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TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026

VOLUME 120 - ISSUE 17 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

UF presidential search committee member appears in files related to Jeffrey Epstein

Doug Band, a UF alumnus, received favors and gifts from Ghislaine Maxwell By Alexa Ryan Alligator Staff Writer

Douglas “Doug” Band, a 1995 UF alumnus and member of UF’s presidential search advisory committee, is referenced in nine documents, transcripts and email chains related to the cases of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell released in the time since Epstein’s arrest in 2019. The documents reveal that from 2002 to 2006, Band was purchased an expensive watch as a Christmas gift from Epstein and Maxwell, asked Maxwell to use her plane to watch the Gators play in the 2006 NCAA men’s basketball finals, took over 35 flights with them and received an invitation from Maxwell to a dinner with a “sluty Spanish girl.” Epstein was a convicted sex offender and multimillionaire known for his connections to high-profile politicians and celebrities. He died in prison in 2019 after being convicted for sex trafficking of minors. His longtime accomplice, Maxwell, was sentenced to 20 years for her

role in their crimes. Beginning Dec. 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice released several batches of files pertaining to Epstein’s prosecution as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Over 2 million additional documents are still under review. Band worked for former President Bill Clinton in various positions beginning in 1998 after graduating from UF, according to his LinkedIn. He parted ways with the administration in 2011 to focus on his global advisory firm, Teneo Holdings. In December 2025, the university announced his appointment to the presidential search advisory committee by the UF Board of Trustees. Though the announcement came three days before the DOJ file release, three of the documents linking Band to Epstein were publicly available before that time. The UF Board of Trustees did not respond to a request for comment after two phone calls and one email over the span of two weeks. The board’s chair, Morteza “Mori”

SEE EPSTEIN, PAGE 4

Eva Lu // Alligator Staff

UF presidential advisory committee member Doug Band was found to have received gifts and favors from Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein in the 2000s.

The GRU lawsuit goes to court next month. Here’s what you need to know. The court’s decision will either disregard or approve the 2025 referendum results By Maria Arruda Alligator Staff Writer

In a special election last November, Gainesville residents voted for the second time to return control of local utilities to the city after the previous referendum was nullified because of unclear wording on the ballot. But an appeals court blocked further action until ongoing lawsuits against the city were settled. Gainesville’s utilities have been led by a five-member authority board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis since 2023. Before the governor stepped in, the city controlled its own utilities. The 2023 authority change was spearheaded by former state Rep. Chuck Clemons, who drafted the house bill signed

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

University administration Story description finish with comma, UF pg# student clinic halts genderaffirming care. Read more on pg. 2

by the governor. At the time, Clemons said Gainesville Regional Utilities was headed for bankruptcy and an independent board could help organize the service. The authority board filed complaints against the city for both the 2024 and 2025 Local Public Utilities referendums, and the 2024 case is still pending an appellate court decision. Oral arguments for the appeal in the 2024 case will be heard on Feb. 10 at the First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee. The first round The first GRU referendum passed with a nearly 73% vote in 2024. However, the state-appointed GRU Authority maintained control of local utilities after a judge nullified the results.

The ruling came after the GRU Authority filed a lawsuit against the city alleging unclear ballot wording and an overstep of authority. It also claimed the city failed to include a business impact estimate alongside the referendum, in which Gainesville city commissioners are required to list any additional costs private and for-profit businesses may need to take on to follow an ordinance. Circuit Judge George M. Wright agreed the ballot contained unclear wording and lacked a business impact estimate, thus nullifying election results. However, he added the city could amend its charters under the Florida statutes and Constitution — ushering in the opportunity for the city to “redo” the referendum and try again to pass it. The GRU Authority appealed the case.

Alachua County

Eric Lawson, a GRU Authority board member, told The Alligator he believes the decision to do so originated in the need to uphold state law. “I feel like it’s my duty as a board member to defend the legislation that was signed by the governor,” he said. Lawson said he believes it’s important for utilities to be controlled by an independent body to ensure residents outside city limits are fairly represented. Under city control, he said, GRU was used as a tool to increase citywide revenue, essentially taxing non-Gainesville residents by raising rates. The Gainesville City Commission approved a plan in 2021 to increase rates yearly until 2027, citing a lack of sufficient revenue to maintain utility systems. That

SEE GRU, PAGE 4

Volunteers plant 15 trees for Arbor Day, pg. 3

The Avenue: Nightlife

Meet the bartenders of Gainesville, pg. 6

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