North Miami Beach Commissioner/Crony Capitalist Michael Joseph never met a lobbyist he didn’t cozy up to.  His “very special” relationship with Ron Book, for example, is curious indeed.

Book is one of the most powerful lobbyists in the State of Florida.  Despite Michael’s laughable declaration of gratitude for “believing in” him at his swearing-in ceremony, anyone who knows how lobbyists operate can clearly see that Ron Book’s only interest in the pissant, bootlicking politician is convincing him to vote for his client’s project.

By any means necessary.

Book’s “belief in” Michael paid off at the September 24, 2020 Commission Meeting, when his useful idiot voted for the controversial Ordinance No. 2020-07 and Ordinance No. 2020-08 to allow Dezer Development, LLC to redevelop the Intracoastal Mall, located just outside the residential Eastern Shores community, which was vehemently opposed by neighboring residents who will be directly affected by the already horrible traffic problem they deal with on a daily basis.

Michael Joseph, a/k/a the Devil on the Dais, voted for this disaster again at the second reading during the November 10, 2020 Commission Meeting, while showing his overt disdain for the dozens of comments by residents futilely pleading for relief from the proposed insanity.

But Ron Book “believed in” Michael!

So of course he had to repay the lobbyist for taking him under his wing.

And also for the $2,500 campaign contribution to his campaign.

Although it’s common practice in many municipalities for lobbyists to donate to the political campaigns of city candidates, this practice is frowned upon by municipal law experts, as well as prohibited in many major cities.

In the City of Miami Beach, Ordinance 2003-3395 entitled Campaign Finance Reform, which was sponsored by then-Commissioner Jose Smith, specifically addresses this problem.  Sec. 2-490(1) of the Code of Ordinances reads, “No lobbyist on a pending application for a development agreement with the city, or application for change of zoning map designation or change to the city’s future land use map shall solicit for or give a campaign contribution directly or indirectly to a candidate, or to the campaign committee of a candidate, for the offices of mayor or commissioner.”

In North Miami Beach, however, lobbyists like Ron Book give generously to campaigns in the hopes of getting a return on their investment.

Interestingly, since Book is also the city’s lobbyist, he is considered a vendor as well.  Miami Beach’s Ordinance 2000-3244, also written and sponsored by Jose Smith, prohibits vendors from giving a “campaign contribution directly or indirectly to a candidate, or to the campaign committee of a candidate, for the offices of mayor or commissioner,” per Sec. 2-2487(1)(a).

Since the City of North Miami Beach has never instituted any Campaign Finance Reform legislation (and probably never will now), it’s all perfectly legal for lobbyists and vendors like Ron Book to “believe in” candidates by donating generously to their campaigns.

We already know that Michael Joseph is the Devil on the Dais, but few may be aware that in Ron Book he apparently met his diabolical soul mate.

Figuratively speaking, of course, but the influential and well-connected lobbyist certainly has a colorful history.

In 1985, Ron Book was implicated but never charged with bribing an Opa-locka elected official.  According to an Orlando Sentinel article, “Book, 33, was prominently mentioned in a front-page story Thursday in The Miami Herald outlining an alleged attempt by a Book associate, Don Dugan, to bribe Opa-Locka Vice Mayor Brian Hooten. Hooten allegedly was offered $4,000 to help win approval for a hazardous waste recycling site in the small city in northwest Dade County.”

In a scorching November 9, 1995 Miami New Times article about Ron Book, Crime & Politics, Jim DeFede recounted the investigation in great detail.

“A company called Southern Combustion Technologies had hired Book to lobby the Opa-locka City Council for approval to construct a ten-million-dollar hazardous-waste recycling plant.  Donald Dugan was also apparently working on behalf of Southern Combustion, and in November 1985, he approached Opa-locka’s vice mayor, Brian Hooten, and offered what Hooten believed was a bribe for his vote on the project. Hooten immediately reported the offer to police and agreed to wear a listening device. During his next meeting with Dugan, Hooten asked him how he had become involved with the Southern Combustion project. Dugan replied, ‘It’s through an attorney, Ron Book.'”

According to DeFede’s article, Book had no idea that Hooten was wearing a wire during their two private meetings, during which Hooten claimed, “There were innuendoes and secret words,” but nothing concrete or incriminating.

Two weeks later, however, “Dugan visited Hooten at the vice mayor’s home and laid out $4000 cash in what police alleged was a bribe to secure Hooten’s vote for Southern Combustion.  Hooten was to keep $2000 for himself and pass along the remainder to another council member and certain city staffers.  Dugan promised that after the vote Hooten would receive another $3000 in cash.”

Dugan was charged with bribery and sentenced to probation.  Although he insisted that Book knew nothing about the bribe, the New Times article reported that Brian Hooten “told the Herald he had no doubt that Book knew what Dugan was doing when he delivered the $4000.  (Nearly a decade later, Hooten remains firm in his belief.  ‘Ron Book was the engine,’ he said in a recent interview.  ‘Dugan was his gofer.’)”

