Finegan Wooten – A heated Citrus County Commission meeting turned into allegations of assault, with Sheriff’s Office reviewing video and politics dominating the clash.
A Citrus County Commission meeting that began as a fight over data center policy quickly turned into something far more serious, as Chair Diana Finegan and Chamber of Commerce President Josh Wooten clashed on camera and then faced allegations of physical misconduct.
The confrontation escalated between Finegan, who chairs the Commission, and Wooten, who publicly pushed for leadership changes. During the meeting, Wooten called for Finegan’s fellow commissioners to replace her as chair, setting the tone for what residents later described as a volatile exchange.
One citizen attending the session alleged that Wooten assaulted him during a confrontation that could be partially overheard off camera while the meeting continued.. Finegan, speaking from the dais, said she witnessed what she described as a crime and urged authorities to act.. “Deputies, it’s on video, Mr.. Wooten hit those people.. I hope charges get pressed,” she said.
Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Calvin Adams Jr.. said the Sheriff’s Office interviewed witnesses and will review video before deciding whether to refer the case to the State Attorney’s Office.. The decision hinges on whether the evidence supports criminal charges, with video review expected to play a central role.
As the legal questions were set in motion, the political stakes were visible throughout the meeting.. Finegan, in her first term, is running for re-election in District 2.. Wooten openly supports Stacey Worthington in District 4. as well as incumbent Rebecca Bays. aligning his public role with the opposition to Finegan in the coming election.
Tuesday’s meeting drew a crowd from the start. with numerous residents urging commissioners to approve a one-year moratorium on data centers.. Audience members cheered after each speaker. underscoring how intensely local residents view the issue and how tightly it has become tied to public confidence in government decision-making.
During a segment open to the public, Wooten took direct aim at Finegan’s leadership style.. He criticized her handling of the meeting and accused her of failing to maintain decorum.. “I have never seen such a lack of decorum from a meeting,” he said.. “Madam Chair, you’re doing nothing to control this meeting.. The Chair is constantly running against this board as she’s running for re-election.. She’s making a mockery of this process.. I’ve never seen a Chair allow such disruption in a meeting.”
Finegan responded immediately. arguing that she was managing the crowd as best she could while also pushing back against Wooten’s characterization of her motives.. “We both know you’re running two Commissioners.. And I work for these people, I’m not working against these people.. I’ve asked them to not clap.. And I run a very good meeting, thank you.. I have a very lively crowd.. If they’re not obeying what I’m telling them, I still work for them.”
The meeting also featured public comment on a motion connected to a contentious land contract tied to property known as Betz Farm. Shortly before the four-hour mark, Finegan asked for public comment on that motion, but Wooten again used the moment to broaden the argument beyond procedure.
“I’m living in an alternate universe,” Wooten said.. “You guys have a fiduciary responsibility to speak for the taxpayers as a whole. not just the mob that’s before you on any given day.. We’re living in strange times, friends, and you’ve got to keep level-headed.. You can’t keep making these decisions and going backwards.”
After Wooten finished his remarks and returned to his seat, voices reportedly rose off camera. Reports say that as Wooten went back, someone made a remark to him, and Wooten tapped the person on the shoulder with his paper agenda. The person reacted angrily, and a confrontation followed.
Rather than recessing, Finegan called deputies into the room. In a confrontation from the dais, she pressed for an answer directly. “Mr. Wooten, did you hit those people as they walked by?” she asked.
Finegan then told him she believed he struck people during the incident and said she had personally observed it.. “I saw that.. You hit him with that.. Yes, you did, and I saw it.. You talk about antics; you just accosted somebody at this meeting.. I watched with my own eyes as you hit those people as he walked by.. And you know what?. I know you’re coming after me, and I don’t care.. People over politics.. I am sick of this in this county!”
The episode now places both a procedural fight and an election-driven power struggle under a legal microscope, with the Sheriff’s Office weighing witness accounts and video evidence before deciding whether the matter moves toward prosecution through the State Attorney’s Office.
Citrus County Commission Diana Finegan Josh Wooten sheriff’s office video review data center moratorium Betz Farm land contract
this is why i dont trust local government anymore lol
wait so he actually hit somebody at a public meeting and nothing happened yet?? the sheriff is just gonna review video like take your time i guess. if that was a regular person they would have been arrested on the spot no question about it.
i thought this whole thing was about data centers which like nobody even explained what the problem is with data centers in the first place. my cousin works at one in Tampa and he said they bring jobs so i dont understand why people are against it. anyway the fighting is ridiculous this is supposed to be about the community not politicians arguing like children. we need adults in these positions not this drama every single meeting i swear Citrus County has been a mess for years.
ok so let me get this straight. the Chamber of Commerce guy who is supposed to be like neutral and help businesses is out here campaigning against the chair and then allegedly shoving people in the hallway or wherever this happened. and everyone acts surprised. these chamber people have always been political they just pretend they arent. Wooten has been pushing his agenda forever anyone in that county knows it. Finegan probably isnt perfect either but at least she called it out right there on the record. the video is gonna show everything or it wont and then we will never hear about it again because thats how these small county things always go. nobody ever gets charged nobody ever gets held accountable and then six months later its the same people running the same meeting like nothing happened. i genuinely feel bad for the regular residents who showed up just to talk about data centers and ended up in the middle of whatever this was.