Ernest Page (Florida politician)
Encyclopedia
Ernest Page is a former member of the Orlando, Florida
, City Council who served as Orlando's interim mayor
in March and April 2005 while the elected mayor, Buddy Dyer
, was in jail due to allegations of electoral fraud
. After the charges against Dyer were dismissed in April 2005, Page returned to his City Council
position, but was later removed from office after being convicted of corruption.
Page, an African-American, was first elected to the Orlando City Council in the early 1980s, but left office during his first term after a conviction for dealing in stolen property. He was elected to City Council again in 1996, and won re-election in 2000 and 2004. In March 2005, he was serving as mayor pro tem
under Mayor Buddy Dyer when Dyer was indicted and jailed for electoral fraud and was suspended from office by Florida Governor Jeb Bush
. Following Dyer's removal, Page took office as interim mayor. He was interim mayor for about six weeks, until April 19, when the charges against Dyer were dropped and he was restored to office.
On March 1, 2006, Page was arrested on charges of political corruption
while in the mayor's office. In September 2006 he was convict
ed of bribery
and official misconduct for threatening to stop a redevelopment proposal unless the prospective developer gave a piece of the project to a nonprofit group with which Page was affiliated. He was subsequently sentence
d to 42 months in prison
. Following his sentencing in December 2006, Page was removed from city office by an executive order from Governor Jeb Bush.
Page appealed his conviction in federal circuit court
, but lost the appeal in March 2008. He entered prison in June 2008. Currently, Page is housed in the Cocoa Florida Work Release Center working for a church in Cocoa Village.
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, City Council who served as Orlando's interim mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in March and April 2005 while the elected mayor, Buddy Dyer
Buddy Dyer
John Hugh "Buddy" Dyer is mayor of Orlando, Florida, first elected in 2003. He is a member of the United States Democratic Party. Previously he represented Orlando in the Florida State Senate for ten years, including three years when he was the Senate Democratic leader.-Early life:Dyer was born in...
, was in jail due to allegations of electoral fraud
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
. After the charges against Dyer were dismissed in April 2005, Page returned to his City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
position, but was later removed from office after being convicted of corruption.
Page, an African-American, was first elected to the Orlando City Council in the early 1980s, but left office during his first term after a conviction for dealing in stolen property. He was elected to City Council again in 1996, and won re-election in 2000 and 2004. In March 2005, he was serving as mayor pro tem
Pro tempore
Pro tempore , abbreviated pro tem or p.t., is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a locum tenens in the absence of a superior, such as the President pro tempore of the United States Senate.Legislative...
under Mayor Buddy Dyer when Dyer was indicted and jailed for electoral fraud and was suspended from office by Florida Governor Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
. Following Dyer's removal, Page took office as interim mayor. He was interim mayor for about six weeks, until April 19, when the charges against Dyer were dropped and he was restored to office.
On March 1, 2006, Page was arrested on charges of political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
while in the mayor's office. In September 2006 he was convict
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
ed of bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
and official misconduct for threatening to stop a redevelopment proposal unless the prospective developer gave a piece of the project to a nonprofit group with which Page was affiliated. He was subsequently sentence
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
d to 42 months in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. Following his sentencing in December 2006, Page was removed from city office by an executive order from Governor Jeb Bush.
Page appealed his conviction in federal circuit court
United States courts of appeals
The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal court system...
, but lost the appeal in March 2008. He entered prison in June 2008. Currently, Page is housed in the Cocoa Florida Work Release Center working for a church in Cocoa Village.