Latest news with #FloridaAttorneyGeneral'sOffice
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Miami mayor is lobbying behind the scenes for proposal to skip November election
Miami City Commissioner Damian Pardo is pushing forward with a controversial proposal to move the city's elections to even-numbered years through a City Commission vote, despite a new opinion from the Florida Attorney General's Office and a public rebuke from the governor, both saying the city needs to put the question out to voters instead. Pardo is the official sponsor of the hotly debated City Commission legislation, a measure that would involve skipping the upcoming November election and giving the city's current elected officials an extra year in office. But the Miami Herald has learned that, behind the scenes, Mayor Francis Suarez has been lobbying to push the proposal through. If the measure passes, Suarez — a former city commissioner who is reaching the end of his term limits as mayor — would get a 17th consecutive year in Miami City Hall. The Miami mayor doesn't have a vote on the five-member City Commission, but he does have veto power. Because he does not have a vote, Suarez has the ability to meet privately with city commissioners to discuss legislation and whip up support. The commissioners, on the other hand, are bound by Florida Sunshine Law, which prohibits them from discussing legislative matters with each other outside of a public meeting. In this case, Suarez's help may be essential to securing the three out of five votes needed to pass Pardo's proposal, which seeks to push the November election to 2026 through two City Commission votes, rather than letting voters weigh in via ballot referendum. To date, not a single city commissioner besides Pardo has publicly committed to voting in favor of it. Commissioners Joe Carollo and Miguel Angel Gabela told the Herald they oppose the change and will be voting no. Newly elected Commissioner Ralph Rosado said that while he generally supports moving to even-year elections, he hasn't made up his mind yet. Commissioner Christine King, the chairwoman of the commission, declined to comment publicly on her stance ahead of the June 17 meeting where the commission is slated to cast the first of two votes on the measure. (The meeting was originally set for June 12 but has since been rescheduled.) In need of two supporters on the dais to move his proposal forward, Pardo — who previously called for Suarez's resignation in late 2023 — has turned to the mayor for assistance. 'My general sense is that he thinks this is a good thing for Miami, and he has been willing to make those calls [at] my behest,' Pardo told the Herald. He said the mayor's goal is to 'garner support wherever possible.' 'Francis was involved from the beginning in order for us to find out if there was more support from the dais,' Pardo added. When was the beginning, exactly? Pardo said he's been discussing various reform measures with the mayor since around early 2024, shortly after Pardo was sworn in. As far as their recent conversations, Pardo estimated that he and the mayor have spoken about this particular issue three to four times in the last couple of months, including this week. Asked what has changed for Pardo since he called for Suarez's resignation in late 2023, Pardo cited the mayor's involvement in various city projects, including the Miami Marine Stadium development. 'He started doing his job,' Pardo said of Suarez, who declined to comment for this story. Pardo added that while the mayor is involved in pushing for the election date change, 'This is not about Francis.' 'I think that's the fallacy here,' Pardo said. 'I'm the one pushing the initiative.' Commissioners Rosado and Gabela both confirmed to the Herald that Suarez had discussed the proposal with them. While Gabela couldn't pinpoint exactly when the conversation took place, he said it happened 'a long time ago,' around when Pardo first introduced a separate proposal in April to introduce stricter term limits for elected officials — weeks before the proposal to push back the election was known about publicly. Seeking more information on the legality of Pardo's proposal to delay the November 2025 election, Gabela asked for advice from the Florida Attorney General's Office, which issued a written opinion Wednesday saying the city cannot push its election back to 2026 without voter approval. 