Former Homestead mayor speaks about conviction on corruption charges If you don't see video try this link
Meanwhile, Attorney Ben Kuehne's other client, Michael Pizzi, is trying to get the Miami Lakes position of Mayor back...armed with a harshly worded opinion to Rick Scott from the Florida Supreme Court.
61 comments:
boo frickin hoo!
How naive is he that he didn't do anything wrong?
We're getting to the point that there's so much corruption that people (politicians) don't even think it's corruption anymore.
He will really have a waterworks project going once the bloods, crypts and aryan nation get him curling his toes.
and the Oscar goes to..........
Isn't Bateman married? Why didn''t Brodie just hire his wife? Isn't that how we normally buy a politician in the 305?
Why me, why me the good guy :'-(
South Florida is the septic tank of the USA.
What a wimp now he's crying!!!! He spent 10 years raping the City of Homestead and its citizens. He took soooo much from us and now its over.
Now he gets to learn to say new things like yes Bubba I will have some more.
Septic tanks,gang threats,going after his wife,a description of rape,sounds like a hate group. Vendettas are for those that really have no pertinent point to make. It's the typical small group of people that don't know anything about the case. I thought these blogs were for discussing topics you have some knowledge about. Obviously not!,,
Steve Bateman has always been very successful at talking his way out of many things and can play the victim nearly as well as his former cohort, Judy Waldman. This time will be different, the jury has spoken and all of the charm and wit he thinks he has will not bail him out of this mess. His mentality of what he did as being good for Homestead (and therefore not wrong)and did not hurt or kill anyone is the crux of the thought process among most corrupt office holders. That is to say, I made progress,so what if I got a little extra for myself. Channel 10 fell into the trap and let this thug give his superficial view of the world without any apparent research on the real Steve Bateman. NOTE to Stevie B.: you have nothing to lose, hand them all up; those on Council who did the dirty deeds with you, (free funerals and light bills paid) those who got a slap on the wrist for stealing Homestead blind at the fill pit, the one who gave your wife a good deal on the car,the guy who nearly got a great deal on city land by giving your wife a commission and the school operator who got the benefit of tens of millions of dollars through the free lease you and Sergio pushed through. Finally, Steve, are you really going to serve time while Brodes Hartley sits in his Palmetto Bay mansion collecting his nearly 400 grand a year ? He knew what he was doing when he agreed to pay you and he needs to go away too. It takes two to tango and your dance partner is a bad guy. Be a hero, crack it open for all to see the corruption that you can prove that runs so deep.
Marc Sarnoff should be worried he will be indicted for being a lobbyist for the crooks promoting Miami WorldCenter. Crooks? Google Art Falcone.
hes not as bad as everyone thinks
True, he is much worse.
Uber lawyer Keuhne must have crapped his pants when he saw this interview. No remorse, no respect for the jury by Bateman. Play it at the sentencing hearing.
you could dig up "stuff" on everyone in the game. Because thats what it is. A GAME
All these people in office think they have absolute power and are not accountable to the citizens and taxpayers.
To THEM, it is a game..."whomever dies with the most toys - wins!"
This guy played the game too cavalierly and lost - BIG!
He will never "rat out" Hartley because I'm certain that the "Good Col." has a few "Goodfellas" in the big house that may make Bateman's new home a little too uncomfortable for him.
Hail the new Era - the Age of Absolutism is OVER!
You can't steal Homestead blind because the voters do it when they don't vote. Take responsibility for yourselves and start a campaign to vote. Leave the Bateman family and Judy Waldman alone . They did a good job, we need to Thank them . CHI is doing great. They are opening new places and offering service needed. I hear a lot of sour grapes , but not from Leaders .Toooo bad that's all they really have to offer.
AGREE
Bateman, Otis Wallace (Barbara Jordans overweight brother), Lynda Bell...Steve Shiver...
Rest assured that many people not named Ben Keuhne are crapping their pants right now. That video will provide Keuhne with lots of potential clients who now have to wear the depends brand underwear. Bateman being transformed into a little bedwetting sissy will have consequences for years to come.
CHI does great work for this community. Any idea how many people in south Dade are walking around healthy because they got healthcare services from them? Many thousands upon thousands of people. Elected officials should be working hard to help them expand services and help more people in need. To hit them up for a consultancy for work you should be doing for free as a part of your elected role is unconscionable. Maybe that is why there are so few services for poor people here. They want someone to pay them. No money, no help from the elected official.
CHI planned to pay CROOKED Bateman $120,000 from taxpayers. CHI paid CROOKED Brodes Hartley $400,000 from taxpayers to hire CROOKED Bateman to ram their projects through instead of waiting for proper permits. CHI is CROOKED. CROOKED CHI is fleecing taxpayers. CROOKED CHI needs to apologize to taxpayers.
The CHI lover defends a company that is CROOKED because it may have done some good work. That sounds like CROOKED Bateman's theory. The law is clear if you are a CROOK hired by another CROOK of a CROOKED company you broke the law. Exactly what part of that is beyond your grasp?