In his article about Ron Book, Jim DeFede wrote, “In the past, he’s simply been known as an influence peddler.  Today, however, he is an attorney who knowingly violated Florida’s campaign finance laws — not once or twice, but on dozens of occasions over a number of years, in a systematic and willful manner.  Book’s colleagues in the lobbying business were not shocked.  Years ago they recognized a disturbing malady that would periodically overcome Book and others like him, a sudden collapse of the ethical standards upon which the lobbying profession is precariously balanced.  They called it the ‘Ronnie Book Syndrome.'”

DeFede described Book’s first arrest in 1986 on felony charges of insurance fraud after he filed a claim after his car was stolen and overstated its value by $10,000.  After three years of wrangling with the State Attorney’s Office, he eventually pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor, and “the judge withheld adjudication, which meant that Book ended up with no criminal record.”

Despite the ordeal, after which the lobbyist painted himself as the victim, Jim Defede reported, “Book certainly didn’t lose many friends during this period, especially among politicians.  And if there was a life lesson he learned, it very well could have been this: The road to redemption is paved with campaign contributions.”

In 1995, Book was arrested again, this time pleading guilty to four misdemeanors for violating “state law by funneling more than $30,000 in illegal campaign contributions to at least a dozen of his political cronies in state and county government.”

According to DeFede, however, Book only “confessed because the investigation into his criminal activities was about to be exposed in the media.”  At sentencing, Book was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines and another $40,000 to charity.

Needless to say, his light sentence infuriated prosecutors and Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents, who were brought in to investigate.

Assistant State Attorney Dennis Bedard told the New Times, “In my own personal opinion, I think this should be a felony.  It is a very serious offense for the following reasons: In the last 30 years in this country, money has played an increasingly important role in our political system.  The influence of people who contribute money to politicians has increased enormously, to the detriment of the public.  What these laws try to do is minimize the amount of influence these people have on the political process by preventing big contributors from donating large sums of money.”

“And lets face it,” he continues, “what Ron Book is trying to do here is to maximize the amount of political clout he can exercise over these politicians on behalf of his clients.  And the way he does that is by contributing as much money as he possibly can — legally or illegally — to the campaigns of those candidates who, at a later time, will be asked to vote in a certain way that benefits his clients.  He deliberately violated those laws for his own selfish good and for the good of his paying clients.”

And once again, Ron Book lost no business over his criminal conviction.

In fact, local politicians rushed to defend him and downplay his crimes, including then-North Miami Mayor Howard Premer, who “labeled Book’s crime a mere ‘technical violation’ and scoffed at the notion that the Ronald L. Book Athletic Field in North Miami should be renamed,” according to the New Times article.

Then-County Commissioner Katy Sorenson, however, had a different opinion.  She was against retaining Ron Book as the county’s lobbyist, and told the New Times, “I keep hearing the argument that he is effective.  But why is he effective?  Because he spreads money all over the place.  If we are ever going to stop governments from operating that way — from working in a system where money and campaign contributions are traded for political favors and votes — then we have to say no to this kind of behavior.  We have to say this is not acceptable in general, and it is certainly not acceptable from the person we hire to represent us in Tallahassee.”

Despite Commissioner Sorenson’s objections, Ron Book kept his $120,000 lobbying gig with the county as well as over two dozen local governments he also represents in Tallahassee, according to a January 3, 2017 Miami Herald article.  “Lobbyists hired to represent local governments often get unparalleled access to the powerful because they make campaign contributions, which cities and counties can’t do,” the article noted, estimating that Book’s firm earns over $1.7 million a year from representing those local governments.

That’s not including the undisclosed amount of money Ron Book makes from private sector companies who also hire him to lobby elected officials in some of those very same cities he already works for, which positively reeks of impropriety, not to mention a blatant conflict of interest.

A May 17, 2018 article by FloridaActionCommittee.org reported that “the three-person firm of Ronald L. Book, P.A. came in as one of the highest paid lobbying firms in the State,” taking in “$3.4 Million for lobbying legislators during the period of January 01, 2018 – March 31, 2018.”

The rest of the eye-opening article reads:

“Among his top clients… private, for-profit, prison companies GEO Group and Correct Care Solutions, which runs the Florida Sex Offender Civil Commitment Center. It’s no wonder that in his work for the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust he pushes so hard to lock up sex offenders. It’s also no wonder why his daughter, Senator Lauren Book, sponsors legislation imposing harsher punishment and mandatory minimum sentences for registration violations!

There were a few other interesting connections, Such as Auto Tag Management Group and AJT Media (which owns ‘eTags’ online vehicle registration and renewal) and Florida Association Of Motorist Service Providers Inc. (a/k/a Auto Tag Agency, Inc.,) and K.A.S. (a/k/a Tropical Tag Agency). It’s no wonder you see a buckslip to donate to his daughter’s charity, Lauren’s Kids, whenever you renew your vehicle registration in Florida or that she has her own license plate design for purchase.

A lot of this wouldn’t matter if not for the fact that Ron Book’s client roster didn’t also include multiple municipalities, which opens up a lot of self-dealing and conflict of interest.”