'My mind is made up,' Gabela said in light of the Attorney General's opinion. 'I'm a no.' Nevertheless, in a statement Thursday responding to the Attorney General's opinion, Pardo indicated he plans to go full steam ahead: 'We are confident that this reform is both legal and necessary for the benefit of future generations of Miamians.' Gabela's opposition makes Commissioner King a key vote to passing Pardo's proposal. But the Attorney General's opinion could create uncertainty for King, an attorney who has previously expressed concern at commission meetings about passing legislation that might not meet legal muster. At a meeting in March, for example, King directed the city attorney to flag proposed legislation that 'clearly flies in the face of the law.' 'As a practitioner, although I am not representing myself as an attorney, but as an elected official here on this dais, I can still be held responsible by the Florida Bar if I pass any legislation that is not legal,' King said at the meeting, adding: 'I'm not voting on anything that I know is not legal.' City Attorney George Wysong has said that the commission has the authority to move the election date under Florida law, and Pardo has pointed to two Miami-Dade cities that have done so already: Coral Gables and North Miami. Unlike the Miami proposal, Coral Gables officials shortened their terms instead of extending them. The stated purpose of Pardo's legislation is to move the city to even-year elections, which could increase the city's typically low voter turnout and also save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in election costs. Miami residents have generally expressed support for moving to even years, and the mayor has also been a proponent of the change in the past. But another benefit to the election date change is that — in a roundabout matter — it clears the way for Pardo's other reform measure, a proposal to create lifetime term limits for elected officials. Although the two proposals — even-year elections and lifetime term limits — are different items that will be voted on separately, they've become linked for both practical and political reasons. Currently, elected officials in Miami are limited to two four-year terms as mayor and two four-year terms as a commissioner, but they are allowed to return to the same position a few years later. Under Pardo's term limits proposal, elected officials would be capped at two terms in each position for their lifetime. In its current form, that legislation would block Suarez from seeking elected office in Miami again. It would also block Carollo from office since he has already served at least two terms as both mayor and a commissioner, and it would keep his younger brother, former City Commissioner Frank Carollo, from running for the City Commission again. Frank Carollo has already filed to run for the District 3 City Commission seat — currently occupied by his brother — in November, and Joe Carollo has long been mulling another run for mayor. The issue is that the term limits proposal would need to go to voters for approval, and Pardo is aiming to get it on the ballot in November, when residents are scheduled to head to the polls to vote in three races: mayor, District 3 commissioner and District 5 commissioner. But that timing could create legal roadblocks, according to Pardo, because the term limits proposal would be on the same ballot as candidates who would be affected by it. For example, if Frank Carollo or Joe Carollo win in the November election and the term limits proposal also passes and invalidates their victories, they could have standing to sue the city. Why can't the term limits proposal just go on the ballot next year instead? Pardo said he didn't want to risk changes to the 'composition' of the City Commission as a result of the November election that could thwart his efforts. In other words, come November, he might not have the votes for it, depending on who wins. 'I don't want to run that risk of the reshuffling of the cards,' Pardo said. Pardo added that while he is concerned about the possibility of Joe Carollo becoming mayor in November, 'none of this was targeted at anybody.' Carollo sees it differently. 'Damian Pardo and the people that own him are petrified that I might decide to run for mayor,' Carollo said, ' ... because they don't feel they can beat me, and they certainly know that my brother — they have nobody to beat him, either.'
