Tag Archives: pac

Developer Gave $10K To Political Committee Operated By Broward School Board Member Allen Zeman

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Allen Zeman is chairman of Keep Students First Florida

A construction company/developer gave a $10,000 contribution to a political committee operated by Broward School Board Member Allen Zeman, State campaign records show. On November 1, 2023, The Corradino Group made the large contribution to the newly-formed Keep Students First Florida political committee. State records show Zeman is the chairman of Keep Students First Florida.

Records show Zeman opened the political committee on October 2, 2023 even though he does not face re-election until November 2026.

This is not Allen Zeman’s first foray into the world of political action committees (PAC).

In July 2022, REDBROWARD exposed Zeman’s ties to the Keep Students First political committee.

KEEP STUDENTS FIRST?

Records showed that PAC was funded by the Washington D.C. company founded by Allen Zeman. While running in 2022, Zeman preached his platform of “transparency and ethical standards” to concerned parents and newspaper editors.

On April 5, 2022, Allen Zeman announced his candidacy for the At-large District 8 Broward School Board seat. His official campaign paperwork listed his Fort Lauderdale home as his campaign address. These official documents listed Yolanda Brown of Brown Financial Consultants as Zeman’s campaign treasurer.

According to State elections records, Yolanda Brown created the Keep Students First political committee on May 27, 2022. Brown is listed as the chairperson and treasurer of Keep Students First. The address for the committee is the same Fort Lauderdale address as Yolanda Brown’s Fort Lauderdale financial business.

Allen Zeman is the CEO and founder of The Center For Human Capital Innovation. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, the company performs contract work for numerous Federal government agencies. Zeman is currently listed as the CEO on the company website.

On May 31, 2022, the Center For Human Capital Innovation gave $35,000 to the four day old Keep Students First political committee. On October 4, 2022, the company gave another $80,000 to the PAC.

On October 21, 2022, Allen Zeman made a $20,000 “loan” to Keep Students First.

Keep Students First was disbanded on April 27, 2023.

In 2022, we asked Allen Zeman many questions about the formation and contributions to Keep Students First. Zeman did not answer those questions. Instead, Zeman sent us a generic statement.

“I am aware of Keep Students First. It was formed to elect a Broward County school board that is fully focused on students, which is needed now more than ever,” Zeman said. “And I have supported their efforts in accordance with Florida elections law.”

REDBROWARD asked Zeman similar questions about the new Keep Students First Florida PAC.

We asked Allen Zeman:

Why did you close down Keep Students First only to open Keep Students First Florida four months later?

Why did you need to open a committee in 2023 when your re-election is so far off?

Why did the Corradino Group give your committee $10,000?

Did you solicit funds from them or anyone other company and/or lobbyist?

Will you accept contributions from other developers and companies with business before the Broward School Board?

Zeman has not responded to our request for comment.

Last week, Zeman rebuffed attempts by another School Board Member to tighten rules surrounding contact with lobbyists and prohibiting members from accepting gifts.

Also, Zeman has been a vocal proponent of closing schools across Broward.

Some want to sell closed schools and unused school property to private companies. Would The Corradino Group be interested in developing any closed school sites?

Broward parents, teachers and students deserve answers.

Allen Zeman has a “laser-like focus on ethics?”

Tamarac Commissioner Asked Marlon Bolton To Recuse Himself From Garbage Contract Vote Amid “Bribery” And “Corruption” Accusations

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Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton Pushed Colleagues To Award Garbage Contract To Company That Contributed More Than $20,000 To PACs Tied To Him

Marlon Bolton

Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton was asked twice to recuse himself from voting on a new city garbage contract amid accusations of “bribery” and “corruption” by a fellow commissioner. During a May 6, 2024 city workshop, Commissioner Elvin Villalobos asked Bolton to recuse himself because an applicant made more than $20,000 in contributions to a political action committee (PAC) tied to Bolton. Villalobos stated the contributions were made by Coastal Waste & Recycling. Bolton refused to recuse himself and voted to recommend Coastal.

