Tag Archives: Holness Consulting

ICYMI: Daughter Of Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness Landed Huge PPP Loan For Her Political Consulting Business

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In case you missed it, here’s our report from last year revealing how Damara Holness, daughter of Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness, landed a $350,000 PPP loan for her political consulting business. Ms. Holness claimed to have 18 employees on her payroll:

Damara Holness

Records show a Florida corporation based inside Broward Mayor Dale Holness’ real estate office received a loan up to $350,000 via the Federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) intended to help companies affected by the COVID-19 lockdown pay employees. Numerous records and published reports show Holness Consulting Inc. received a PPP loan between $150,000 and $350,000 on June 27, 2020. According to State records, Holness Consulting Inc. is located at 4325 W. Sunrise Blvd in Plantation. Damara Holness, daughter of Dale Holness, is listed as its president.

Two businesses owned by Broward Mayor Dale Holness, All Broward Realty and American Holding Group, are located at 4325 W. Sunrise Blvd in Plantation. 

State corporation records show Damara Holness formed Holness Consulting Inc in November 2018. Ms. Holness, president of the Broward Black Democratic Party Caucus, is active in local and State political campaigns. In December 2018, Holness Consulting Inc received a $350 payment from Coral Springs Commissioner Joshua Simmons. In June 2019, Coral Commission candidate Khurrum Wahid paid $4,500 to Holness Consulting Inc.

It appears Holness Consulting Inc failed to file its 2019 annual report in 2019. Holness Consulting Inc. filed for reinstatement on June 22, 2020. Five days later, Holness Consulting Inc received its PPP loan.

According to available records, Holness Consulting Inc. claims to have eighteen employees. It is rare for any local political consultant to employ anyone other than themselves.

As Broward Mayor, Dale Holness touted the PPP program since April to local governments and business groups. 

Did Broward Mayor Dale Holness encourage his daughter to seek a PPP loan?

Was the timing of the Holness Consulting Inc. corporate reinstatement and the receipt of the PPP loan a coincidence?

Does Holness Consulting Inc actually employ eighteen people?

Does Broward Mayor Dale Holness employ eighteen people?

REDBROWARD tried to ask Damara Holness. When contacted by telephone, Ms. Holness said, “I’m in a meeting right now” and hung up.

Dale Holness and Damara Holness have worked closely on political campaigns in the past. In 2018, the Holness offices housed the Andrew Gillum for Governor campaign offices. Earlier this year, Damara Holness hosted a party registration event at Dale Holness’ office in Plantation.

In 2014, Dale and Damara Holness played major roles in a court case involving a Broward County Commission race.

In court testimony, Broward County Commission candidate Tyler Francois admitted he did not live in District 2. Florida Statute 99.0615 states, “At the time of qualification, all write-in candidates must reside within the district represented by the office sought.” Francois testified he knew he lived in Broward County Commission District 9 when he filed his campaign paperwork on June 20th, 2014. District 9 is represented by Broward Mayor Dale Holness.

Francois’ testimony confirmed what many Broward political insiders believed, that Dale Holness played a role in Francois’ write-in candidacy. Broward superlawyer William Scherer, representing the plaintiff, asked if Francois knew Commissioner Holness. Francois said he had voted for Holness in 2012 but did not really know him. Francois testified that no lawyer, politician, political consultant or anyone else assisted him.

Francois’ story began to fall apart after Scherer asked who lived with him at his Lauderdale Lakes home. At first, Francois claimed he lived with his brother. He admitted his mother owned the house. Francois testified no one else lived at that address. Scherer asked if he knew the daughter of Commissioner Holness had used his address as legal residence.

Francois’ attorney Robert Vaughan strongly objected to the mention of Holness’ daughter. Francois denied any relationship with Damara Holness but admitted he knew her. He said he had met her a few times, but “not often.” Francois stated he never discussed his candidacy with Ms. Holness.

After the lunch recess, Francois was recalled to the witness stand to explain a picture from Damara Holness’ Twitter account. Scherer obtained a picture of Francois and Holness posted to Twitter on March 14, 2014. The picture showed Francois and Holness straing into each other’s eyes in the front seat of an automobile. The picture was captioned, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”  The caption included an animated emoticon of heart with an arrow through it.

Scherer asked Francois what the animated heart meant to him. The courtroom observers snickered when Francois said it could mean just about anything.

Broward Mayor Dale Holness is up for re-election in November. REDBROWARD tried to contact Mayor Holness for comment. His voice mailbox was full.

We will update this story if Mayor Holness or Damara Holness respond.

