Commission scandal may broaden

Fort Myers political insiders are all atwitter about who might become ensnared in a scandal that already claimed one Lee County commissioner.

On Jan. 13, U.S. District Judge Sherri Polster Chappell sentenced former Lee County Commissioner Tammy Hall to six months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzling nearly $34,000 from her campaign account.

In pleading guilty to the charge, Hall agreed to cooperate with the government and promised “substantial assistance,” according to the plea agreement she signed.

Hall's sentence was relatively lenient, considering the U.S. Attorney's office says the former commissioner faced a maximum of 20 years in prison. No one knows exactly what Hall might reveal, but it's likely to have repercussions in the months ahead. In the meantime, Hall must report to prison by Feb. 14.