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Marcos Lopez arrest: 2 arrested in connection to case, search for 2 still on
The Brief Two people have been arrested in connection to the case involving suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez. One of the co-defendants has already been released on bond, and authorities are continuing to search for two others who they believe were involved. Lopez was arrested on Thursday on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering over his alleged involvement in a major years-long illegal gambling operation. OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - Two people have been arrested in connection to the case involving suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, officials say. One of the co-defendants has already been released on bond, and authorities are continuing to search for two others who they believe were involvedin the major years-long illegal gambling operation run out of a social club in Kissimmee. What we know According to a criminal complaint, Lopez and at least four others – Ying Zhang, Sharon Fedrick, Sheldon Wetherholt and Carol Cote – owned or operated the million-dollar social club in Kissimmee. Marion County residents Carol Cote and Sharon Fedrick were arrested on Thursday, while officials are still looking for Ying Zhang and Sheldon Wetherholt. On Friday, both Cote and Fedrick were granted bond pending trial by a Lake County judge. Fedrick's bond was set at $300,000 per count due to prior state and federal convictions, while Cote's bond was set at $100,000 for each count. Cote was released on bond later in the day. FOX 35 has learned that she has both an 8-year-old child and 2-year-old twins. Both Cote and Fedrick are scheduled to next appear in court on June 30. What we know On Thursday, Lopez was arrested on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering over his alleged involvement in a major years-long illegal gambling operation, officials said. Lopez was booked into the Lake County Jail and suspended as Osceola County Sheriff by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. FHP's Christopher Blackmon was selected to replace him. According to the Florida Attorney General's Office and the criminal complaint, Lopez was allegedly part of a "massive Central Florida gambling operation" for years. Lopez – and others – face at least two charges: Racketeering Conspiracy to commit racketeering According to the complaint, Lopez was connected to, aware of or part of an illegal gambling operation that ran lotteries and slot machines. Officials say the organization generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds. Following Lopez's election as Osceola County Sheriff in November 2020, investigators say he continued to advance the interests of the criminal organization and collected a portion of the illegal gambling proceeds for his involvement. Dig deeper Lopez was born in Chicago and raised in Central Florida. After obtaining an associate degree in criminal justice, Lopez joined the Osceola County Sheriff's Office in 2003 while serving in the Navy Reserve. He has served as sheriff since 2021 and became the first Hispanic sheriff in the county and the state. Lopez has three children, two of whom are University of Central Florida (UCF) graduates. RELATED STORIES Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez arrested on racketeering charges, officials say Who is Christopher Blackmon? Appointed Osceola County sheriff amid Marcos Lopez arrest, suspension Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez mug shot Video: Sheriff Marcos Lopez arrested Marcos Lopez arrested: What happens if he's fired as Osceola County Sheriff? STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information gathered from the Osceola County Supervisor of Elections office, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office website and shared by the Federal Department of Justice (FDOJ), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Execution Set in 1994 Kidnapping, Murder
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a death warrant for Anthony Wainwright, who was convicted of kidnapping a woman in 1994 from a Winn-Dixie supermarket parking lot in Lake City and raping and murdering her in rural Hamilton County. Wainwright, who had escaped from a North Carolina prison days before killing 23-year-old Carmen Gayheart, is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection on June 10 at Florida State Prison. A 1995 sentencing order by Circuit Judge E. Vernon Douglas described the murder as 'extremely wicked, evil and vile, in that the victim of this case was abducted at gunpoint while placing groceries in her vehicle, as she was en route to pick up her two small children at a day care center.' It said Gayheart was 'made to ponder her fate' for more than an hour as she was driven to where she was strangled and shot twice in the back of the head with a .22-caliber rifle. Wainwright and a co-defendant, Richard Hamilton, were arrested the next day after a shootout with police in Mississippi, according to a document filed last year at the U.S. Supreme Court by the Florida Attorney General's Office in an unsuccessful appeal by Wainwright. Wainwright, 54, is scheduled to be the sixth inmate executed this year in Florida. Four men have been executed, and Glen Rogers is slated to be put to death Thursday in the 1995 murder of a woman in a Tampa motel room. The Wainwright death warrant came a day after the Florida Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Rogers. Past appeals by Wainwright have been unsuccessful, but the Florida Supreme Court on Friday issued a schedule for what could be a final attempt by his attorneys to spare him from execution. The document filed last year at the U.S. Supreme Court by the Attorney General's Office said Wainwright and Hamilton escaped from a prison in Newport, N.C., stole a Cadillac and burglarized a home, where they took two rifles. After driving to Florida, they decided on April 27, 1994, to steal another car because the Cadillac was overheating, according to the court document. They drove into the Winn-Dixie parking lot in Lake City and saw Gayheart loading groceries into a Ford Bronco. Hamilton forced her into the Bronco at gunpoint and drove away, with Wainwright following in the Cadillac. They subsequently ditched the Cadillac and headed north on Interstate 75 before pulling off into a wooded area, where Gayheart was raped and killed, the document said. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida settles with FEMA over claims of bias against Trump-supporting hurricane victims
