Reinstate Johnny or not?
I received the following email. I'm not sure what to make of it:
PLEASE TAKE ACTION AND FORWARD IMMEDIATELY
Reliable sources say that attorneys and/or lobbyists (aren't they usually the same) are in Tallahassee right now lobbying Governor Crist to reinstate Johnny Winton to the Miami City Commission.
I urge you to take action now.....It will take a maximum of 5-7 minutes.
Call Citizen Services at 850 488 4441 and the Executive Office of the Governor at 850 488 7146 and tell them you have a message concerning an ELECTED OFFICAL so the message gets sent to the proper person.
Tell the message taker you want to be counted as urging Governor Crist NOT to reinstate Johnny Winton to the Miami City Commission......Be sure to tell them you are a voter in the district.
Then go to the web site of Governor Crist at: http://www.flgov.com/contact_form and type a short message.
There is a drop down category thing so the email gets directed to the right person.....Click on ELECTED OFFICIALS, fill in your information and then type a short message.
Below is a sample message:
Governor Crist,
Please do not reinstate Johnny Winton to the Miami City Commission. He is very controversial given his drunken behavior and unethical land deals with Mayor Diaz and a former city manger.
Miami is in a fragile financial condition and the newly elected Commissioner is doing an outstanding job of representing the true interests of District Two residents in which I live and vote.
Guess you can also fill in the form if you are in favor of Johnny's return, too.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION AND FORWARD IMMEDIATELY
Reliable sources say that attorneys and/or lobbyists (aren't they usually the same) are in Tallahassee right now lobbying Governor Crist to reinstate Johnny Winton to the Miami City Commission.
I urge you to take action now.....It will take a maximum of 5-7 minutes.
Call Citizen Services at 850 488 4441 and the Executive Office of the Governor at 850 488 7146 and tell them you have a message concerning an ELECTED OFFICAL so the message gets sent to the proper person.
Tell the message taker you want to be counted as urging Governor Crist NOT to reinstate Johnny Winton to the Miami City Commission......Be sure to tell them you are a voter in the district.
Then go to the web site of Governor Crist at: http://www.flgov.com/contact_form and type a short message.
There is a drop down category thing so the email gets directed to the right person.....Click on ELECTED OFFICIALS, fill in your information and then type a short message.
Below is a sample message:
Governor Crist,
Please do not reinstate Johnny Winton to the Miami City Commission. He is very controversial given his drunken behavior and unethical land deals with Mayor Diaz and a former city manger.
Miami is in a fragile financial condition and the newly elected Commissioner is doing an outstanding job of representing the true interests of District Two residents in which I live and vote.
Guess you can also fill in the form if you are in favor of Johnny's return, too.
posted by Tom Falco at 7:40 AM
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22 Comments:
What bullshit!
1. So what if he is controversial (which, honestly, he's not that much)... he was elected.
2. Miami is full of such land deals.
3. I don't think that the newly elected Sarnoff is doing such a good job. He comes across as a teen among adults.
I will call the phones mentioned with, EXACTLY, the oppoosite message. Get him back. What the hell, he only hit a cop.
In the scheme of things, that's not that bad.
The author of the following may want to check their 'reliable sources' since Charlie is in Israel at this time.------->
"Reliable sources say that attorneys and/or lobbyists (aren't they usually the same) are in Tallahassee right now lobbying Governor Crist to reinstate Johnny Winton to the Miami City Commission."
Johnny Winton has been a leading force in the transformation of Miami from political chaos and economic stagnation to national leadership in urban revitalization and sensible growth policies.
While Marc Sarnoff is to be thanked for his willingness to step in temporarily, it was only a interim assignment pending resolution of Winton’s legal matters. They have now been resolved and the voters and taxpayers of Miami want Commissioner Winton to return to office to finish the job we elected him do in 2003.
Re: Copy of letter to governor/herald re: Winton
I read with some interest the various legal opinions given on the issue of Johnny Winton's right to be reinstated, in light of the plea agreement by which the charges against him were dropped from felonies to misdemeanors.
Then I read the statute in question, which states, as to suspension:
Whenever any elected or appointed official....is indicted or informed against for the commission of a federal felony or misdemeanor or a state felony of misdemeanor, the Governor has the power to suspend such municipal official from office.
As to reinstatement, the statute states:
If the municipal official is acquitted or found not guilty or is otherwise cleared of the charges which were the basis of the of the arrest, indictment, or information by reason of which he or she was suspended under the provisions of this section, then the Governor shall forthwith revoke the suspension and restore such municipal official to office.
