State senator and UF professor Mike Haridopolos is facing an ethics investigation.
The Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that Haridopolos, who will likely become Florida Senate president in about three weeks, didn’t fully disclose financial information from 2004 to 2008, according to a Wednesday press release.
“I acknowledge mistakes made on my financial disclosure form from past years,” Haridopolos said in a statement.
He also said the errors were unintentional and that he has since filed amended disclosure forms.
Haridopolos has hired Peter Dunbar, a former Pinellas County legislator, as his attorney, according to a St. Petersburg Times article.
The senator said it was important that he correct the errors quickly because he takes his responsibility to completely disclose such information with Florida residents seriously.
Albert Matheny, a UF political science professor and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said in an e-mail that he hopes the allegations don’t disrupt the three courses Haridopolos is teaching this term.
For now they can only “keep an eye on the situation and hope for the best,” he said.
Some political science professors chose not to comment on the investigation, and Janine Sikes, director of UF public affairs, only confirmed that Haridopolos is a UF employee and earns $75,000 a year for his work.
