Tag Archives: burnadette norris weeks

Teamwork: Allies From Miami-Dade, Miramar & Tamarac Donate Big Bucks To Dale Holness Congressional Campaign

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Team Dale Holness?

On Monday, Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness did not want to discuss the details of the money he raised for his U.S. Congressional campaign.

“We’re doing well. God is good. In spite of all this stuff that they might throw at me, I’m doing all right. Thank you,” Holness told the Sun-Sentinel.

No worries Dale. REDBROWARD is more than happy to share the details with the public.

Team Dale Holness™️ assembled from across Miami-Dade, Miramar and Tamarac to fill Dale Holness’ congressional campaign with big bucks, records show. The controversial Broward County Commissioner is seeking to replace the late Alcee Hastings in the United States Congress (CD 20). Last week, the Holness For Congress committee reported more than $300,000 in contributions.

In June, the Holness campaign picked up nearly $6,000 in contributions from relatives of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Keon Hardemon. On June 11, 2021, Holness received a $1,000 contribution from Aunt Barbara Hardemon. On June 29th, Barbara chipped in another $1,900 while Uncle Billy Hardemon made a $2,900 contribution.

In January, REDBROWARD revealed the growing alliance between Dale Holness and Keon Hardemon. In October 2020, B and B Professional Consultants, Inc. made a $2,500 contribution to the federal “People of Principle PAC.” REDBROWARD exposed the deep ties between Holness aides and the shady Federal political committee. State business records show B and B Professional Consultants, Inc. is owned by Keon Hardemon’s aunt, Barbara Hardemon.

Last month, REDBROWARD exposed the Hardemon’s ploy to further influence Broward elections.

Records show Hardemon’s aunt, Barbara Hardemon formed the “Better Leadership” political committee in May 2020. The timing appears to coincide with a campaign for a seat on the Broward County Commission by a close ally of Dale Holness.

Miramar Commissioner Alexandra Davis filed her campaign paperwork for the District 8 seat on the Broward County Commission on May 3, 2021. Barbara Sharief is expected to resign from this County Commission in order to run for U.S. Congress CD 20. In April, Alexandra Davis endorsed Dale Holness in the same CD 20 race.

On May 7, 2021, Barbara Hardemon filed the “Better Leadership” paperwork with the Broward Supervisor of Elections office. Hardemon stated the committee would “support local issues” in Miami-Dade and Broward. REDBROWARD previously reported Aunt Barbara and Uncle Billy were already supporting Alexandra Davis’ campaign.

In her first campaign treasurer’s report, Alexandra Davis lists a $1,000 contribution from B&B Professional Consultants Inc. which is owned by Aunt Barbara. Davis reports another $1,000 contribution from Barbara Hardemon.

MIRAMAR INC?

Broward Supervisor of Elections records show Barbara Hardemon listed 3900 S.W. 26th Street in West Park as the the address for the “Better Leadership” committee. Barbara and Bill Hardemon live next door at 3840 S.W. 26th Street. Broward property records show the home at 3900 S.W. 26th Street is owned by their daughter, Zakiya Hardemon Kelley.

According to the City of Miramar website, Zakiya Kelley is the assistant director of their cultural affairs division. REDBROWARD asked Zakiya Hardemon Kelley for comment. She did not respond.

This is not the first case of a Hardemon/Miami to City of Miramar political pipeline.

An August 2013 investigation by the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission exposed the role Billy and Barbara Hardemon played in City of Miramar politics. The 2013 complaint alleged Billy Hardemon, then an employee with the Miami-Dade County Department of Public Works and Waste Management (PWWM), spent “substantial amounts of county time, taken without authorized leave, in the City of Miramar, in Broward County…during hours when Hardemon was understood to be working at his Miami-Dade County job.”

What was Billy Hardemon doing in Miramar? According to the complaint, Hardemon attended numerous City of Miramar government meetings as the “de facto chief of staff” for Miramar City Commissioner Yvette Colburne. (Other employees claimed Hardemon served a similar role with Miramar City Commissioner Alexandra Davis).