There is absolutely no sense in which one can construe the plea bargain by former Commissioner Winton as equivalent to being "acquitted...or found not guilty...or otherwise cleared of the charges whch were the basis of the arrest, indictment or information..."
To the contrary, Mr. Winton pleaded guilty to the facts which formed the basis of the charges - albeit couched as misdemeanors instead of felonies. He was, in effect, found guilty of the charges, by his own admission. He was by no means "cleared" of said charges.
Moreover, since the statute allows suspension for either level of criminal conduct, there is no rationale for revoking the supension.
As a matter of public policy, there is compelling reason for not reinstating Mr. Winton. His admitted conduct was detrimental to public order and disrespectful of lawfully constituted authority. His violent attack on a police officer did substantial and permanent physical harm to said officer. A weapon could easily have been discharged in an airport concourse, with even more tragic consequences.
I urge the Governor to preserve the status quo and let our fine new commissioner, Marc Sarnoff, complete his term and the voters decide who will represent us in the upcoming November election.
Xavier Suarez, Esq.
Miami, Fla. 33129
(Resident of District 2)
Johnny, do all of us (and yourself) a favor. Ride off into the sunset. You had your chance. It did not work out. Now it is somebody else's turn to try and fix what desperately needs to be done. Focus on our sobriety. Without that, you have nothing.
When I voted for Marc Sarnoff the ballot said City Commissioner, not Interim City Commissioner.
Prior to even seeing this, I had called the governor's office to request that he veto SB900 , the bill that would do away with citizens rights ,created to do in the Florida Hometown Democracy petition. If you haven't already signed this petition, hop to it!
Then call the gov and tell him to veto both SB900 and Johnny Witless' return.
It will only take a minute !!!
We need more low-life criminals in our local Government, so I called to urge that the Governor give someone on Death Row a pardon and put him on the City Commission. It will be an improvement.
Poor "fair and balanced." Victim of typical deceptive political advertising!
To anonymous above who said Johnny Winton has been a leading force in the transformation of Miami from political chaos - he got it just a little wrong: Johnny Winton transformed Miami INTO political chaos and never reprsented the people who voted for him. His return would only create more chaos. If he wants to run in November, it is an open race!
What's more intersting that Winton has been Sarnoff's choice of hand-maidens: P. Ehrlich (a manipulative whiner) and a clueless guy named Bert (a City building inspector, sorely needed to be inpecting buildings). Why is our guy Sarnoff participating in payoff politics if he's so clean?
"Our guy Sarnoff" must be clean. Look at all the sleazy lobbyists who want Winton back.
Letters to the Editor Miami Herald June 3, 2007
NO REINSTATEMENT
I'm glad suspended Miami Commissioner Johnny Winton is "sorry." With or without an apology, average folks facing the same charges would have ended up with felony convictions. Regardless of the reasons for the reduced misdemeanor charges, Winton shouldn’t be reinstated.
We should put a stop to forgiving elected officials who breach ethical and legal codes of conduct, on or of the job. Reinstating Winton would send he wrong message to our community and kids.
Richard Strell
Miami, FL.
To call or write the Governor's office see below:
850-487-0801
paul.huck@myflorida.com
INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS
Winton's return
Suspended Miami Commissioner Johnny Winton doesn't deserve to be reinstated any more than Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff deserves to be replaced. Sarnoff was elected by a large majority of voters tired of business as usual.
Winton's assault of law-enforcement officers was an inexcusable act that should not be swept under the rug by requiring that he attend anger-management classes. It was yet another embarrassment for the city.
Sarnoff has proven, during his brief time in office, to be an effective voice for District 2 as well as the entire city. The governor should heed the will of the electorate and retain Sarnoff. Let voters decide the next step in November.
GARY M. SCHARPS
Miami, FL.
Miami Herald
We miss you Johnny and want you back! Sarnoff hasn't been bad, but he sure is associated with a bunch of radicals who oppose everything, and seem to want Miami to go back to being the poorest American city and looking like a ghetto.
We don’t miss you Johnny and we don’t want or need you back.
You have caused more then enough harm to Miami, so please do us all a big favor and do not return to City Hall even if it is only for 6 months.
We may all thank Manny Diaz, Johnny Winton, Angel Gonzalez, Joe Sanchez, and Joe Arriola and those that preceded them for allowing Miami to be one of the very poorest cities in the USA.
They have excelled in widening the gap between the rich and poor.
They are helping us become a real Third World City in spite of the fact that we reside in the U.S.A., one of the worlds most industrial and wealthy countries.
Miami's politicians and leaders have helped to provide Miami with the following distinction:
• 3rd poorest city in the U.S.A.
• 54th (out of 55) worst city for green park areas in the U.S.A.
