Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Charlotte sheriff charged with felony

PUNTA GORDA - Charlotte County Sheriff William E. Clement was charged Tuesday with official misconduct for allegedly lying on a campaign finance report in 2000 and was suspended by Gov. Jeb Bush.

Clement is accused of accepting a $5,000 loan from former sheriff's candidate Barbara Hunt and illegally funneling $2,500 of it into his campaign treasury through a sister's business.

The charge was filed by Broward County Assistant State Attorney Timothy L. Donnelly, who was appointed special prosecutor in the case when allegations surfaced two years ago. Clement was booked into the county jail late Tuesday on the third-degree felony charge and freed on bail of $1,575.

Clement reached a settlement with the state elections commission last month in which he paid $38,500 for failing to report more than $5,000 in political contributions and improperly making political signs.

ST. AUGUSTINE - The Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine withdrew an invitation Wednesday for the Episcopal Diocese to use one of its churches for a ceremony because the pro-gay leader of the Episcopal Church was slated to attend.

The Catholic diocese acted after Frank Griswold, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, defended in a news article the church's confirmation of a gay bishop and argued that the Bible does not condemn same-sex relationships.

Catholic Bishop Victor Galeone "felt a good number of his people would be offended to learn that an Episcopalian bishop, that holds a position that is radically opposed to what both the church and Scripture teach about homosexuality, is using one of our facilities," said Kathleen Bagg-Morgan, a spokeswoman for the Catholic diocese.

The Episcopal Diocese, based in Jacksonville, had planned to use St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church for the installation of a new bishop, Samuel Howard, on Nov. 1.

In a Monday interview with the Associated Press, Griswold defended his confirmation of Bishop-elect V. Gene Robinson, the church's first openly gay bishop, and defended homosexuality, saying it was not fully understood in biblical times.