The legal problem for Bateman was that he did not disclose he was working for pay for the agency. He should have let everyone know, not voted on items before the commission, let the county know he was a consultant, and things could have been put in writing on his official consultant stationary. It should have been clear he was not working in his official duties as an elected official but as a consultant for the agency. He did not do this. CHI did nothing illegal. They hired a consultant to help them get a project done that would help sick children.
Wow Bateman was so post to work for Free? With the $6000 a year paycheck from the city? Somebody needs a reality check. My brother got emergency care from CHI when no one could help him. They have helped many people and provided compassion and care for many. They have also handed out many pay checks to employees and added a value system in place when others fail. It's easy to sit back and say crooked over and over, when you lack understanding. We have a constitution in place that allows people the freedom to work, not just expect local officials to solve every problem. Stop tagging every business as crooked when you have such a vague understanding of programs for the needy. Some people do love CHI.
It's really interesting how disclosure works in the political environment and which people pull the plug on those that don't have a full understanding. Who would dream you could get in this much trouble for simply helping a post hurricane community??
TRUE. TRUE
True true
He says the crime does not fit the time. So basically he just admitted he did a crime. That was as much if a genius move as leaving a paper trail
A mile long showing that every second he did anything for CHI he got paid for including the hour he didn't getting the if badge to work there. Tnats what kind if person he is. So arrogant. Charged them $125 to talk to a painter. Charged th
$125 to make sure painter opened can of paint. His arrogance was his downfall wonder how much he paid his defense lawyer to guarantee guilty verdict. Luckily jury wasn't as stupid as he was. And yes CHI despite the good they do allowed this guy to steal and overcharge them for government finds. Someone needs to thoroughly investigate Hartley and CHI.
Bateman is a crook and deserves what he is getting. In all my years of dealing with politics I can't think of a bigger crook. I do believe that in his sick crooked mind he has convinced himself he is innocent. The best of criminals usually are able to do this. The longer he's put away the better it will be for everyone.
A word of advice Stevie don't let the men in prison see you cry they will think of you as one of the girls.
Let's get over the post hurricane excuse. Andrew was 22 years ago. The problem with Homestead is that it has elected officials who are there to take care of their friends and get re -elected rather than build a legacy of a better community. Reality check over the mayors salary. All elected officials receive over 50 thousand bucks a year, including FREE health insurance for themselves and their entire family. If you can't afford to be the Mayor, then you should not seek the office. CHI should not get a pass because it supposedly does good things. It paid the Mayor to do something that he should have done for free as mayor, not as a paid lobbyist. What made him worth 125 bucks an hour? He does not have a general contractors license but does have a long history of complaints and permits left open or never pulled. Mr. Hartley needs to go. If Levine-Cava is about transparency, she should investigate the use of public money by CHI.
Steve Bateman is a crook and he probably stole for years but the biggest crooks are the fiends who forced the taxpayers to pay over $3 Billion to Steve Loria, the out-of-town owner of the Marlins. Disgraced Manny Diaz, recalled Carlos Alvarez, dim bulb Bruno Barrerio, Dennis Moss, Spence-Jones, Sarnoff, Joe Sanchez, indicted Angel Gonzalez, Pepe Diaz... They stole $3 Billion.
Stevie is a pet name, someone sounds like a jilted school mate. Discussing the penalty phase and the unjust loopholes in the sentencing guidelines isn't equal to admitting any guilt what so ever. Steve Bateman, the mayor elected by Homestead voters has every right to disagree with a verdict . Consulting doesn't usually involve opening paint cans. Sounds like a lack of understanding concerning job descriptions. A lot of people are making more than $125 an hour, most of the people living in our community haven't even added the debt we recently up to see what it cost them.
Just for shilling FPL nuclear he should have gone to jail.
Does FPL have Bateman on retainer? A secret retainer, pass-through?
its over, let it go people
Steve, come clean. Do what Shiver could never do. Tell all and help the most corrupt little city in America leaves its past, behind.
hahahahahahahahhaahah
Wow some are throwing everyone's names into the pot.it could take decades to get a theatre, city hall and new police station built. It's been 22 years so far. By the way while we are discussing city employee salaries how much are we paying city manager and all his aides ? Now we are in debt up to our ears and still have no completed major projects. Thank Mr. Bateman for keeping people even interested in staying or trying to do business here. CHI has done absolutely nothing illegal and our new commissioner is too smart to get drug into a waste of time campaign against previous Mayor Bateman....
It is an honor to have Col. Hartley here working to help people in this community. He has touched and improved the lives of many people here. As a retired military officer clearly he is here because he sees the unmet human needs and wants to help. People who have little to offer and have not helped even one person in their lives, should not be so quick to speak negatively about those who do the heavy lifting in this community. If we had four or five more Col. Hartley's this community would be way ahead.
How can you force The Tax Payers to pay anything to anyone when the ones in Homestead DONT VOTE. Wake up and stop blaming the people that make REAL Decisions that DO VOTE!!! Stop the childish blame game.......
