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Despite being the most effective County Administrator in the history of Escambia County, he had a few bumps. However, each time Mr Touart was completely cleared of any wrong doing. He like many others before and after him became a victim of others wanting him out of the way to further their own agendas in the county. In February 2003, Touart's son [[Matthew Touart|Matthew]], 20 when it all started21 at the time, charged nearly $6,000 at local strip club [[Arety's Angels]] to a credit card he had stolen from his father. (Grand theft charges against Matthew were eventually dropped after he completed a "life skills counseling course."<ref>"State drops charges against county administrator's son." ''Pensacola News Journal'', October 15, 2004.</ref>) The club's owner, [[Arety Sievers]], was contacted on Touart's behalf by [[Escambia County Sheriff]] [[Ron McNesby]], who asked Sievers to forgive the charges. She refused.
In another deal, where there was absolutely no ethics violations proved, in fact, the ethics commission wrote in their report that it was a hatchet job by the Pensacola News Journal and that this case should have never made it this far. However, On [[August 21]], following inquiries by the ''[[Pensacola News Journal]]'', [[Escambia County Commission]]er [[Grover Robinson IV]] and [[Escambia County Attorney|County Attorney]] [[Janet Lander]] halted the purchase of a 217-acre property off [[Bauer Road]], which the Board approved 4-0 on [[August 2]]. (Robinson was out of town at the time.) The property, almost 70% wetlands, was purchased for $1.41 million from [[Martine's Corp.]] to be developed by the County as ballparks for the [[Perdido Bay Youth Sports Association]].
==Controversies==
===Arety's Angels===
After an [[October 7]] raid on her club by the [[Pensacola Police Department]], during which two dancers were arrested for illegal body contact with customers, Sievers accused Touart and McNesby or orchestrating the raid in retaliation against her.<ref>"Lounge owner blasts Touart." ''Pensacola News Journal'', January 9, 2004.</ref> Warrants for the raid, part of a sweep by the Department, were granted following "complaints of inappropriate behavior by dancers."<ref>"Two arrested after sting at local clubs." ''Pensacola News Journal'', October 8, 2003.</ref> The State Attorney's Office concluded on [[January 13]], [[2004]] that police did not selectively target Sievers' club, but "devoted far greater manpower and financing to the Arety's investigation than to the other five strip clubs following input from the Escambia County Administrator."<ref>"Arety's Angels wasn't unfairly targeted but got most attention, state report says." ''Pensacola News Journal'', January 14, 2004.</ref>
A grand jury convened on [[June 7]], [[2004]] to investigate the allegations, but declined to indict Touart or McNesby of any criminal wrongdoing.<ref>"[http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/11/State/Officials_not_charged.shtml Officials not charged in inquiry of strip club.]" Associated Press, June 11, 2004.</ref> In an effort to clear themselves of yet another hatchet job However, a later story by [[WEAR TV 3 reported ]] revealed that on Juror had a family member that worked with the ESCDwife of one of the grand jurors was employed by McNesby at the [[Escambia County Sheriff's Office]].
After the story broke, the 21-member jury released a statement asserting that, "in an abundance of caution," the juror in question had disclosed his relationship to McNesby and sat out deliberations involving him (but not Touart). The statement added, "To imply that one person could exert such an influence over the other 20 of us demonstrates an ignorance of the process, diminishes us all and casts doubt upon the entire grand jury system."<ref>"[http://inweekly.net/article.asp?artID=78 Nice Watchdog]." Independent News, June 25, 2004</ref>
===Illegal hunting trip===
Escambia County administrator George Touart plead "No Contest" to illegal hunting and illegal possession of game birds along with people from 31 states who trusted a well known northern outfitter. The group, along with many others had booked a hunt with the outfitter who was illegally running his business and investigated by law enforcement. Later, the state decided to go after the 100s of customers who hunted with them in what can only be considered by many in the outdoorsman world as a shakedown of innocent hunters.
The charges stem from a hunting trip to Wisconsin in 2005.
Touart has to pay a fine of just over 23-hundred dollars and will lose his privilege to hunt in Wisconsin for 3 years.
===Connections to County land deal===
The county administrator is required to obtain two appraisals for property purchases over $250,000, as well as an environmental site assessment.<ref>[http://www.co.escambia.fl.us/departments/purchasing/documents/PurchasingOrdinance.pdf Escambia County purchasing ordinance], page 30, "Sec. 46-139. Purchase or lease of real property by the county."</ref> The seller offered its own appraisal (from [[John Hufford]]) of $1.75 million,<ref>[http://www.ricksblog.biz/hufford.pdf Hufford appraisal]</ref> while the County obtained a second appraisal of $1.41 million from [[John Asmar]].<ref>[http://www.ricksblog.biz/Asmar.pdf Asmar appraisal]</ref> Both appraisals are significantly higher than the $328,420 assessment by the County's property appraiser.
