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Fact-checking Councilman Terence Davis' statements

Posted at 7:31 PM, Oct 31, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-01 19:35:24-04

Since Sept. 20, WPTV has asked Riviera Beach City Councilman Terence Davis why he motioned to fire City Manager Jonathan Evans. 

Davis never answered those questions. 

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Davis fired Evans “for cause, for misfeasance.” But then Davis followed the advice of City Attorney Andrew DeGraffenreidt and voted to re-write history, changing the official record to say the city fired the city manager “without cause”. 

Davis contradicted himself on that point again on Friday. 

"I did give a reason,” Davis said. "This entire board asked the city manager at that time to do numerous things and he never did it and he kept giving us reasons why he didn't do it."

That is simply the definition of what “misfeasance” means. Davis never provided any specific misfeasance or examples of what Evans didn’t do. 

Davis made another allegation during Friday’s city council meeting.

"In that meeting, he was asked: Do you want to defend yourself?” Davis said. 

Jonathan Evans was in the audience and shook his head. 

WPTV checked both the video and the minutes of the Sept. 20 meeting. At no point was Evans asked to defend himself. 

After Friday’s meeting, Davis promised he would soon reveal the reasons for firing Evans.

“I will hold a press conference,” Davis said. 

But just two days later, he contradicted himself again. 

"I've given a reason,” Davis said. “It's unfortunate that some reporters choose not to report it. That's an issue that's been done with. He's been given a reason."
 
Council members KaShamba Miller-Anderson and Tonya Davis Johnson, as well as the mayor, and Evans say they still don’t know the reasons.