In 2018, Ron Book and his “team of lobbyists” requested a Conflict Waiver from the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, in order to continue representing Florida Pet Retailers, a group working “to block local governments from enacting “puppy mill” laws severely limiting retail sales of dogs and cats,” according to an April 27, 2018 Miami Herald article.

The Herald reported, “Miami-Dade has some minor pet-store restrictions on the books, but hasn’t enacted the kind of sweeping ban adopted by other Book clients, including Aventura, Miami Beach and North Miami.  But at least one commissioner, Daniella Levine Cava, has said publicly she wants to propose one.  And the county’s Ethics Commission, which regulates parts of the lobbying industry, is urging the county to reject Book’s waiver, citing Miami-Dade’s long-running efforts to protect local law-making against limits from Tallahassee.”

A month later the county commission unanimously (12-0) voted down Book’s request, as reported by the Miami Herald in Lobbyist Ron Book tends to get his way in Miami-Dade, but this time it’s a No.

Ron Book is, however, getting his way in North Miami Beach where he not only represents the city in Tallahassee for $60,000 a year, but as of January 3, 2020 he also became a registered lobbyist for Dezer Development for the purpose of convincing (his clients) the Mayor and Commission to vote for (his other clients) the Dezer’s Intracoastal Mall Application.

During Ron Book’s contract negotiations as a lobbyist for the City of North Miami Beach, former City Attorney Jose Smith insisted that he not lobby the city on behalf of private clients, specifically Dezer Development.

Mr. Smith said, “Having been involved in extensive Campaign Reform legislation, it was inconceivable to me that North Miami Beach had nothing in the Code regulating lobbying activities.”

Book, however, did not want that prohibition to be included in his contract, claiming it could be detrimental to his contracts with other cities.  Mr. Smith told us, “Instead, he verbally assured us that he would lobby on behalf of Dezer only in Tallahassee, on State issues, and not before North Miami Beach.”

He obviously broke that promise.

As an attorney in good standing with The Florida Bar, Ron Book should know better.

Chapter 4, Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 4-1.8 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, prohibits a lawyer from representing adverse parties without first obtaining “informed consent, in a writing signed by the client.”

To the best of our knowledge, Book never obtained a waiver from the City of North Miami Beach in order to represent Dezer Development in its negotiations with the city.

According to the Dezer’s Intracoastal Mall Application, this controversial $1.5 BILLION project consists of “up to 375,000 square feet of commercial/retail space, 200,000 square feet of office space, 2,000 multi-family residential units, 250 hotel keys, and extensive public spaces.”

Despite objections raised by Eastern Shores residents, whose lives will be disrupted by a massive traffic problem, the project was approved at a November 10, 2020 Special Commission meeting.

Ron Book’s successful lobbying efforts, especially targeting Michael Joseph on behalf of the developer, resulted in the Mayor and Commission voting 4-3 in favor of his client.

Book’s contributions to their political campaigns didn’t hurt, either.

Jose Smith, a former Miami Beach Commissioner and City Attorney, who now represents several Eastern Shores residents, told us, “A wise, erudite former Miami Beach City Commissioner [David Pearlson] once cautioned me, upon my election to the Commission in 1997, that, ‘Lobbyists are like manure; a little bit will make the tree grow, too much will kill the tree.’  Ron Book is definitely full of manure.”

Because water seeks its own level, at his swearing-in ceremony, Michael Joseph profusely thanked Dezer Development lobbyists Ron Book and Kelly Mallette by gushing (minute 6:35), “Oh, you guys.  You believed in me and I believed in y’all, and thank you.  Thank you so very much!”

After watching Michael’s over the top performance, we couldn’t help but recall the Opa-locka bribery case, and wonder if their special relationship also involved “innuendoes and secret words.”

Just saying.

No article about Ron Book would be complete without a dishonorable mention of his arrest last year on DUI charges.

On February 25, 2019 the Sun-Sentinel reported, “Inmate information listed with the Broward Sheriff’s Office, which is in charge of county jail security, shows Book was brought to the Broward County Main Jail after his arrest by Florida Highway Patrol on three charges — a first-offense charge of DUI, refusal to submit to a DUI test and DUI with damage to a person or property.  All of the charges are misdemeanors.”

Which we find particularly ironic considering Jim DeFede’s article made a point of noting that Ron Book claims to be all work and no play.  He wrote:

“At the end of the day, while other lobbyists may adjourn to Clyde’s, a bar near the capitol popular with legislators and reporters, Book retires to his hotel room to begin preparing for the next day.  ‘I don’t believe in going out drinking,’ Book remarks. ‘I don’t believe in going out and partying.  I don’t entertain a whole lot of legislators at night.  I get to the capitol first and I am basically the last guy out of there at night.'”

Apparently, Ron Book does “believe in going out drinking.”

He also “believes in” Michael Joseph.

Which makes perfect sense because unscrupulous minds think alike.

So, this Lobbyist and the Devil walk into a bar …

The Lobbyist buys the Devil (and his comrades) a round of drinks … and a seat on the dais.

And the joke is on the residents of North Miami Beach, especially those living in Eastern Shores.

Stephanie