should be administered, immediately. If he flunks, his case should be referred to Drug Court. If this man cannot control his addictions, his addictions should not be allowed to wreak havoc on our county and its governance, any mire than a drunk driver should be given license to drive intoxicated, at will and whim, consequences be damned.
Vikki hardley says
Disgusting….more spineless , gutless wnnders that need to be voted out. They do not represent what is best for our city. There has been a long history of negligence from the board, city councilm, mayors office and others and yet it continues. We’ve got the time to vote them all out of office and to deny Netts a place on th commission. We also don’t need folks who when their tenure is up on one board running for a seat on another. We need fresh positive ideas not a bunch of good ole boys looking to keep a paying job at our expense
Dedicated American says
Pierre, I personally take offense regarding your comments about our President not only in this article but others. Your article is about Joe Mullins and does not warrant negativeness about our President. Mullins has done nothing for Flagler County except line the pockets of big builders, attorneys and special interest groups. O’Brien, Sullivan and Mullins are an embarrassment to the Republican Party. If residents would only do their homework and read up on these candidates and stop listening to your friends maybe we can turn Flagler County Honest. As I said before, you all must contact Governor DeSantis to get Mullins removed. We have one commissioner left to vote for in November, Vote O’Brien OUT. Unfortunately the sheep voted Sullivan in again.
Pierre Tristam says
Dedicated American, I take offense at your president every day, because remoras like Mullins would not exist without him. He is the lifeblood of that depravity trickling down to state and local government. DeSantis is as unlikely to remove Mullins as he is to remove his own bile ducts. You create a convenient but untenable separation between Trump and those who suckle on his Titanic tits. But we’ve hit the iceberg. It’s all sinking ahead.
Edman says
The truth will set us free.. Thank you Pierre !!!!
Trailer Bob says
Pierre, I do not agree with your comment, as I am sure Mullins was a sick whack-job prior to Trump being President. You cannot believe that Mullins was fine until a few years ago.
It is obvious you have a great hate for Trump, but as the editor I think you should be a little more professional, as your comments are not only aimed at Trump, but at half of the entire county.
Pierre Tristam says
Half? A bit of an exaggeration considering that not even half the electorate voted for that behaired calamity. But we’ve had four years to reconfirm every day what most of us (a majority of early 3 million by 2016’s count anyway) already knew then: the guy’s a white supremacist-enabling neofascist who, as his tax returns show, is the guy who couldn’t run a 7-Eleven, to quote that Town Center loudmouth (though that’s insulting to those who do run 7-Elevens). Support him, and you support his racism, his authoritarianism, his lies, his puerility, his reducing the office to a tawdry sewer. Professionalism? The guy’s a back alley goon yet you speak as if he were holier than your velvet Jesus portrait. So of course my comments are directed at you and anyone else who still manages to support him, however you rationalize it. You might’ve been excusably misguided in 2016. No excuse now. Now you’re just an accomplice in his debasement. Well, you and that 41 percent, which neighbors the proportion of those who still believe in so-called Lost Cause mythology.
Trailer Bob says
Nice try, but the fact still remains that we don’t need to hear your personal hatred for trump in multiple articles that have nothing to do with trump. Do you actually believe that Mullins would be any different if trump was never elected? if you do, you are totally bias. Mullins is his own idiot.
Steve says
For the life of meyou actually dont think that this Administrations ways do not enable others down the line Politically at State and Local levels. Hmmmm OK
Lea says
Thank you dedicated America for saving what I wanted to say concerning the President. It seems this reporter is a democrat the way he writes. I thought reporters were suppose to report the news. It seems you are giving your options and very bias
FlaglerLive says
Lea, this might help.
Been There says
I don’t understand why this would offend you when Mullins has very obviously modeled himself after his POTUS hero and has said as much because he is a “Trump Republican”.
Wow says
They are “cowering enablers of Mullins’s bigotry, his bullying, his indecency”. Oh, you mean they are Republicans.
Trailer Bob says
You know…when some of you democrats talk about republicans in negative and dishonest ways, you are no better than the people you are talking about. BOTH sides here in Flagler are way to party- centered and could care less for whatever other half of the population of flagler they are also supposed to represent.
You are also very misinformed about most of us educated, decent folks who just happen to be of a preferred political persuasion.
And you cannot tell me that all republicans are the same, nor are all democrats the same…and that would an ignorant assertion.
People’s political party choices are mostly decided by which political party their parents followed, at least some major life event causes pause to re-evaluate that choice.
So let’s all be honest and try to fight the need to be partisan, and childish, when addressing a particular issue with particular actors. There are good people on all sides, the damage comes from those who are blind to that reality. As you may have noticed, I am able to live a happy life and still be able to decide what I feel is right or wrong, without blanket assaults on my neighbors, brothers and sisters.
Perhaps the editor should back off a bit and actually be the an, not just another commenter spouting childish partisan “opinionated” facts, calling people names, causing more hatred and dividing citizens two categories…”perfect always” and “never correct.
Everything we do has one of two effects…positive or destructive.
Trailer Bob says
I Know…should spell check before posting comment…lol. But I think you get it.
Keep Flagler Beautiful says
Mullins, O’Brien and Sullivan need to GO. They have shown consistently and repeatedly that do not represent the values or wishes of Flagler County residents. They’re part of a vastly overpaid private club that behaves with an arrogance not even seen in the Supreme Court. Carpetbagger Mullins is like mud stuck to the bottom of a shoe. It’s hard to get rid of, although not impossible. If he has the audacity to run for Commissioner again, he will be in for a great shock. The word is out on him.
Pat says
O’Brien is up for re-election in November.
Don’t vote for O’Brien if you feel he is a sorry excuse for a man and that you feel he has not done a fine job as a Flagler commissioner.