{"id":12405,"date":"2014-01-10T07:40:16","date_gmt":"2014-01-10T14:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/?p=12405"},"modified":"2014-01-10T08:42:10","modified_gmt":"2014-01-10T15:42:10","slug":"corruption-reaches-new-peak-in-sweetwater-fl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/corruption-reaches-new-peak-in-sweetwater-fl\/","title":{"rendered":"Corruption Reaches New Peak In Sweetwater, FL"},"content":{"rendered":"

As an example of local corruption and national official incompetence\/brutality, Sweetwater, Florida will serve.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Isolina

Isolina \u201cla Madrina\u201d Maro\u00f1o<\/p><\/div>\n

by Carlos Miller<\/em><\/p>\n

A commissioner from one of the most corrupt municipalities in Miami-Dade County tried to use her political muscle to sic the cops on a local television reporter who was digging for more dirt on the scandal-plagued city.<\/p>\n

Sweetwater\u00a0commissioner Isabel Maro\u00f1o<\/a>\u00a0was not going to let an ongoing federal investigation that has already led to the conviction of the city\u2019s mayor \u2013 who also happens to be her son \u2013 keep her from trying to intimidate a reporter for making inquiries that could possibly lead to more arrests.<\/p>\n

But her plan backfired when the local cops not only refused to investigate Erika Carrillo from the Spanish-language station, America Teve, but the complaint led to further inquiries from\u00a0a reporter from El Nuevo Herald<\/a>, prompting the commissioner to say the following:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not interested in speaking to you. I don\u2019t know how you dare call me.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is a woman who has been quoted in the past as saying, \u201cYou either off the press or pay off the press.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not to be deterred by the police disinterest in her complaint, Maro\u00f1o and another commissioner, a former cop named Catalino Rodriguez, visited America Teve to try to get them to kill the story; which involved Carrillo attempting to interview department head Jennifer Mu\u00f1oz-Maro\u00f1o, who is also\u00a0la Madrina\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0daughter-in-law.<\/p>\n

Rodriguez was a Sweetwater cop\u00a0until last year\u00a0<\/a>when a commission seat became available after its predecessor had to take over the mayoral position in the wake of his arrest, so it\u2019s probably only a matter of time when he becomes mayor.<\/p>\n

Sweetwater is so dirty that even the Miami Herald refers to it as\u201csleazy Sweetwater<\/a>\u201d in a recent report:<\/p>\n

A small city wedged in the northeast corner of Southwest Eighth Street and Florida\u2019s Turnpike, Sweetwater\u2019s claim to fame is that it was founded by Russian circus midgets 72 years ago.<\/p>\n

But by the 1980s, Sweetwater gained a reputation as a corruption capital. Cops were investigated for beating up citizens. One officer went on a murder-robbery spree. And four city commissioners and the mayor were found guilty in a federal extortion scheme.<\/p>\n

This year, Mayor Manny Maro\u00f1o upheld the city\u2019s sad tradition when he was indicted in an FBI grant-fraud sting.<\/p>\n

Federal agents and the press then set about untangling the web of corruption in Sweetwater.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a towing company, linked to Maro\u00f1o, that financially preyed on some citizens and led to the questionable seizure of a Porsche Panamera.<\/p>\n

Investigators are trying to track down missing police evidence \u2014 including cash \u2014 and have uncovered a secret evidence room that dirty cops might have used as a gift store for loved ones. Three officers are under investigation for police brutality and doctoring investigative records.<\/p>\n

Even a police horse \u2014 a handsome black Percheron named Maverick bought by city taxpayers \u2014 made a corruption cameo. Maverick mysteriously ended up at the Homestead ranch of a former Sweetwater police lieutenant.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a like a criminal enterprise,\u201d Deborah Centeno, a twice-failed candidate for city commission, said.<\/p>\n

Maro\u00f1o\u2019s mother, City Commissioner Isolina Maro\u00f1o, showed off a mobster\u2019s mouth when she threatened an El Nuevo Herald reporter who helped expose her son\u2019s shenanigans.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a saying in Cuba,\u201d Isolina Maro\u00f1o said. \u201cYou either off the press or pay off the press.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Fortunately, it doesn\u2019t look like Carrillo or America Teve is going to back down as she has been\u00a0covering the corruption<\/a>\u00a0since last year.<\/p>\n

