How much longer will Miami taxpayers pay for Crazy Joe Carollo’s lawyers?

Fellow commissioner estimates tab is $30 million
Remember when Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo got slapped with a $63.5 million jury verdict for abusing his office by “weaponizing” city departments to go after someone who had supported his opponent? Well it’s still costing taxpayers every day — and Commissioner Miguel Gabela estimates it at between $27 and $30 million, so far.
“Let’s stop the bleeding now,” Gabela said Thursday, introducing an item that would cease payments to Carollo’s legal dream team and also seek reimbursement for millions in fees that have been paid already. After some back and forth, the commission deferred any decision to the first meeting in October. Again.
Because this is not the first time they find themselves debating whether the city should keep paying the sky-high legal bills for Crazy Joe. Have the city attorneys heard him on the radio weekday mornings? He’s not making his case any stronger.
Background: Carollo and the city were sued in 2021 by the Little Havana businessmen who own Ball and Chain on Calle Ocho — and who had the audacity to support another opponent in the 2017 District 3 race — after they were hit with a series of code enforcement violations that forced them to shut down. In 2023, a Broward jury sided with them — saying that Carollo retaliated against them for political reasons and violated their First Amendment rights — and handed them a jackpot judgement. In July, he lost an appeal before a three-judge pane at the Third District Court of Appeals.
Las malas lenguas say his attorneys will ask for a rehearing in front of the full DCA. And why not? Appeals aren’t free, but Carollo isn’t paying for it.
Read related: Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo loses appeal on $63.5 million jury award
Gabela is clearly fed up and said what everybody else has been thinking: Carollo is costing the city a fortune.
“I’m tired personally of paying on behalf of the taxpayer,” Gabela said. “Since I’ve been here this has been an issue, and I’ve been here almost more than a year and a half.”
Still, others weren’t ready to cut Carollo loose.
Commission Chairwoman Christine King, possibly the only ally he has left, warned that pulling city coverage now would “set a dangerous precedent” and make elected officials think twice before taking action if they aren’t sure the city will back them up.
Translation: If we let Carollo drown, who’s going to save us when we’re in hot water?
Said City Attorney George Wysong: “Anyone with $410 can file a lawsuit.”
Currently, the city policy is to represent any elected official, appointed official or employee. “We need to represent them until the case is disposed of,” Wysong explained to commissioners, adding that there was plenty of precedent showing that the city “may pay” for Carollo’s appeals. Did you all notice the word “may?” Because Ladra did. Apparently, state law is wishy-washy.
“I don’t know if there is any case law saying we can stop the payments.”
Wysong also told the commission that if they change the policy, Carollo or his attorneys could sue the city.
“It’s there to prevent you all from being sued and fearing being sued, gives you the confidence to make decisions without the threat of lawsuit by a disgruntled citizen,” Wysong said.
If anyone is still confused, you’re not alone. King asked Assistant City Attorney Kevin Jones to clear that up. “Can you give this to us in plain language? Because George, respectfully, you said “Yes, no, yes, no, yes, no. Maybe.”
Jones said that the case is not over and that Carollo’s team may be asking the Third District Court for an appeal hearing before all the judges. “We have a history of defending politicians who are sued,” Jones said. “We have never in the past, in the middle of litigation, before its concluded, have we decided to abandon the client.”
King said she didn’t want to be caught in another legal fiasco like the city did with the election year change after commissioners cancelled this year’s election without going to a public vote. Judges have ruled three times already, twice on appeal, that it was a violation of the city charter and county Home Rule charter and said they can’t do it. The city dropped it, but not before they spent a boatload of taxpayer money on outside attorneys trying to steal their vote.
Gabela suggested that Carollo — who left the dais during this discussion — pay for his own attorneys from his political action committee, Miami First, which currently has more than $1.8 million parked in a bank account, according to the most recent campaign finance report.
Read related: Jury says Miami’s Joe Carollo abused power to violate 1st Amendment rights
“It’s very difficult he’s going to win this time. The odds are stacked against him,” Gabela told his colleagues. “Let him have his day in court, but let him pay for it. Then, if he prevails we reimburse him.”
He reminded them that a judge had already ruled that Carollo did not have qualified immunity as a commissioner. “He was acting in his personal capacity,” Gabela said.
And he is relying on a state law that says legal fees for a municipal employee or official paid by public tax dollars may be recovered if that person is found to be personally liable by virtue of acting outside the scope of his or her employment, or was acting in bad faith, with malicious purpose.”
Yep, that pretty much describes the situation.
“Enough is enough,” Gabela said. “He should have his day in court. This is not what it’s about. But we’re already tired of paying
“We have a fiduciary duty to take care of the city’s money,” the commissioner said, adding that between legal fees and settlements the tab has run up to almost $30 million. The city’s insurance company disclosed last year that the legal fees had exceeded $10 million and the city settled last year on another lawsuit from the same Little Havana business group — for $12.5 million.
Commissioner Damian Pardo agreed. “I don’t think taxpayers should continue this fight,” he said.
In the end, the decision was punted — again. Commissioners kicked the can to October 9, meaning that for now, Miami taxpayers are still stuck paying for Crazy Joe’s army of lawyers. And Ladra is sure they are doing as much work as possible to get as many billable hours on the clock while the meter keeps running.
Ladra can’t help but wonder: How much longer before the legal tab for one commissioner starts rivaling the city’s police budget?
The post How much longer will Miami taxpayers pay for Crazy Joe Carollo’s lawyers? appeared first on Political Cortadito.

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