Soon Mr. Bateman will have a number and and not a name the corrections officers will address him with it. The foolish taxpayers gave Hartley more than $400,000 tax dollars to pay him to do the so called heavy lifting. That lifting and lift station controversy snared both crooks. If you think Hartley is such a saint you may want to keep an eye out for updates. He cooperated with the SAO by supplying all of the records and witnesses so he wasn't charged. The oversight agencies of wasted tax dollars may not be so quick to give him a pass. The Col. posed as Sgt. Shultz at times on the witness stand he got bad advice.
LM
Checked out the city of homestead budget and council and mayor do not recieve pay checks for over 50 thousand dollars for employee pay checks.the total compensation for all costs to preform duties is listed individually for each council seat and the mayor.look at what we are paying in salaries to the city attorney and city manager in addition to the requirement pay for performing Job duties. At least seperate the actual numbers the public has access too. It's in black and white. Try reading the budget...
Steve got thrown under the bus by certian people. Everyone on the council has skeletons in the closet. Get them steve. Clean the slate
He should but he won't. He can't do it without further incriminating himself. If he turns on his co-conspirators they will put him away for another fifty years. The why me video says it all he thinks he is a good guy. This is a real wacko and is one step away from a straight jacket because the others got away clean.
Add up pay, travel, expense, car allowance, free health insurance and pension with no employee donation and get back to me with your theory that he did not get paid fifty grand a year.
Are they giving the cars, gas, health insurance,traveling expense and so on Instead of a paycheck? You go figure. Company's pay their Employees and then provide "other benefits because They Have Too. Read the Budget report Again and stop saying they are getting paid these large pay checks. You can't pay bills with a car or health ins. You need a REAL PAYCHECK!,,,
That paycheck is where CHI comes in. Hiring City Mayor's as lobbyists is not cool somebody should have told Col. Hartley. The former mayor must have turned down the professor of radiology job Dade Medical College offered him so he had to take the CHI job.
Now we can get into the truth Finally.Value is the word you use.An Allowance isn't the same as a Paycheck. I suppose you can judge your idea of an allowance and cash that out in your mind. It's never going to be the same as a paycheck.Again Allowance doesn't equal Paycheck.Sorry you are getting yourself so upset.
The Mayors WAGES for Part-Time Employment with the City of Homestead Fl are $6000.00 per year.
Is being on the take a full or part time position in Homestead?
You effers just don't get it or are under the spell of Bateman. Free insurance is money in his pocket. The car and expense allowances (not reimbursement) are monies included in his pay check. Stop with the fiction of $6000. A year. The best part is that he will lose his pension!!
They only thing he did wrong was not have a lobby license. That gets 15 years, wow what should Obama get for going to war without Congress.
Wait until his new roomates find out he is the son of a cop and his best friends are cops. As they say in the movies, "You got a pretty mouth." Is that banjo music I hear ? Mr Golden Gloves is going to be Mr Sore Butt.
$6000 a year, black and white, City of Homestead fiscal budget, simply go to mayors section and also compare to council,then look at the real winners. Wages are separate from Allowance. It's part time work.even if you add on any kind of allowance it's not a paycheck. What don't you get about paying a bill with money instead of having anyone expect you to live off an allowance ? There is no "Bateman Spell", however there are disparities , sour grapes,vendicitivness,and people so confused they don't vote or can't distinguish apples from oranges. Try not to worry too much about Mr. Bateman ,the outcome of this trial won't fix what's wrong in this town. He was a Great Mayor!
AMEN
AMEN
He has convinced himself that he did nothing wrong and he has the kind of personality that allows him to convince others who do not understand the intricacies of public trust. Did he accomplish many large projects while in office? Yes. But at what expense and in violation of what ethical and moral laws ? His ego knows no bounds and no public expenses too large if it accomplishes his ability to take credit.
Public trust and intricacies, great descriptive words used in journalism . Serving the public will never be a position that pleases the masses. Maybe Mayor Bateman simply believed under the circumstances he was acting in good faith. Remember the first case in court is not necessarily the last case . He did accomplish a great deal in Homestead and there were others before him that did also. He still cares about Homestead . Judging ones ego is very tricky, it's great when you're the judge but how does it feel when your ego is being judged?? Careful...
So, Frank, the love affair is not over, huh ?!
Judge still has yet to uphold guilty verdict.
Everyone knows in Homestead it is pay to play. High bids are the norm because they contain a built in payoff to the mayor. It's been that way since Andrew.
So now we have Mayor Giminez lying to the union, no layoffs. Why would anyone believe his word on the stand against Steve Bateman. Maybe the Prosecution Isis Perez should reconsider her witness list of important people such as Miami Mayor Giminez. What is a mans word really worth? Ask the president of the Union, Mr. Rivera.....
Steve Bateman was always a crook before he was even before he was elected Mayor. He got elected to steal from the City as his business never made much money.
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