Scandal-plagued former politician Andrew Gillum will return to the public eye with a new podcast, iHeartMedia announced on Thursday.
Gillum, the former mayor of Tallahassee, was once a rising star within the Democratic Party. He came within 34,000 votes of defeating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the 2018 gubernatorial election, which triggered an automatic recount under state law. He is also a former CNN political commentator.
Last year, federal prosecutors dropped corruption charges against Gillum after a jury acquitted him on one count and hung on remaining charges that he pocketed campaign cash and illegally received gifts, including theater tickets to "Hamilton."
PROSECUTORS DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST ANDREW GILLUM, FORMER DEMOCRATIC MAYOR WHO LOST TO RON DESANTIS
Prosecutors initially said they would retry Gillum after a jury acquitted him on one count of lying to the FBI but failed to reach a verdict on 17 counts of wire fraud and a wire fraud conspiracy count at the conclusion of his trial. However, the prosecution then filed a one-paragraph motion that asked a judge to dismiss the remaining charges against Gillum and his co-defendant, Sharon Lettman-Hicks.
But Gillum’s troubles expanded well beyond the alleged charges.
In 2020, Gillum was found drunk in a Miami Beach hotel room with a man who had apparently overdosed on drugs. Authorities found baggies of suspected crystal methamphetamine, according to the police report.
Photos show stained and rumpled bed sheets, a box for a party light disco ball, spilled white pills on the carpet and a vial of a drug often used for erectile dysfunction, but reveal no further light on what Gillum was doing there.
ANDREW GILLUM FOUND 'INEBRIATED' IN MIAMI BEACH HOTEL ROOM; COPS RECOVER METH
Gillum denied using methamphetamines and said he was in Miami celebrating a wedding in a statement to the Miami Herald.
Police said Gillum was too inebriated to talk about what happened when they arrived on the scene. While no one was ever charged with any crime involving the incident, Gillum withdrew from public life for months. He also sought treatment for alcohol abuse and depression after the embarrassing incident.
Gillum will co-host "Native Land Pod" alongside former CNN host Angela Rye and former MSNBC host Tiffany Cross. The show will be distributed by iHeartPodcasts.
"I’m excited to join Angela and Tiffany for some much-needed tough talk about our politics, our people and our collective work to reshape the way political conversations are had that ultimately inspires listeners to do the work that leads to our greater freedom and political liberation," Gillum said.
"Listeners can expect to be invited into our conversations and finally find a home where their lived experiences are reflected and where their ideas are validated," he continued. "Welcome home."
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Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo and Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
