Like any politician, Lauren Linville is not shy when it comes to sharing her resume. Linville, a Democrat candidate for Coconut Creek Commission, regularly mentions her work with a local women’s club, her own crisis management company and even her service in the United States Coast Guard. Despite having a degree in criminal justice from Youngstown State University, Linville never mentions working for one of the largest private prison companies in the world.
Based in Boca Raton, The GEO Group “provides complementary, turnkey solutions for numerous government partners worldwide across a spectrum of diversified correctional and community reentry services.” GEO claims to operate 123 facilities all over the world with 23,000 employees. Closer to home, The GEO Group operates the “Broward Transitional Center” in Deerfield Beach for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).
The GEO Group faced protests from progressive groups opposed to their treatment of teenaged immigrants at the Broward facility. In 2019, protesters were arrested at the company’s headquarters in Boca Raton. The Sun-Sentinel reported, “[P]rotesters did not align with one particular organization but were known affiliates of groups such as Food Not Bombs Fort Lauderdale, Black Lives Matter Alliance Broward, Florida Immigrant Coalition and Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee.”
Last week, REDBROWARD revealed Lauren Linville made disparaging remarks about the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM).
“I’m so sick of all these ‘movements’…Black Lives Matter, ISIS, Radical Islam, LGBT Hate groups…. They’ve done nothing but disappoint, hate, kill and create pain for others,” Linville said.
After a backlash from prominent Democrats, including local BLM leader Jasmine Rogers, Linville played the victim in a tepid apology posted on Facebook.
Linville blamed military weight restrictions, postpartum depression and terrorist attacks for her comments equating BLM with ISIS and radical Islam.
Is Lauren Linville trying to keep Coconut Creek voters in the dark about her job at The GEO Group?
DEEP TIES TO GEO GROUP KEPT OFF CANDIDATE’S RESUME
According to online databases, from 2011 to 2015 Lauren Linville held numerous positions at The GEO Group. The positions included executive assistant, contracts administrator, research analyst for the business development department and a promotion to project management in the business development department. Linville even authored articles for the company’s GEO World magazine. Last year, Linville started a website promoting local businesses with another GEO Group alum.
While Linville boasts about the “Gather Later” website she created with Robin Verse, her jobs at The GEO Group are never mentioned.
No GEO Group work history appears on Linville’s LinkedIn profile. She lists her work at Optimum Consulting, service in the U.S. Coast Guard reserve and a one year position at Youngstown State University in the veterans affairs department.
When she applied for a seat on a Coconut Creek board, Linville submitted a paper copy of her resume. It lists Optimum Consulting and the U.S. Coast Guard. Nothing about The GEO Group.
REDBROWARD contacted Lauren Linville about her work at The GEO Group. In a reply via text message, Linville wrote, “Yes, it was my first job out of college, but I was recalled to active service for the majority of my time (three years to be exact) with Geo Group. I subsequently left shortly after returning home from Active Duty.”
Linville did not respond to questions about her job duties, promotions or her work with Robin Verse.
When asked why GEO Group does not appear on her resume, Linville wrote, “I don’t put it on my resume any longer because it was such a long time ago and is generally not relevant to work I’m seeking currently. As recently as 2-3 years ago I still had it on my resume.”
But when asked why an even older job is listed on her LinkedIn page, Linville replied, “[Youngstown State University] is where I went to school and worked as a VA rep, and I believe there is a recommendation from my supervisor I wanted to keep.”
Finally, REDBROWARD asked Linville if she wanted to keep her work at The GEO Group a secret from Coconut Creek voters.
Lauren Linville said, “No.”
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