JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former Public Defender Matt Shirk has admitted in an agreement with the Florida Commission on Ethics that he broke state ethics laws.
Shirk could now face a public reprimand from Gov. Rick Scott and a $2,500 fine.
Four years after Shirk came under fire for hiring two waitresses from a local bar with no legal experience, he finally admitted Thursday that by hiring them, he violated state law.
In a four-page filing with the ethics commission, Shirk also admitted he engaged in "inappropriate workplace interactions" and broke the law by "wrongfully terminating them."
Shirk's inappropriate emails and texts, including an E-card sent to one employee that read, "I think if we had sex, there would be very little awkwardness after," were the subject of a grand jury inquiry.
In the filing, Shirk also admitted he violated another state statute by serving and/or consuming alcoholic beverages in a city building, and he broke attorney client privilege by sharing confidential information with media in the Cristian Fernandez case
At the time, Fernandez was Jacksonville's youngest murder suspect and was accuse of killing his younger brother. Shirk openly talked about the case with a documentary crew.
Along with the fine, Shirk agreed to a public censure or reprimand, telling the ethics commission he understands "the seriousness of the allegations and gives his assurance that this proceeding has affected the manner in which he conducts himself as a public official in a positive way."
The preliminary agreement has to be voted on by the full ethics commission at its meeting on April 21 in Tallahassee. Shirk is not required to attend the meeting.
If the stipulation is agreed upon, it goes to Scott, who could then issue an executive order containing the written reprimand.
The I-TEAM contacted the Florida Bar to see how the finding might affect its investigation. All the bar said right now is that this will become part of its file as it works through the process.
The bar is the governing body that could take action on Shirk's law license, including a suspension or revocation.
The Florida Bar Grievance Committee had been scheduled to take up the matter next week but might hold off on any further action until after the Ethics Commission takes its action on April 21.