• Glut of 40,000 homes that will take years to absorb and will result in lowering the value of everyone's property.
• Widening gap between the very rich and poor.
• The continued exodus of the middle-class.
10 poorest cities in the United States
2006 United States Census Bureau's Population Estimates
Rank City
1 Cleveland, Ohio
2 Detroit, Michigan
3 Miami, Florida
4 El Paso, Texas
5 Atlanta, Georgia
6 Buffalo, New York
7 St. Louis, Missouri
8 Cincinnati, Ohio
9 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
10 Newark, New Jersey
Miami deserves better then that provided by Manny Diaz, Johnny Winton, Angel Gonzalez, Joe Sanchez, and Joe Arriola.
Arriola was smart enough to depart on his own.
Winton was removed by former Governor Bush for having an alcoholic altercation with one of Miami’s finest police officers.
With any luck Winton will not return even if granted a free pass by our recently elected Governor Cris.
But if he does return I guess Miami will survive 6 more months of him in government.
Miami is being investigated by Miami Herald with an expose about the Affordable Housing Crises.
Miami can no longer continue to conduct its business in the same old Third World way with the same old government and administrators.
We need fresh new people that can raise the standards of ethics, civility, honesty, fairness, and the caring for our community.
Miami deserves more quality elected officials like Tomas Regalado and Marc Sarnoff that we may better trust with our future.
Harry Emilio Gottlieb
Coconut Grove
Harry please get a LIFE or a girlfriend...PLEASE!!!!! And remember your quality officials like Regalado was once charged with misusing his city issued gas card years ago. And you buddy Sarnoff is best friends with ARRIOLA.
Harry,
Miami was a financial basket case before Manny and Johnny got in--there was an oversight board!! Remember that? Miami was incapable of running its own affairs, had a huge deficit, and was #1 on your list of poorest cities. I do agree that there is an increasing gap between rich and poor, but that is happening at a national level, and you can thank Bush and company for that.
Manny Diaz and Johnny Winton have nothing but concrete on the brain. Miami will be paying for their bad decisions for decades.
Fire Fee fiasco
40,000+ unsold condos
Middle of the night 50% raise vote.
Parrot Jungle $28 Mil loss and growing
Almost new park land acquired as Manny endeavors to build on every existing park.
Miami's own "House of Lies".
Spence-Jones elected
As I said we will be paying for their mistakes for years.
Harry, you're amazing.
I happen to like Joe Arriola, but you don't, which is OK. You have your opinion and I have mine. But then you don't seem to have a problem with the fact that Arriola started mentoring Sarnoff way before Johnny had his first drink at the airport. And he still mentors him. If you don't know this, your not in the loop, boy.
So make up your mind.
Then you blame our other 3 politicians for 40,000 unsold condos. What the hell are they, realtors? It's not their job to sell condos, and where do you get that number from? You are taking projections based on the number of units to be completed in the next 2-3 years, and ASSUMING they will not be sold. Well, my friend, they will either be sold, flipped, or rented out, Now if in the process of this some investors lose money, or some developers make less money, thems is the breaks. That's their business, and thus their problem.
Your comments are too "all over the place."
Pick a subject, research it, and then stick to it.
This jumble is a prime example of disinformation at its best.
Remember the bubblehead dolls? Who is pulling their strings?
Remember Johnny Winton using a pocket item to get Manny Diaz a 50% raise in the middle of the night? No pesky activists around to complain? At the same time Winton was in a real estate deal with Diaz?
The Miami Herald wrote its opinion and recommendation concerning the Johnny Winton Reinstatement Issue.
No-contest plea isn't an acquittal
Gov. Charlie Crist should put a quick end to speculation about whether suspended Miami City Commissioner Johnny Winton will return to office. The governor should reject Mr. Winton's request to be reinstated to his seat on the commission. The reason is as clear as sunshine: Mr. Winton disgraced himself, his office, his fellow commissioners and city residents in a drunken fight with police at Miami International Airport last year.
The statute under which former Gov. Jeb Bush suspended Mr. Winton takes into account guilty and no-contest pleas. It says that suspension or removal from office is allowed even when there is a no-contest plea ''if the municipal official is convicted of any of the charges contained in the indictment or information.'' With his plea, Mr. Winton stands convicted. He has acknowledged his improper behavior, which included striking the officers and attempting to intimidate them with the power of his office by demanding, ''Do you know who I am?'' This is unprofessional, undignified behavior that mustn't be rewarded by returning Mr. Winton to office.
Mr. Winton may not get this, but Gov. Crist should show that he does.
The entire column may be seen at; http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/130085.html
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