North Miami’s Florida State Representative Daphne “I’m A Celebrity” Campbell had a Come-to-Jesus-Meltdown on the House floor last night.
As Politico Florida reported, Campbell had to be escorted out of the chamber when she learned that the Third District Court of Appeal ordered a new Medicaid fraud trial for her son, Gregory.
One of her fellow state representatives tried to explain that this decision did not mean that the charges were dropped. The appellate court simply remanded her son’s case back to the lower court for a new trial.
But, Daphne was having none of that nonsense.
Politico reported that she “was so overjoyed that she started yelling that her son had been ‘exonerated’ and praised Jesus so loudly on the floor of the state House of Representatives that proceedings were stopped briefly.”
She also yelled, “My Jesus, it was one vote. They did this to me, it was one vote. I am vindicated.”
Daphne’s inappropriate outburst caused such a scene in the chamber, a fellow representative, who is also a medical doctor, rushed to see if she was alright.
Despite the plethora of legal troubles Daphne faced, including an investigation for Medicaid fraud, a federal tax lien fine of $145,000.00 by the IRS, and an “honorable” mention in a September 23, 2012 Miami Herald article about absentee ballot fraud, she was handily re-elected in 2012.
And then again in 2014.
Of course, it didn’t hurt that her husband, Bob Campbell, is well known “ballot broker” in local elections.
In fact, “Mister Daphne” was most recently hired by Phyllis Smith to assist her with absentee ballots in her campaign re-election in North Miami Beach, and is listed on one of the exhibits to an absentee ballot fraud lawsuit filed against Phyllis.
And, despite her alleged tax, Medicaid and absentee ballot fraud problems, Daphne Campbell was the perfect choice for a Dade County Police Benevolent Association endorsement in 2014.
By endorsing several other questionable candidates, such as Opa-locka Mayor Myra Taylor (under federal investigation for taking kick-backs) and Commissioner Terence Pinder (convicted felon), the PBA’s record for picking “winners” is pretty consistent. Its endorsement of Daphne Campbell was hardly a surprise since the PBA also gave its blessing to the ethically challenged Kevin Burns and Joseph Geller, as well as to Carline Paul in North Miami’s 2015 election.
In addition to Daphne’s Medicaid, income tax and absentee ballot fraud troubles, in a February 10, 2013 article, Traffic tickets, fraud probe deaths – and State Rep. Daphne Campbell, former Miami Herald reporter Marc Caputo, who now writes for Politico, noted her husband’s numerous traffic infractions for running red lights, his pleading guilty to loan fraud in the amount of $829,103.00, as well as the four deaths and a rape that occurred in an assisted living facility she runs with her son – the same son currently facing Medicare fraud charges of nearly half a million dollars.
Despite all the allegations of broken laws and violated ethics, Daphne Campbell will most likely serve out her term in the Florida House of Representatives, which ends November 14, 2016. And because career politicians can’t stand not having a taxpayer funded seat in government, Miz Daph is now running for State Senate District 38 against incumbent Gwen Margolis.
Also running in that senate race are Anis A. Blemur, who is currently vying for the position of North Miami City Manager, and one time State Representative Phillip J. Brutus, who unsuccessfully ran against Barbara Watson for Florida House District 107 last year.
This would be the same Phillip Brutus who was fined $1,500.00 last month by the Florida Commission on Ethics for “failing to properly disclose his net worth, liabilities and two real properties on his 2013 CE Form 6.” In its Report of Investigation of Phillip Brutus, the Commission determined that Brutus failed to report assets of approximately $300,000.00 and liabilities in excess of $996,000.00.
The complaint against Brutus also noted that on June 18, 2014, he reported a net worth of $491,000.00 on his Form 6, yet only four months earlier, he filed a financial affidavit in a Miami-Dade divorce case listing his net worth of MINUS $348,325.00, which indicated that he either lied to the state or he lied to the family court. The Commission concurred with that allegation.
Despite these ethical improprieties, career politician Phillip Brutus now wants to be a State Senator.
And speaking of ethically challenged career politicians, former North Miami Councilwoman Marie Erlande Steril, who mysteriously dropped out of her race for re-election last year during a highly publicized – and potentially damaging – IRS audit of the city’s finances, is now (GET THIS!) running for Daphne Campbell’s soon-to-be-vacated seat in the Florida House of Representatives.
On January 27, 2016, Marie Steril officially filed to run for State Representative of District 108. She appointed herself as Campaign Treasurer.
What could possibly go wrong?
Word has it that Daphne Campbell had already planned to pass the proverbial torch to Marie when she termed out.
Because … North Miami politics.
The questions on everyone’s mind are:
- Will Daphne Campbell’s son be found guilty again in a new trial?
- Will Marie Steril ever be indicted for anything?
- Which North Miami corruptocrat will snag a PBA endorsement by November’s election?
Considering the stellar past endorsements by the Dade County Police Benevolent Association, they’ll all receive the “coveted” Seal of Approval.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
Who is making the “endorsement” decisions for the PBA? Donald or Mickey? The meltdown tells you she’s not on full batteries.
Good question! One would think that the PBA, which represents members of the law enforcement community, would endorse candidates who are honest, ethical and not under criminal investigation.
Even more laughable, the PBA endorsed Opa-locka commissioner Terence Pinder, who is a convicted felon.
What kind of a message does that send to police officers, who have to pay dues to the PBA, or to the public at large? The message is loud and clear: CRIME PAYS!
PBA spokesperson John Rivera has the same low character as many of the criminal politicians he endorses. It doesn’t matter if they are ethically challenged, corrupt, or incompetent. All that matters is that whomever he makes a deal with (endorses) is that they remember their handshake when police contracts come up for discussion and provide payback to them at that time. A true whore.
Jack Mahogoff says…
There are obviously people more stupid than Daphne Campbell. The ones that elected her. It wasn’t the content of her character that those who elected her were basing their voting decision upon.