The 2015 VotersOpinion Turkey “Giveaway”

It’s that time of year when politicians beg, bribe and bully turkey “donations” from city vendors, local businesses, and even private citizens, for the purpose of magnanimously “gifting” ~~future voters~~ needy residents in the community with Thanksgiving dinners.

Out of the goodness of their hearts, of course.

Since I’m also feeling quite charitable this holiday season, I decided to host my own very special turkey “giveaway.”

Local politicians and other public servants work so hard and give so much of themselves to the community all year round, it’s only fitting that I return the favor with a show of heartfelt gratitude. It wasn’t easy to narrow it down to only ten recipients, but I’m confident that the final list I’ve compiled is comprehensive … and inspired.

Without further ado, here is the countdown:

# 10 Aleem Ghany

The recently resigned North Miami City Manager started his short run on May 27, 2014. Aleem Ghany had worked in the city’s Public Works Department for about 18 years when he was promoted to Interim City Manager. When he was offered the position on a permanent basis, he had only two more to go until he could retire with full benefits. As the Public Works Director, he had job security and a generous retirement package. Aleem was fully aware that if he accepted the promotion to City Manager, he would then become an at-will employee, and would risk losing his retirement benefits if he were to be fired before his twentieth anniversary. Aleem obviously felt that the benefits outweighed the risks when he took the job.

Aleem Ghany may have been a pretty good Public Works Director, but he simply was not cut out to be a City Manager. Claiming the pressure was too great, he eventually resigned from his position effective October 16, 2015. Upon his termination, he was compensated for his unused sick and leave time. He also received a severance package equal to twelve weeks’ pay, which was worth almost $50,000.00. But because he left the city before the 20-year mark, he forfeited a retirement package that was worth considerably more.

Ironically, Aleem Ghany was so busy playing politics and running himself ragged trying to please all five of his bosses, he literally froze when it came to making the tough decisions. In the end, Aleem had absolutely no clue how much power a city manager actually wields, and that a no-decision is the worst decision of all.

For consistently taking the path of least resistance, Aleem Ghany earned himself a 2015 VotersOpinion turkey!

#9 Michael Etienne

As one of only six or so elected municipal clerks in the State of Florida, Michael Etienne is a power-hungry, incorrigible loose cannon, who answers to no one. It could technically be argued, however, that the North Miami City Clerk answers to the electorate who put him in office. But because he was able to rig his own election last May by unethically disqualifying his opponent, the voters were never even given the chance to joyfully send him packing.

Instead of understanding what his job description actually entails (“We are the wrong persons to ask” about public records), he spends his time sticking his nose into matters that don’t concern him.

As the self-appointed Head Cheerleader for Team Burgess, Michael showed his inherent ignorance by swearing “that North Miami is far safety [sic] today compared to previous years,” and attesting “that our crime stats are low compared to our counter parts [sic].”

Michael is so insolent and uncouth, even the Florida Bar described him as “lacking in refinement.”

For perfecting the art of boorishness, and possessing absolutely no command of the English language, Michael Etienne is absolutely deserving of a turkey this year.

#8 Paule Villard

Former City of Miami cop, and this year’s Frantz Pierre Token-Haitian-Candidate, Paule Villard spent a massive amount of her retirement and DROP funds running for North Miami Beach City Council against Marlen Martell. She originally filed to run against Phyllis, but was convinced to switch seats when they both conspired with Frantzie to run on the same “absentee ballot fraud” slate.

Paule’s record as a mediocre-at-best police officer was second only to her utter ineptitude at running a campaign. Her complete lack of knowledge of Florida election and campaign finance laws was positively stunning.

Paule Villard’s shocking inability to spell “Miami,” combined with her ignorance about how North Miami Beach government works, inevitably cost her the election.

But it did earn her a turkey.

Enjoy!

#7 Carline Paul

This non-North Miami resident, who ran for a seat on the city council and who falsely claims to be a teacher, was positively trounced at the polls on election day.

Alix Desulme kicked her ass by grabbing 64.11% of the vote and sending her back to her homestead property outside the city limits. That would be the same residence from which she had been running her now defunct “non-profit” organization, Haitian American Youth of Tomorrow, Inc., which company fleeced tens of thousands of dollars from Miami-Dade County taxpayers over the years.

Until the June 2, 2015 run-off election, Carline prided herself on her ability to “educate” voters, “consult” with candidates, and “work” with absentee ballots.

Yet, when it came to managing her own campaign, she totally bombed.

For that gloriously epic fail, Carline Paul totally earned her turkey!