\"Erika<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIn this country there is freedom of expression and of the press and, though officials may not be comfortable with the information we run, our job is to present a balanced report,\u201d she said. \u201cFor six weeks I filed public information requests and all the information I reported is based on Sweetwater documents and emails with responses that the city gave me.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

In Carrillo\u2019s report on Thursday, she revealed that the organization the Alliance for Aging, with which Sweetwater has three contracts for services to the elderly, had begun an investigation into the use of the funds to purchase two 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe trucks for the use of employees of other departments.<\/p>\n

The money for the purchase of the vehicles came from a fund that cannot be used for that purpose, according to the investigation.<\/p>\n

One of the trucks was assigned to Johanna Rubio Mu\u00f1iz, director of human resources. Mu\u00f1iz is also the godmother of a child of Jennifer and Manny Maro\u00f1o\u2019s.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While this doesn\u2019t have to do with the right to record, it has everything to do with government transparency. And it has to do with an American-elected official acting as if she is still in Cuba.<\/p>\n

Commissioner Isolina Maro\u00f1o<\/strong>
\nimarono@cityofsweetwater.fl.gov<\/a>
\n305-485-4524<\/strong>
\nFacebook: City of Sweetwater<\/a>
\nTwitter @SweetwaterCity<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

More\u00a0numbers here<\/a>\u00a0if that one, which was taken from her city profile, does not work.<\/p>\n

Here is\u00a0Florida \u00a0blogger Elaine Del Valle’s\u00a0<\/a>take on the situation:<\/p>\n

Manny Maro\u00f1o\u2019 mama: Elected to harass the press?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Elected officials in Miami-Dade seem fond of harassing journalists on a regular basis. It\u2019s like a virus or something.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s spreading.<\/p>\n

From Hialeah\u2019s Mayor\u00a0Carlos \u201cCastro\u201d Hernandez<\/strong>\u00a0having me followed by police and throwing me out of public meetings to newly elected Miami Beach Mayor\u00a0Philip Levine<\/strong>\u00a0deciding who is a journalist and who is not to, now, Sweetwater Commissioner\u00a0Isolina Maro\u00f1o<\/strong>, who apparently called the cops on a TV reporter doing her job and asking the right questions.<\/p>\n

But what can you expect from the mother of former Mayor\u00a0Manny \u201cMara\u00f1a\u201d Maro\u00f1o<\/strong>, who was arrested in August on federal bribery charges and faces jail time for willingly taking part in a scheme where he greased the wheels for bogus grant applications in exchange for $40,000 in kickbacks? [It’s been said, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.]<\/em><\/p>\n

Actually, we\u00a0have<\/em>\u00a0to expect better. And by we, I mean\u00a0you<\/em>, the other elected officials and political world people who\u00a0know<\/em>\u00a0better. You know who you are. You look the other way when you should speak up or smile for the photo ops with these known abusers days after you say how brave or fair you think the journalist is and how stupid Levine is or how cowardly Castro can be.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Miami-Dade Commission Chair Rebeca Sosa & Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez<\/p><\/div>\n

Oh, hell, I\u2019m just going to say it. You are people like Sen. Rene Garcia (R-Hialeah), Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Grieco, even mild-mannered schoolteacher and Miami-Dade Commission Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa and, last but certainly not least, Our \u201cGolden Boy\u201d Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez. And you will all have to forgive me for singling you out, because you are in good and ample company. But Ladra has simply had it up to here with what is, at best, your lack of leadership when it comes to protection of your constituents\u2019 right to a free press,<\/strong> or worse: being brazenly two-faced.<\/p>\n

