As REDBROWARD reported earlier this month, Pompano Beach city commission candidate Delvin King was removed from the ballot after a Broward County Judge determined King did not qualify for the District 4 seat. King was part of an unofficial “slate” of candidates which includes Commissioners Audrey Fesik and Alison Fournier. Following King’s removal, a local Pompano Beach resident attempted to reopen the qualifying period by suing the City and the Broward Supervisor of Elections Office. After a Broward Judge ruled against the resident, Commissioner Darlene Smith was automatically re-elected.
During the September 22, 2026 commission meeting, Fournier and Fesik attempted to paint Smith as the villain for not suing Delvin King before the candidate qualifying period ended in June 2026. Smith had revealed she began to question King’s qualifications in February 2026. (In July 2026, a new Florida law took effect which only gave an opposing candidate the right to question a candidate’s qualifications in court.)
BLAME GAME
During the September 22, 2026 meeting, Fesik asked the city attorney about an obligation to share negative information about a candidate.
“If someone is receipt of information and had concerns about the residency of someone who is qualifying, what should they do,” Fesik asked.
“What should that resident or commissioner do with that information,” Fesik inquired. “So, would you recommend…that person sit on that information for seven months?”
When told there is no legal obligation, Fournier asked if there was a moral obligation. “So it’s just a question of your personal values whether a person wants to bring that forward,” she said.
Fesik also tried to blame Smith for the timing of her King lawsuit. Fesik asked if a commissioner had “any legal obligation to the residents of the City to be honest and forthcoming with that?”
Again, Fesik was informed there was no legal obligation.
But that did not stop Fesik.
She asked if a city employee had an obligation to disclose if they received this information. Again, the answer was no.
WHAT DID THEY KNOW AND WHEN DID THEY KNOW IT?
The grandstanding by Fournier and Fesik tried to paint Darlene Smith as the bad guy for withholding information about the controversial Delvin King. But Fournier and Fesik were made aware of King’s serious legal issues in January 2026, public records show.
Last December, the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) published a public notice regarding a lease in the northwest part of the City. A local chamber of commerce submitted a lease proposal to the CRA. Audrey Fesik questioned the lease.
Less than a week later, Delvin King through his South Florida Technical College made a proposal for the same property. In exchange for an annual lease of $50,000 King wanted nearly $40,000 to improve the property.
As part of their due diligence, City CRA conducted a basic public records and litigation search of King and his business. The results included felony charges, misdemeanor charges, business evictions and accusations of fraud.
In a January 13, 2026 email to Fesik, Fournier and the rest of the Commission, CRA director Nguyen Tran explained that King’s proposal was rejected “due to the active and closed litigation history for each business entity as well as the individuals associated with these businesses.” Tran included twelve pages detailing the legal cases against King and his businesses.
In a January 17, 2026 email, King claimed the process was “disrespectful.”
Two days later, Audrey Fesik jumped to the defense of Delvin King. In a January 19, 2026 email, Fesik demanded a “stay of execution” of a lease with the original bidder. Fesik claimed there were “serious procedural and legal deficiencies that must be addressed.”
Fesik said she had been “denied” the opportunity to “hear the proposal, evaluate staff’s concerns, question (King) or vote.”
Two days later, Delvin King opened his campaign for the City Commission District 4 seat.
EIGHT DAYS
Audrey Fesik knew about Delvin King’s lengthy criminal history eight days before he became Darlene Smith’s political opponent.
Despite knowing his legal history, Audrey Fesik still wanted to consider Delvin King as a tenant of CRA property.
Audrey Fesik wanted to “evaluate staff’s concerns” about Delvin King, but not once has Fesik stated any concerns about his legal troubles.
Audrey Fesik attended Alison Fournier’s campaign event with Delvin King. The three were all smiles in photographs.
Audrey Fesik and Delvin King posed for pictures at other events.
Did Audrey Fesik ever voice concerns over Delvin King’s fitness to be a Pompano Beach Commissioner?
Did Audrey Fesik voice any concerns when Delvin King joined her as a member of the Broward Republican Executive Committee?
Did Audrey Fesik voice any concerns about Delvin King when was forced into court regarding his candidacy?
Fesik and Fournier were quick to waste the public’s time when they demanded to know what Darlene Smith knew and when did she know it. But they all knew about Delvin King in January 2026.
Why did they sit on this information for eight months?
Why weren’t Fournier and Fesik more forthcoming with this damaging information about Delvin King?
Did their desire to gain control of the commission outweigh any “moral obligation” to inform residents about Delvin King’s serious political liabilities?
Pompano Beach residents deserve answers.
