The Milton City Council chose to steer clear of controversy in selecting its next city attorney May 13, turning to John Adams and the law firm of Gray/Robinson to provide legal representation moving forward.
Board members had to choose between Gray Robinson, a team Adams had touted as having “no interest in conducting ourselves in any manner, any fashion, that isn’t a professional manner,” over the firm headed by former state representative and political lightning rod Anthony Sabatini.
“Mr. Adams is very laid back, which is nice,” Councilman Larry McKee said in announcing Adams as his choice to replace Alex Andrade, also a state representative, as city attorney. “And he’s non-political, which I do believe is a real plus, that and staying off social media.”
Adams lives in Milton and GrayRobinson, with 258 employees on staff also has an office in Pensacola. Adams has been working as the interim city attorney since the march departure of Andrade.
The Sabatini Law Firm, composed of Sabatini, his wife and a third attorney, are based in the Orlando area and Sabatini is presently a member of the Lake County Commission. He served two terms in the Florida Legislature from 2018-22 and lost the 2022 Republican primary for the District 7 congressional seat.
Both Adams and Sabatini appeared before the Milton City Council April 17 to make their case to be hired by the city. Sabatini assured the board that he “fights for clients” and would make it a priority to attend monthly council meetings despite the approximately 400 mile trip he would have to make to do so.
He also offered his legal services for $200 an hour, a rate he said is well below the going rate for legal services.
Adams said the goal of the lawyers for GrayRobinson is to establish long-term relationships with all of its clients. He said it’s “probably not possible” to list all of the firm’s local government clients.
Adams told the board GrayRobinson is equipped to provide “prompt and effective” legal advice and handle just about any legal issue in house.
Council members were unanimous in their decision to select GrayRobinson over the Sabatini Law Firm even though the cost to do so comes with a significantly higher price tag. Adams said firm shareholders bill at $350 per hour and associates at $295 per hour.
Each council member spoke before the vote to hire Gray/Robinson and all said that in their limited encounters with Adams they found him to be professional and intelligent.
Councilman Mike Cusack said he appreciated the attorney’s willingness to ask questions.
No one mentioned Sabatini by name, but McKee wasn’t the only board member who said that he or she was inclined to seek to avoid controversy.
Sabatini’s firebrand image led the editorial board of his hometown newspaper, the Orlando Sentinel, to bill him as the worst person in the Florida Legislature.
It wrote of “Sabatini’s fixation on attracting attention to himself like some kind of mini-Matt Gaetz.”
Sabatini has remained center stage since leaving Tallahassee, backing Gov. Ron DeSantis despite a series of controversial DeSantis decisions that have angered many even in conservative Northwest Florida.
Sabatini recently engaged in a war of words with Pensacola state Rep. Michelle Salzman, criticizing her proposed legislation to make the selection process of college and university presidents public again, and took to social media in multiple vulgar posts, calling Salzman a “lying schmuk.”
Salzman fired back with some salty words of her own for Sabatini, and was critical of his candidacy to replace Andrade as city attorney.
“Anthony Sabatini’s record speaks for itself. He’s more interested in media attention and stirring controversy than doing any meaningful work,” she said in a text message. “During his time in the Florida Legislature, he was widely viewed as ineffective by both Republican and Democrat leadership. He consistently alienated colleagues and failed to deliver results for his constituents.”
Even after his stint in Tallahassee, Sabatini continued to be a controversial figure. During this year’s legislative session he engaged in a brutal war of words with Pensacola state Rep. Michelle Salzman.
Salzman said after learning of Sabatini’s candidacy for the Milton attorney job that Northwest Florida communities deserve better.
They “deserve steady, competent leadership, not political showmanship,” Salzman told the Pensacola News Journal. “His (Sabatini’s) potential appointment as city attorney would not only undermine the credibility of the city he hopes to serve, but it would also be a long-term black eye on Santa Rosa County.”
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Milton chooses local firm over political lightning rod as new city attorney
Reporting by Tom McLaughlin, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