In an interview with investigators, Colburne admitted Billy Hardemon was her “advisor.” She said his role was to advise her and “attend meetings for and with her.” While he assisted with her campaign, Colburne stated Hardemon was not paid or compensated in anyway.

However, investigators determined Colburne’s campaign paid $2,000 to B and B Professional Consultants, Inc., a company owned by Barbara Hardemon.

Colburne told investigators that Billy Hardemon and Barbara Hardemon were members of “Team Colburne.” As to his employment in Miami-Dade County, Colburne told investigators, “I felt that was being handled with his superiors.”

Campaign records show “Team Colburne” definitely backs Team Dale Holness. On June 29, 2021, Yvette Colburne made a $1,000 contribution to Holness for Congress.

In April, Miramar City Attorney Burnadette Norris Weeks and her law partner Michelle Pamies each made $1,000 contributions to Holness for Congress. REDBROWARD has written numerous reports detailing the alliance between Dale Holness and Burnadette Norris Weeks who was the attorney for former Broward Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes.

TAMARAC HALL?

In March, REDBROWARD revealed several candidates for the Tamarac city attorney position were linked to the Austin Pamies Norris Weeks Powell law firm owned by Miramar city attorney Burnadette Norris Weeks. Attorneys with Ottinot Law and Michael Garcia P.A. were listed as attorneys on the Austin Pamies Norris Weeks and Powell website. Hans Ottinot was serving as the interim Tamarac city attorney.

Despite the convoluted and undisclosed ties with Austin Pamies Norris Weeks Powell, Tamarac Commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin defended the Ottinot and Garcia bids.

In June, REDBROWARD revealed Elberg Mike Gelin failed to disclose his business dealings with the City Of Miramar and its city attorneys with the Austin Pamies Norris Weeks Powell law firm.

During his full-throated defense of the Michael Garcia and Austin Pamies Norris Weeks Powell firms, Tamarac Commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin stated both firms worked for the City of Miramar. But Gelin never mentioned his business relationship with the City of Miramar. According to public records, a company owned by Commissioner Gelin has a lucrative contract with the City of Miramar.

State records show Elberg Mike Gelin formed the company in January 2015. Three years later, the City of Miramar signed a contract for health benefits consulting with Gelin Benefits Group, Inc. The three year deal was set to expire in January 2021.

On January 27, 2021, City of Miramar officials recommended a new deal with Gelin Benefits Group. The first contract awarded $105,000 per year to Gelin Benefits Group. The new deal saw a huge 60% increase for Gelin Benefits Group.

Under the new deal, Miramar taxpayers would pay $165,000 per year to Gelin’s company as well as “$240 hourly for work on an as needed basis.”

In April 2021, Elberg Mike Gelin made a $1,000 contribution to Dale Holness’ congressional campaign. Gelin’s wife Shaheewa Jarret Gelin also gave Holness For Congress a $1,000 contribution. Hans Ottinot, the then-interim Tamarac city attorney gave $1,500 to Holness For Congress.

In June, Shaheewa Jarrett Gelin chipped in another $1,000 to to the Holness campaign. And even though he did not land the lucrative Tamarac city attorney job, Hans Ottinot still gave $1,000 to Dale Holness.

Talk about teamwork….

More Trouble For Team Holness As Pahokee City Commission Fires City Attorney Burnadette Norris Weeks

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Burnadette Norris Weeks & Dale Holness
Burnadette Norris Weeks, right, terminated by Pahokee Commission

City Pahokee Commissioners voted to terminate the contract of “interim” city Burnadette Norris Weeks, a staunch supporter of Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness. The move comes while Holness tries to convince Pahokee residents to send him to Washington DC to replace Congressman Alcee Hastings. While a local television tried to play up racial overtones of the decision, a review of the actual meeting video shows much more than a “shouting match.”

