The Commission vote to approve the stipulated final judgment was 4-0, with Commissioner Orson Swindle concurring in part and dissenting in part. I believe these provisions provide reasonable fencing in relief to prevent future violations by the defendant who has demonstrated a proclivity for acting under the guise of government authority in derogation of the important public responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments. Further, I believe that this strong relief will both serve to deter others from engaging in similar egregious conduct and have the indirect benefit of preserving consumers' confidence in bona fide government entities. The FTC acknowledges the assistance of the Department of Justice's Office of Consumer Litigation and the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida in Gainesville. This judgment is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendant of a law violation.
Consent judgments have the force of law when signed by the judge.