Monday, September 2, 2013

Welcome to Hiaasenland

Arrests of 3 Mayors Reinforce Florida’s Notoriety as a Hothouse for Corruption. (The New York Times, 9/1/2013)

The Dishonor Roll

Steven C. Bateman, mayor of Homestead.  (Though you'll no longer find him listed on the city's website.) Accepted under-the-table payments from health care company.


Photo source:  Homestead is Home

More about Bateman.  Bateman:  From cufflinks to handcuffs. (Miami Herald, 8/28/2013)

Meow:    On any other day, Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman could be found in City Hall, wearing a well-fitted suit and tie, his jet-black dyed hair perfectly parted and combed.


Manuel Marono, (former) mayor of Sweetwater and president of Florida League of Cities was arrested on August 6.  (Kickback and bribery schemes.)

Photo credit:  Politics365


Michael Pizzi, (former) mayor of Miami Lakes was also arrested for the same misdeals on August 6.

Photo source:  Political Cortadito

Carl, of course, has something to say on the matter.

South Florida scores corruption trifecta in August.  (Miami Herald, 9/1/2013)

Excerpt:   It’s a new sleazeball record, even for South Florida: Three different mayors busted on corruption charges in 22 days. 

That’s almost a mayor a week in handcuffs. No other county in the nation can match the pace of corruption being set by Miami-Dade. 

Last Wednesday it was Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman, currently running for re-election, who got pinched on two felony counts of unlawful compensation and assorted violations of the county’s ethics code. 

(I’m not joking. There really is an ethics code.) 

And on Tuesday, October 22, Dade County is observing Ethical Governance Day 2013.

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