#6 Phyllis Smith

She squawks, she bloviates, she exaggerates, she LIES!

North Miami Beach “Councilwoman” Phyllis Smith will do anything and say anything to win an election. In last May’s election, she ran her entire race by promising to never, ever, no way, no how, vote to outsource the city’s sanitation department.

She even scored an endorsement from AFSCME, the general employees’ union, based on that promise.

And then on August 18, 2015, one guess what she did.

That’s right.

SHE VOTED TO OUTSOURCE THE CITY’S SANITATION DEPARTMENT!

Then again, this is a woman who shamelessly lies about how many residents call her on a daily basis. This is a woman who sent a letter to the Miami Herald swearing that she had absolutely nothing to do with her husband’s Hummers. And this is a woman who told voters that she was against Big Development while squeezing $8,000.00 in campaign donations from the deep pockets of real estate developers.

If all of these things weren’t reason enough to “honor” Phyllis Smith, her “winning” the election by allegedly committing absentee ballot fraud most definitely qualifies her as a turkey recipient.

Bon appétit, Phyllis.

#5 Joseph S. Geller

Speaking of absentee ballot fraud, when Phyllis was served with a lawsuit filed by her opponent, she hired this local lawyer (and fellow corruptocrat politician) to defend her. Due to the fact that Joseph S. Geller is also a State Representative who frequently travels to Tallahassee, he’s been able to delay the case for five months and counting.

Thanks to a “loophole” law enacted by state lawmakers which entitles them to a Get-Out-of-Court-Free card whenever they’re in session, and which hall pass is also valid for a full fifteen days before AND and fifteen days after those sessions are held, Joe could potentially stall this case in court indefinitely.

Joe used the special legislative session that was called last June to automatically give his client a more than two month extension of time to file her responses to the lawsuit.

The real slap in the face to the citizens of North Miami Beach (not to mention the taxpayers of the State of Florida), however, was that Joe filed a Mandatory Continuance for the purpose of attending a second special legislative session held in August, and then NEVER ATTENDED!

If that sleazy (and completely unethical) tactic wasn’t bad enough, consider this.

While Joe Geller’s oh-so-busy schedule keeps him from properly representing Phyllis Smith in a simple lawsuit, he still manages to find the time to vigorously ~~harangue~~ lobby the North Miami Mayor and Council for the position of City Attorney.

Because, as everyone knows, the City of North Miami hasn’t had nearly enough corruptocrat attorneys on its taxpayer funded payroll yet.

So, yeah, if anyone truly deserves a turkey, it’s Joe.

#4 Elton L. Bandoo

Although he’s neither a public nor an elected official, Elton L. Bandoo made this list anyway. After all, the fine line between politicians and criminals is quite often blurred.

Think about it.

Who else but a born politician would have the sheer chutzpah to shoot a North Miami Beach police officer, get charged with attempted first-degree murder, blame the media for his notoriety, and then cry self-defense? It wouldn’t surprise me if one day Bandoo ran for office.

For the ability to say with a straight face that he thought he was being robbed when a uniformed SWAT team banged on his front door while yelling “Police! Search warrant!,” Elton L. Bandoo definitely deserves a turkey.

I will not, however, be delivering it to his house.

#3 Frantz Pierre

The infamously despicable Sporkweasel of NMB needs no introduction as his reputation certainly precedes him.

Suffice it to say that the only thing more satisfying than giving him a turkey this year would be having the chance to personally deliver a 2016 VotersOpinion Turkey to L’il Frantzie P behind bars next Thanksgiving.

‘Nuff said.

#2 Mark Weithorn

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun going after a #DirtyPolitician in my entire life.

Fortunately for me, Mark Weithorn made it so damn easy to screw with him!

Mark’s first mistake was pissing me off.

His second mistake was running for office.

Talk about a recipe for disaster!

From the moment I became collateral damage in the sleazy smear campaign of a North Miami Beach candidate, I was obsessed with discovering who was responsible.

Once I discovered that Miami Beach commission candidate Mark Weithorn “masterminded” the whole thing, I was determined to help him lose the election.

That’s when I started digging.

Then I blogged the crap out of it.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Mark lost.

Ricky won.

I gloated.

Oh, that felt good.

Almost as good as handing Mark Weithorn a turkey.

Congratulations, Loser!

#1 Leonard Burgess

Regular readers of this blog don’t need any explanation why the North Miami Police Chief is #1 on this list. Of all the finalists in the 2015 VotersOpinion Turkey “Giveaway,” Chief Lenny is certainly the most deserving.