Florida Politician Resigns Over Face-Licking Allegations

Florida city commissioner resigns over face-licking allegations

A Florida city commissioner accused of groping a former city manager and licking his face has resigned, one week after the state ethics panel voted unanimously to find her guilty of sexual harassment.

According to the Florida ethics committee, Nancy Oakley, who served as the City Commissioner for Madeira Beach, showed up at an an outdoor City Commission meeting in Nov. 2012 after spending the day drinking at an all-day fishing tournament. When Cheryl McGrady, the deputy city clerk, at the time, attempted to gavel in the meeting, Oakley objected, and began accusing McGrady of having an affair with the current City Manager, Shane Crawford.

After the meeting concluded, Oakley allegedly walked over to Crawford and began licking "up the side of his neck and face" and grabbed his crotch and buttocks in front of multiple witnesses. Oakley also allegedly tried to punch McGrady, according to the ethics commission's report.

Crawford told the ethics commission that he didn't report Oakley for her behavior at the time because she was his boss and he was afraid of losing his job. He filed a formal complaint against her when she ran for reelection in 2017. After Oakley won her election, she reportedly leveraged her new position to suspend Crawford, a move he says was retaliation for his complaint. Crawford resigned instead of being fired.

Two other men stepped forward to accuse Oakley of licking them. One was public works director David Marsiacano and the president of the Old Salt Foundation, Thomas Verdensky.

Oakley has maintained her innocence through the investigation and report, but handed in her notice on Tuesday. Her term was up at the end of March and has not made any plane to file for another run.

Photo: City of Madeira Beach


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