Some Clearwater residents skeptical of AG’s response to Scientology dispute
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Some Clearwater residents are criticizing a City Council member for a lack of transparenc after he sought legal guidance from the state attorney general on a land dispute with the Church of Scientology.
Without consulting the rest of the dais, City Council member David Allbritton sent a letter last month to Attorney General James Uthmeier asking if he could clarify who owns a public street downtown that the church wants to develop.
The city attorney had already advised the council that it owns the land and is entitled to attach conditions to its possible transfer to the church.
“I understand, Mr. Allbritton, that you had the legal right to do so, but that’s not really the issue that we have with it,” said Angela Drewnoski. “The issue is transparency and trust.”
During the meeting Thursday, Mayor Bruce Rector said the church has for months lobbied for someone to send a letter to Uthmeier about the road. He added that the church went to City Hall to request a copy of Allbritton’s letter a few days before it was sent.
The council did not take any formal action Thursday.
“The energy that they’ve brought with this certainly raises some concern with the city and the citizens,” Rector said of the church. “The public has questions about this issue.”
In an email to the Tampa Bay Times, Allbritton said church officials asked for a meeting and told him they were concerned how he would vote once they reapply to acquire a portion of South Garden Avenue.
Allbritton said he has always questioned the city attorney’s opinion that the city owns the street. Since the church has indicated it intends to reapply, he said he wanted to seek legal guidance.
There is currently no pending application.
“Now the AG is being framed as politically siding with Scientology and rendering his opinion favorable to them,” Allbritton wrote in his email. “That’s not surprising because I’ve been slandered as well with people saying I’m in the ‘pocket of Scientology’ and have received money to vote their way — all false but that’s what they say to advance their narrative.”
In his most recent opinion letter on the potential land transaction, Uthmeier has disputed Clearwater’s ownership of the roadway segment and whether the church should have to pay for it. It’s unusual for the attorney general to weigh in on such local decisions without a formal request from a full elected body.
Read more https://www.tampabay.com/news/clearwater/2025/12/05/church-of-scientology-attorney-general-james-uthmeier-clearwater/
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