In my early days of community activism and political dirt digging, one of my colleagues insisted that if we turn over enough rocks, sooner or later something will slither out.  Those prescient words of wisdom became a driving force in my quest to uncover fraud and corruption.

As fate would have it, while I was busy turning over rocks, I unearthed even more proof that Joseph S. Geller is by far the  dirtiest politician and sleaziest lawyer in all of South Florida.

Believe me, that’s quite an accomplishment.

Mazel tov, Joe.  You win.

Not only has Joe Geller dishonored the legal profession and tarnished the entire membership roster of the Florida Bar, but he has made a mockery of both the Florida House of Representatives and the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court In and For Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Yes, he’s that despicable.  Read on.

By now we are all familiar with the corrupt shenanigans that Joe has pulled regarding the lawsuit filed by Michael Joseph against Joe’s client, the ersatz North Miami Beach “councilwoman” Phyllis Smith for her role in absentee ballot fraud.

Um, I mean, for her alleged  role.

By abusing his position as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, he has been able to evoke Florida Statute 11.111 in order to excuse himself from any court proceedings in this lawsuit.  This Statute allows members of the Florida legislature the privilege to file “Notices of Mandatory Continuance” excusing themselves from any court proceedings while the legislature is in session, as well as fifteen days before and fifteen days after such session.

Joe Geller, of course, has been abusing the privilege.

We already know that Geller LIED TO THE COURT by filing his second Notice of Mandatory Continuance on July 24, 2015 for the special session scheduled from August 10, 2015 through August 21, 2015, yet never showed up in Tallahassee!

We also already know that he filed his fourth Notice of Mandatory Continuance on December 30, 2015 due to the regular legislative session, which began on January 12, 2016 and ended on March 11, 2016.  According to that Notice of Mandatory Continuance, Joe noted that “no matters may be scheduled after December 30, 2015, and the earliest that any matters may be scheduled is Monday, March 28, 2016.”

But what we did not know was that according to Joseph S. Geller, not all lawsuits are created equally.

Unfortunately for Joe, I do know now.

Less than four weeks before he was scheduled to be in Tallahassee (and only two weeks before he filed his Notice of Mandatory Continuance in Joseph v. Smith), Joe Geller filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Haitian Evangelical Baptist Church, Inc., et al.

But, unlike he did in Joseph v. Smith, Joe Geller DID NOT file a Notice of Mandatory Continuance in this new lawsuit so he could get himself excused from court proceedings during the legislative session.

Not only did he not even try to excuse himself from this case, but – legislative session be damned – Joe Geller is actively litigating this lawsuit!

On February 12, 2016, Joe Geller filed for an Emergency Motion of Hearing to take place on February 16, 2016 at 8 a.m. – while he was supposedly  in Tallahassee!

A hearing did, in fact, take place because on March 1, 2016, Circuit Court Judge Rodney Smith signed an order granting his motion.

Joe Geller had no problem actively representing that client in court despite his duties in Tallahassee.

But when it came time to represent a fellow corrupt politician, a/k/a Phyllis Smith, he immediately evoked his “Mandatory Continuance” privilege.

Meanwhile, due to Joe Geller’s dirty delaying tactics, the case of Joseph v. Smith, which was supposed to be heard on an EXPEDITED basis, has been languishing in the court system for nearly ten months.

On January 25, 2016, Judge Samantha Ruiz Cohen denied Geller’s Motion to Dismiss.  However, in civil court it’s customary for lawyers of both parties to agree on the final draft of a court order before presenting it to the judge for signature.  Even though Juan-Carlos Planas, the attorney for Plaintiff Michael Joseph, has already prepared the order for the judge’s signature, Geller has thus far refused to agree on the proposed order, claiming that the Mandatory Continuance that is still in effect, and will continue to be in effect until Monday, March 28, 2016.

It’s no secret why he’s been stalling as long as he can.  Once that court order is signed by the judge, Joe will have no choice but to comply with the plaintiff’s request for production of his client’s records.

You know, the same records she’s been desperately trying to hide from the public records.

In the meantime, Geller’s client, Phyllis Smith, continues to illegally occupy a seat on the dais in the North Miami Beach Council Chambers that she “won” by committing absentee fraud.

Allegedly,  of course.

The Dishonorable Joseph S. Geller may be just another corrupt politician-slash-sleazy lawyer in a crowded field of many.

And yet, somehow, Joe has managed to prove that he’s outstanding his field.

And, yes, in case you’re wondering…

The complaint is already in the mail.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”