FREE MICHELLE!

First off, welcome back Investigation Miami, we missed you!

Second, kudos to Eye On Miami for posting Armando Codina's deposition in the Michelle Spence Jones case.

So Codina gave money to Spence Jone's favorite charity?

How is this any different than when someone gives money to the YMCA (where County Commissioner Natasha Seijas works) ahead of a vote on moving the Urban Development Boundary?

Why does Michelle get prosecuted and others do not?

Mayor Tomas Regalado, Phantom Mayor Armando Gutierrez, and Chairman Marc Sarnoff continue to rob the city blind and get away with it.

Hey Kathy,

Time to end the bullshit prosecutions and go after the REAL criminals!

WHILE WE WAIT, MORE ON IDIOT ZAYON

Go read The Crespo Gram Report and the excellent story on City idiot Angel Zayon.

While we wait for someone at City Hall to get arrested and/or Veldora Arthur to be fired, we want to add our two cents on Zayon.

Let's ask two questions, both have the same answer:

1.  How does a "low watt" cable channel like CV Network get a channel number 15 spot on the Comcast Miami cable line up?

2.  Who controls Comcast's franchise agreement with the City of Miami?

You guessed it!

Zayon's "father,"  Mayor Regalado.

DEAR TONY: SUSPEND VELDORA ARTHUR NOW!

The following email was sent by a loyal TBM reader to the City Manager along with the Mayor, City Commissioners, and our pals at The Miami Herald Mayor's Press Office.

Dear Mr. Crapp:

I am outraged by the statement to the Miami Herald of Miami Fire Department spokesman Ignatius Carroll regarding the federal indictment of Assistant Fire Chief Veldora Arthur, to wit:  "Our stance is this is a personal matter that has nothing to do with her role as a fire chief. So right now she has to report to work. She’s innocent until proven guilty.”

Mr. Carroll's statement is in contradiction to the City of Miami's APM 2-98 "Relief of Duty" which states in pertinent part that:

"In the event an employee is under a criminal investigation, said employee shall be relieved of duty with pay until convicted or criminally charged, unless, as determined by the City Manager the arresting charges are significant enough to warrant the employee to be immediately relieved of duty without pay. Once charged criminally the employee shall be carried without pay."  (emphasis mine)

It is your duty as City Manager to make sure the APMs are adhered to and this case should be no different.  Ms. Arthur has, according to the Miami Herald, "been charged along with four others by a federal grand jury with taking part in an $11 million mortgage fraud scheme." 

Unless you as City Manager determine that being charged by a federal grand jury of participating in an $11 million mortgage fraud scheme is insignificant, there is no reason why Ms. Arthur is not immediately relived of her duty without pay. 

Failure to act on your part not only violates the APMs and your duty as City Manager, but further violates the bond of service between yourself and the citizens that you have sworn to serve, causing a further erosion of trust between the people and city government.

I ask that in the name of all citizens of Miami, you relieve Ms. Arthur from her post without pay.  Failure to do so will force me to seek redress from the Governor of the State of Florida.

We agree!

Tony, is it not enough that she makes $300,000 and has other jobs?  Stop the lies and the abuse of taxpayers and get rid of Veldora Arthur now!!!

TONY: THE APM IS CLEAR, SO WHY IS SHE STILL HERE???

 *** *** *** *** UPDATE *** *** *** ***

More incredible reporting from The Straw Buyer.

$300,000 AND other jobs WHILE working for the City! 

Tony isn't doing CRAPP!!!

***************************************************************************

"In the event an employee is under a criminal investigation, said employee shall be relieved of duty with pay until convicted or criminally charged, unless, as determined by the City Manager the arresting charges are significant enough to warrant the employee to be immediately relieved of duty without pay. Once charged criminally the employee shall be carried without pay."

APM 2-98

Can you not read and understand your own APMs Tony?

Do you need a $70,000 consultant to tell you what to do?

The fact is that Ms. Arthur remains employed by the City and is making $300,000 from taxpayer money is an insult and an affront to the citizens of Miami!

THE STRAW BUYER SCOOPS ALL LOCAL MEDIA - BLOGS ARE REPORTING WHAT THEY WON'T

The Straw Buyer broke the news that City of Miami Assistant Fire Chief Veldora Arthur was indicted on mortgage fraud.

Had it not been for The Straw Buyer, the local media would not have covered this story.

Once again, blogs like ours, Al Crespo, The Straw Buyer, and others are reporting what the local news media will not.

Veldora makes a $184,000 salary and has a compensation package in excess of $300,000.

Best think about it?  She gets to keep her job!

What would happen to you in the private sector if you are served with a federal indictment?

And why should Ms. Arthur be any different than any of the City of Miami commissioners that were removed from office under indictment?

That Ms. Arthur is not put on IMMEDIATE suspension without pay is a sign that the City of Miami does not care about taxpayers, but protects its $300,000 own.

HEY TONY, HOW IS THE BUDGET COMING ALONG?

The red light camera thing isn't working out as you planned.

Armando Gutierrez cashed his check, but the city is still in the red.

The pensions are still out there, and the cops are pissed at you. 

Larry and Dianne are STILL there, and Igwe is finding irregularities all over the place.

How are you doing "people person" manager?

Wouldn't it be nice to have SOME financial experience right about now?

MORE ACCUSATIONS, AND THE PRESS OFFICE REMAINS SILENT

Once again, former Mayor Joe Carollo goes on Spanish language TV and blasts current Mayor Tomas Regalado for taking money from gambling machine operators.

If you do not speak Spanish, you are screwed, because the Miami Herald Mayor's Press Office WILL NOT publish this story!

Carollo reveals the names of those behind gambling machines in Miami and Hialeah, going as far as to state that these interests were involved in meetings at the City of Miami where Mayor Regalado assembled a team of city bureaucrats to discuss ways to implement the gambling machine ordinance.

One of the men involved with the machines and present at the City meeting, Jesus Abreu, has prior arrests for gambling machine violations, and the arresting officer was none other than City of Miami Police Chief, Miguel Exposito.

Could this be yet another reason why Regalado wants Exposito gone?

Carollo reiterates that he IS NOT running for office, but that Regalado's son IS RUNNING for State Representative...

Carollo also addresses allegations that he is working for Magic City Casino, and refutes those allegations.

In fact, Carollo then goes on to say that our pal Angel Zayon (who is paid over $100,000 in salary and benefits), has a T.V. show from 8 to 9 am, whose main sponsor is the Magic City Casino.  The show was given to him because Zayon is Regalado's spokesman.

The sponsorship from Miami City Casino is a payback to Regalado for protection from noise ordinance and other violations.

Carollo finishes with an analysis of Regalados' campaign reports where irregularities appear, with close to $40,000 unaccounted for.

Carollo says Regalado is immune because he controls the press through his contacts, Zayon and the Phantom Mayor Gutierrez, and he has the State Attorney quiet also.

Carollo finishes with a challenge to Regalado, to debate him anywhere!

Of course, NO ONE in the Miami Herald will report this...

Why?