Pro-Gregory Tony PAC Funneled Money To Consultants Tied To Broward Mayor Dale Holness

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Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony and Broward Mayor Dale Holness

Funds from a political committee supporting Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony were funneled to consultants tied to Broward Mayor Dale Holness, State campaign records show. To date, the Parkland-based Broward First political committee has raised nearly $1.5 million dollars in support of Sheriff Tony’s campaign. In the weeks before and after the August 18 primary, Broward First sent $36,750 to two different political committees in Fort Lauderdale.

On July 27, 2020 Broward First made a $16,000 contribution to the Young Professionals For Florida political committee. On August 25, 2020 Broward First made a $20,750 contribution to the South Florida Accountability Project.

Both Fort Lauderdale Political committees are managed by the same attorney.

DALE HOLNESS’ EX-WIFE?!?

On July 27, 2020, Young Professionals For Florida made a $16,000 contribution to the South Florida Accountability Project.

On that very day, Karlisle Williamson Jr. of Margate created All Priority Consulting, Inc., State corporation records show.

On August 11, 2020 South Florida Accountability Project paid $15,000 to All Priority Consulting.

On August 12, 2020 the money was refunded to the political committee. It was repaid to All Priority Consulting on August 13, 2020.

The campaign records and corporation filings show 5523 Barnstead Circle in Lake Worth as the place of business for All Priority Consulting.

This is the exact same address used by the mysterious Stronger Together Florida political committee.

Earlier this week, REDBROWARD revealed the telephone number for the political committee is (754) 444-6117.

Campaign reports from the 2016 Broward election show Stronger Together Chairperson Kayla Butler was a paid intern on the Dale Holness campaign

The telephone number for Stronger Together Florida is listed in State records for third party groups conducting voter registrations. The number is listed for “All Consulting And Marketing, Inc.” which conducted voter registration drives at 4325 W. Sunrise Blvd in Plantation since May, 2019.

This is the same address for All Broward Realty, Inc, a real estate company owned by Broward Mayor Dale Holness.

According to State corporate records, All Consulting And Marketing Inc. is owned by Richelle Holness, the daughter of Broward Mayor Dale Holness. State corporate records indicate the corporation was dissolved in September 2019 after failing to file its required corporate report.

State records show Richelle Holness started Tax Unlimited Corp in 2016 with A.H. The corporation was located at 4325 W. Sunrise Blvd in Plantation.

REDBROWARD has learned A.H. is the former wife of Broward Mayor Dale Holness.

When reached by telephone by REDBROWARD, Richelle Holness refused to discuss her role with the political committee. Broward election records list Richelle Holness as the treasurer for Broward Mayor Dale Holness’ 2020 campaign.

BIG BUCKS FOR HOLNESS CONSULTANT/GURU

On September 2, 2020 State the South Florida Accountability Project paid $20,000 to A Star For I, Inc. As REDBROWARD reported on numerous occasions. A Star For I, Inc. is owned and operated by Dale Holness consultant and marketing “guru” Omar M. Smith.

When REDBROWARD contacted the mysterious People For Principle PAC in July, Omar Smith answered the telephone. In 2018, REDBROWARD exposed Omar Smith’s role in the mysterious A Better Florida For All political committee.

Earlier this month, REDBROWARD reported on a large COVID Relief/PPP Loan obtained by A Star For I, Inc.

According to news organizations tracking the COVID-19 relief program, A Star For I, Inc. received approval for a loan between $150,000 and $350,000 on June 1, 2020.

Even though PPP loans were intended to be used on employee payroll, these organizations state A Star For I, Inc. reported zero employees on its loan applications. Self-employed business owners were eligible for PPP loans of $20,883.

How did A Star For I, Inc. receive nearly ten times more for “owner compensation replacement” than average self-employed business owners?

But why was A Star For I, Inc. seeking “compensation replacement” at all?

In addition to the $20,000 from the South Florida Accountability Project, Florida Division of Elections records show Omar Smith’s company received 14,188 from political campaigns after receiving a six-figure PPP loan. This includes a July 9, 2020 payment of $1,500 by George Odom’s judicial campaign and and a July 30, 2020 payment for $10,200 by former Broward Judge Ian Richards.

Broward election records show Omar Smith made even more money from his work as Dale Holness’ campaign consultant. Holness is seeking re-election for his District 9 seat this November. Holness has no Republican opposition, just an unknown write-in candidate.

According to Holness campaign reports, Omar Smith/A Star for I, Inc was paid $46,750 as a consultant. More than $31,000 was paid after the COVID-19 lockdown.

Why would pro-Gregory Tony political contributions end up in the hands of Dale Holness consultants?

Why does the Palm Beach home of Dale Holness’ former wife house multiple businesses involved in Broward politics?

Shouldn’t someone else start asking Dale Holness what is going on with these political committees and his family members?

Broward voters deserve answers, right?