james jett News

One of the people accused of trying to bribe Clay County Clerk of the Circuit Court James Jett to quit the congressional race against U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns denied any wrongdoing on Thursday, saying his accuser is misleading the public about conversations they had.

Former state Secretary of Education Jim Horne, one of two alleged middlemen accused of trying to convince Jett to drop his bid for Congress, said he would be cleared as more facts about Jett's accusations became public.

Jett on Wednesday claimed that Horne and Orange Park businessman Jud Sapp, a prominent Republican Party fundraiser, had — with Stearns' knowledge — petitioned Jett to quit the race for the 3rd Congressional District and endorse the Ocala Republican.

In return, Stearns and his backers would help secure a job in state or federal government for Jett or pay off Jett's campaign debts, Jett said.

He said the FBI, which recorded conversations about the deal, was investigating the matter.

Stearns, through a spokesman, has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “unfounded,” “contemptuous” and “scandalous.”

Horne, likewise, denied any wrongdoing, although he acknowledged that he had conversations with Jett. He declined to say what those conversations were about.

“As a former public servant, I have the greatest respect for the laws governing our electoral process. To be clear, I have followed the spirit and letter of the law,” Horne said in an email.

“My discussions with Mr. Jett were appropriate based on my long history as a loyal Republican. He has chosen to take this to the media and make false allegations about the nature of the conversations. As the facts are made known, I am confident that my name will be cleared in this matter.”

Multiple attempts to reach Sapp on Thursday were unsuccessful.

FBI Special Agent Jeff Westcott, a spokesman for the agency's Jacksonville field office, said on Thursday he could neither confirm