You have the potential to be really good leaders. You are already there. You just have to lead. And, that includes setting a no tolerance standard for violence \u2014 verbally, physically or through abuse of their elected authority \u2014 toward journalists<\/strong> in Miami-Dade. Because, when your colleagues threaten and intimidate the media, they are trying to silence the media. This isn\u2019t Cuba or Venezuela or Colombia.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t do it for Ladra. Do it for every journalist who has ever been offended or insulted or, yes, been a little afraid for her safety simply for trying to get to the truth. Do it for former Miami Herald reporter Bonnie Weston, who was once spat on twice by former Miami Beach Commissioner Abe Hirschfeld at a public event. Do it for photographer Carlos Miller, who has been arrested three times \u2014 by Miami, Miami Beach and Miami-Dade Police \u2014 for taking photos or video as is his Constitutionally protected right, affirmed by the fact \u00a0he is never convicted for having done so. Do it for Al Crespo, whose character is maligned each time Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado needs to deflect attention from something, as if the blogger\u2019s past has anything to do with your behavior or decisions, Mr. Mayor. Do it today for Channel 41 America Teve\u2019s Erika Carillo, a dogged investigative reporter who was asking questions about a program (read: scam<\/strong>) where money from the Sweetwater senior center, run by the suspended Mayor Maro\u00f1o\u2019s wife, was used to buy two 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe trucks for city employees in other departments, one of whom is also the couple\u2019s goddaughter.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Isolina “La Madrina” Maro\u00f1o<\/p><\/div>\n

Nooooo<\/em>, not in\u00a0Swee<\/em>twater<\/em>! Not where the first family\u2019s tow company is being investigated for fraudulently seizing cars and wads of cash may have disappeared from a secret stash, er, I mean an obscure police evidence locker nobody knew about!\u00a0Nah<\/em>!<\/p>\n

Naturally, Maro\u00f1o called the cops on Carillo<\/a>. Maybe she liked the reporter\u2019s car and wanted to get it towed.<\/p>\n

Ladra is sure that Erika \u2014 who is not afraid of Maro\u00f1o given she\u2019s taken on Castro Hernandez at times \u2014 asked some uncomfortable questions. But, they are relevant and fair and, most importantly, Constitutionally protected<\/em>\u00a0questions! When another reporter called Maro\u00f1o, after she complained to the station, the commissioner said,\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t know how you dare call me!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

We dare because you are a public, elected official who is pretty much expected to answer relevant questions that reporters ask in this country. It isn\u2019t like in yours, where the only good journalists were \u201ceither paid off or just offed\u201d<\/em> as you once told another TV reporter in a voice mail message.<\/p>\n

It would almost seem as if these elected officials forgot they were seated to protect and serve us. They need to be reminded that our government, our country, was built, not\u00a0on<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0the first Amendment but\u00a0for<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0the first amendment…for freedom! And the fourth estate was protected by our forefathers because it facilitates democracy. I promise you, wherever you have a seasoned investigative journalist or a pesky gadfly blogger or someone who is both those things bothering elected officials with uncomfortable questions, you have a government with more transparency and fewer transgressions.<\/p>\n

Everyone should \u201cdare\u201d to call Commissioner Maro\u00f1o at 305-485-4524 or on her cell at 786-366-4977 and remind her of this.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve really had it with this. It\u2019s a slippery slope, folks. I\u2019ve been saying it for a while. But, then we go back to our business and forget the first amendment is being violated on a regular basis by Miami-Dade politicians.<\/p>\n

And, so, the virus spreads.<\/p>\n

So now I\u2019m saying it differently: It\u2019s time to take the Banana Republic back. This is America, whether they like it or not.<\/p>\n

I challenge the local authorities, Mayor Carlos Gimenez or, better yet, the State Attorney\u2019s Office or the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust to look into creating some kind of mandatory oath to abide by the Constitution of the United States and respect first Amendment rights before anyone can file to run for office–punishable by removal from the seat should they break their vow…or, really hefty fines at least, like the ones levied against candidates who malign one\u00a0another<\/em>.<\/p>\n

And, I challenge the local media to come together in defense of Erika and others to demand\u00a0they do it.<\/p>\n

Hey, maybe this is a project for the Miami-Dade League of Cities?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As an example of local corruption and national official incompetence\/brutality, Sweetwater, Florida will serve. by Carlos Miller A commissioner from one of the most corrupt municipalities in Miami-Dade County tried to use her political muscle to sic the cops on … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12405"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12413,"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12405\/revisions\/12413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/amicuscuria.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}