It is hard to find an unexamined angle in the historic election of the nation's first African American president. But here is one: does Obama's election change African American politics in South Florida?
In Miami-Dade, political accommodation manifests in a time-tested status quo: urban, black districts are represented by commissioners whose incumbency depends on zoning decisions in favor of political campaign contributors mostly from builders in Hispanic suburbs. The quid pro quo to these elected officials through Hispanic commissioners, like de facto chair Natacha Seijas, reveals through lobbyists and public contracts-- gasoline supply at Miami International Airport comes to mind. (Read, below. What a shame that voters turned back the county-wide referendum measure to pay county commissioners a living wage.)
The sharp contraction of the building industry will effect how political campaigns in Miami are monetized.
In the past, Democrats seeking the presidency came to black communities with funds to help get-out-the-vote. By accounts, the Obama campaign did not follow this path; its fundraising through the internet meant that Obama did not come to Miami on bent knee to South Florida's builders and developers as past campaigns have done.
President-elect Obama represents hope and change. It will be very interesting to see if--indeed-- a new day is dawning in our own local elected councils, like the city and county commission, represented by a political elite that has successfully resisted change.
"Posted on Fri, Oct. 17, 2008
Miami International Airport fuel-farm figure sentenced
By SUSANNAH A. NESMITH
One of the principal players in Miami-Dade's airport fuel-farm scandal pleaded guilty to bribery charges and another contractor involved in the scam was sentenced for his role. Evens Thermilus was sentenced Thursday to six months of community control and two years of probation, and required to perform 500 hours of community service with Habitat for Humanity.
Last week, Antonio Junior, a confidante to former County Commissioner Barbara Carey-Shuler, got the same deal, minus the community service, for his guilty plea to one charge of commercial bribery. His sentencing will be after the trial of the last remaining defendants next month.
Thermilus and Junior were among nearly two dozen individuals and corporations charged with several interrelated corruption scandals at Miami International Airport's fuel farm in 2004. Prosecutors said both men were involved in procuring inflated contracts for services at the fuel farm and then splitting the proceeds with county and fuel-farm employees.
Others were charged with stealing fuel and overcharging the county to haul away fuel-tainted water.
In addition to the community control and probation, Junior was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and $10,000 to help cover the costs of the investigation. Prosecutors dropped racketeering, fraud and theft charges against him.
Thermilus, a construction contractor, pleaded guilty to one count of organized fraud in 2004 and agreed to testify against former city Commissioner Art Teele, who was under investigation at the time in an unrelated corruption case.
Thermilus was told he would be sentenced to 20 months in prison in exchange for his cooperation, but Teele committed suicide in the lobby of The Miami Herald in 2005.
His original deal improved because he was able to give prosecutors information that helped them in the fuel-farm case, his attorney said.
''He had provided a lot of information on Antonio Junior,'' attorney Rod Vereen said.
The remaining fuel-farm defendants are set to go to trial next month."
4 comments:
It was relly touching to hear Kendrick Meeks on NPR say how overwhelmed with joy he and his mother were at the election of Barak Obama.
Oh wait, he endorsed and campagined for Hillary Clinton.
Hope he didn't hurt his leg hopping on the bandwagon (you too Manny Diaz)
Nothing will change for the AA community until they take responsibilty for their own lives and decisions. Government is a limited tool that is usually misguided and ineffective. Peoples personal decisions are the true deciding factor in the direction their lives take.
This is a extraordinary day for the AA community, but to make it a success they must address the many shortfalls in their culture.
No one has begun thinking about the implications of Obama's march to the presidency. It will take some time for people to get there. Right now, they are in awe of his victory. His ground-breaking organizational strategy involving millions of volunteers has started a major movement in this country that could have implications at the local level.
Did you know that they strategically sent white volunteers to canvass door to door in the black areas of Miami-Dade? Lessons were learned, observations noted, and friends were made. The change started with the campaign. . .
I can't expect for anything to change on the national level for the AA commmunity when here in Miami the City of Miami Police Dept. won't even promote 7 black officers who have done EVERYTHING right, from passing their tests to winning a 14 year lawsuit. Talk about talking responsibility they've been responsible how about the local law enforcement doing their job for a chance! Obama's presidency is definitely a step forward for the world but until others who hold position do what's right we'll always be moving backwards! If not racism what is this?
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