WPTV Channel 5 News said the Monday night meeting erupted into a “shouting match” with nameless residents claiming race was the reason behind the firing of Norris Weeks. Yet, the Commissioners who voted to terminate the contract, Vice Mayor Regina Bohlen, Sara Perez and Juan Gonzalez, said nothing about their decision. Commissioner Clara Murvin, a Norris Weeks supporter, claimed a mystery man from another county, was behind the “plot” to oust Norris Weeks as well as other employees. Mayor Keith Babb echoed Murvin’s claims by stating every city employee was “at risk” of getting fired if Norris Weeks was removed.

Before the vote, Babb allowed Burnadette Norris Weeks to address the Commission. Norris Weeks claimed Commisioner Perez wanted her gone because her husband has a legal case against the City of Pahokee. Norris Weeks said she was a “big girl” and told Commissioners she still has plenty of work with other municipalities.

Commissioners voted 3-2 to terminate Norris Weeks’ $6,800 per month contract as city attorney.

After the vote, Commissioner Murvin mentioned Norris Weeks was entitled to ninety days notice. Mayor Babb stated the Commission could vote to suspend Norris Weeks and simply pay her three months of salary. “If she agrees,” Murvin screamed.

When Vice Mayor Regina Bohlen questioned the terms of the contract, Norris Weeks stated “I drafted it. This provision applies.”

After Bohlen stated Norris Weeks had “no right to give us a legal opinion,” audience members started screaming and disrupting the proceedings.

At one point, an unidentified woman asked Mayor Babb to “shut them up.”

Perez introduced a motion to remove Norris Weeks immediately and pay her for the ninety days. Bohlen seconded the motion. Instead of entertaining the motion, Mayor Babb adjourned the meeting.

“You planned this all along,” Perez told Babb.

For all the hyperbole surrounding the meeting to remove Burnadette Norris Weeks, it’s pales in comparison to the fiasco that landed her the job in the first place.

CITY MANAGER FIRED BEFORE GIVING SCATHING REPORT ON CITY MANAGER

In April 2019, longtime Pahokee city attorney Gary Brandenburg planned to give City Commissioners a scathing report on the actions of then-City Manager Chandler Williamson. After catching wind of Brandenburg’s plan, Williamson’s allies on the Commission made their move to remove Brandenburg.

“In a brazen power play that has raised suspicions of back-room dealings, city commissioners re-ordered their April 23 agenda and fired Brandenburg, a former Palm Beach County attorney with 40 years of experience, without letting him speak.”

“Minutes later, after ordering a sheriff’s deputy to escort Brandenburg from the commission chambers, they voted to hire an interim city attorney who, stunned observers noted, ‘just happened to appear’ in the audience.”

Clara Murvin presided over the meeting to remove Brandenburg. Murvin did not allow Brandenburg to speak before the vote. Murvin did not allow Bohlen to ask questions.

After the vote, a gracious Brandenburg thanked everyone in the City. But when he said the City Manager’s speech was full of “misconceptions and lies” Murvin called on a sheriff’s deputy to escort Brandenburg out of the meeting. Saying he did not need to be escorted out, Brandenburg shook everyone’s hand and walked out.

When Bohlen asked to table the matter of hiring a new attorney for a couple of weeks, City Manager Williamson said he needed “legal representation.” Norris Weeks was hired on the spot.

“‘She just happened to appear in the chambers,’ Bohlen quipped sarcastically.”

How did Fort Lauderdale resident Burnadette Norris Weeks just happen to be at the Pahokee City Commission meeting?

“Murvin said she asked Weeks to attend the meeting. She said she met with Weeks several days earlier.”

“‘It was not a planned plot,’ Murvin said. ‘No one knew attorney Weeks was coming but me.’”

For those keeping score, Murvin says move to hire Burnadette Norris Weeks was “not a planned plot.” But the move to fire Burnadette Norris Weeks was definitely “a plot.”

On Monday night, one resident said Pahokee was the “laughingstock of the County and the State.”

Funny, that’s often said in cities under the control of Team Dale Holness….