Video above: Lake Placid residents respond to anti-Trump former FEMA worker TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been cleared of wrongdoing in a case alleging systematic bias against President Donald Trump within the organization. The state of Florida sued FEMA last year amid reports that workers denied aid to hurricane victims in Highlands County who displayed Trump signs. 'It's horrible': Lake Placid residents respond to anti-Trump former FEMA worker The state sued FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and supervisor Marn'i Washington, alleging Washington 'conspired with senior FEMA officials' to skip over those homes, according to a complaint filed by Sen. Ashley Moody last year when she served as Florida Attorney General. Washington was fired after the claims surfaced. Moody claimed Washington's actions were at Criswell's direction, but new court documents revealed that a FEMA probe 'found no evidence that this was a systemic problem, nor that it was directed by agency or field leadership.' At the time the lawsuit was filed, Criswell called the supervisor's conduct 'reprehensible' and said it went against the agency's 'core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation.' 'The United States and Ms. Criswell regret the actions giving rise to this case and agree with the State of Florida that those actions never should have occurred,' a Monday email from the Department of Justice to the Florida Attorney General's Office stated. 'We are also hopeful that, in light of all we have provided, the state of Florida and its people can be confident that FEMA is striving to avoid a repeat of the events giving rise to this case and that the agency is committed to the fair, compassionate, and even-handed delivery of services.' The Florida Attorney General's Office informed the court a settlement was reached earlier this month. A federal judge ordered the case dismissed with prejudice on Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Toll scheme bilks Pinellas couple out of $4,500
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Florida Attorney General's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement recently shut down hundreds of fraudulent Sun-Pass websites, designed to steal your money. But that hasn't stopped crooks from creating new ones and continuing to send them to Floridians, with threatening text messages to pay unpaid tolls. A Pinellas County woman fell for the scheme and ended up out more than $4,500. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now At 80 years old, Ed Mondello works full days driving a truck. He said his elderly wife mistakenly clicked on a fraudulent link in a threatening text message claiming she had unpaid tolls. The scheme has hit consumers nationwide for months, and crooks aren't letting up. 'They said she didn't pay the toll, and she had to pay the toll $6.99 by a certain time,' Mondello said. 'If not, it would go on her credit report, and she would lose her registration. I feel lousy. She's going to be 83 years old. She can never make up that money again. It's ridiculous.' Sarasota doctor charged with sexual battery accused of inappropriate treatments Mondello said his wife used her Achieva Credit union debit card to pay $6.99, but crooks used her debit card 25 times over three days at Staples Stores based in Connecticut and Massachusetts. 'Every time her balance went down the bank took it out of her savings and put it in her check so nothing would bounce,' Mondello said. The Mondellos reported the fraud to Achieva and filed a police report. The fraud happened in February, and they recently received a letter, saying that because this was a digital payment, they won't be reimbursed. It was devastating news. Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken contacted Achieva and was initially told the claim was denied because the thief put Ms. Mondello's debit card in an Apple digital wallet and would not have been able to do that if Mondello did not share a passcode that the credit union sent to her as a security measure. This is something the Mondellos insist didn't happen. But days later, there was good news:it was determined that a vendor for the credit union should have caught these suspicious, repeated amounts and since it failed to do so, Mondellos would receive every penny back. Mondellos tells me the credit union returned each of the transactions, totaling more than $4, relieved and said his wife learned a big lesson about clicking on links that show up in a text message. A spokesperson for Achieva credit union said their vendor was already in the process of investigating this issue, but that if there was not a vendor mistake, the Mondellos would have been out the money. Achieva said this is a reminder to guard your pin number. Achieva sent these tips: Use account alerts: Set up alerts through your credit union's mobile app to receive real-time updates on your transactions. This helps you catch unauthorized activity quickly. Time is truly of the essence in these types of situations because if the fraud is caught quickly, your financial institution can likely help you recoup your losses. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA): This adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a second verification step when logging into your accounts. Report suspicious messages: If something seems suspicious, report it to SunPass and your financial institution as soon as possible. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