Two days later, Villalobos repeated his request during the Tamarac City Commission meeting. “I’m going to request Commissioner Marlon Bolton recuses himself from voting on this item…he received $20,000 from a PAC he manages and…should disqualify him,” Villalobos said. Bolton did not recuse himself. Villalobos said, “One of our commissioners receiving $20,000 to vote in favor of a company—that is my main issue.”

A disgusted Villalobos then leveled accusations of “bought,” “unethical” and “corruption” within the city commission.

PAC MONEY

State of Florida records show contributions by Coastal Waste & Recycling to the Broward Vision PAC. On January 7, 2022, Coastal made a $5,000 contribution to Broward Vision.

On February 15, 2023, Coastal made a $15,000 contribution to Broward Vision.

State records also show Coastal made a $500 contribution on December 9, 2023 to the Friends Of Marlon Bolton PAC.

On March 26, 2024 Broward Vision PAC made a $5,500 contribution to the Friends of Marlon Bolton PAC.

BROWARD VISION

In 2021, REDBROWARD exposed the deep ties between Broward Vision PAC and Marlon Bolton.

In September 2019, Trace Robinson created the Broward Vision PAC political committee using the same post office box address used by businesses owned by Marlon Bolton. 

Florida business records list Marlon Bolton and Trace Robinson as owners of The Driven Project, Praise Experience Worldwide Outreach Church, and South Florida Theological Seminary, Inc.

According to financial reports filed with the State of Florida, Broward Vision PAC has paid more than $52,000 to companies with close ties to Marlon Bolton.

Since its formation, Broward Vision PAC paid $1,400 to Exy Consultants, a fictitious corporation created under the Happy Feet Advertising LLC name by Robinson. Exy Consultants used the same P.O. Box 451711 address as Marlon Bolton. Trace Robinson is the founder of Happy Feet Advertising.

Florida business records show the post office box address used by Happy Feet Advertising has been used by Marlon Bolton since at least 2014. These businesses include Tyson Bolton and Associates, Forecast Holdings, LLC, Prophet Fire, and Win Without War. 

In March 2023, Broward Vision Pac paid $16,000 to Happy Feet Advertising. Since 2022, Broward Vision paid nearly $44,000 to Happy Feet Advertising.

In March 2024, Broward Vision paid $809 to Forecast Holdings LLC, another company owned by Marlon Bolton. According to records, the amount was for “reimbursement staff transportation” to an event hosted by Broward Vision.

Last May, REDBROWARD revealed Jamaican government officials joined forces with Marlon Bolton and other Broward elected officials to raise money for Broward Vision. On Friday May 5th, Jamaican Consul General Oliver Mair was supposed to join Marlon Bolton and his fellow Tamarac Commissioner Morey Wright at the Marriott North in Fort Lauderdale to celebrate the Jamaican singer known as “Spice.”

Bolton presented Spice with the “Key To The Region” award. “I am honored to receive the Key to the Region of Florida from Vice Mayor Bolton,” Spice said. “Throughout my career, it has always been important to me to spread our beautiful Jamaican culture around the world.” 

Bolton was joined by Miramar Commissioners Alexandra Davis, Maxwell Chambers, Yvette Colbourne and North Lauderdale Commissioner Regina Martin.

A flyer for “An Evening of Excellence Honoring Spice” stated “general theatre” tickets cost $45 while a VIP ticket (with dinner!) cost $500 per person.

The flyers and press release stated, “All proceeds from the night will be donated to Broward Vision PAC. All tickets purchased are a donation to Broward Vision PAC. 

Marlon Bolton remained largely silent while Elvin Villalobos asked for his recusal.

Bolton said little about the large contributions by Coastal Waste.

According to Tamarac Talk, Bolton said, “My decisions are never impacted by who gives campaign contributions or not … It’s not based on who supports who or what.”

Tamarac voters deserve answers.

Why are companies seeking business in the City of Tamarac making large contributions to an obscure statewide PAC?

Who is asking these companies to make these contributions?

Why is Broward Vision paying more than $50,000 to companies tied to Marlon Bolton and his friends?

More to come…

Marlon Bolton and Broward Vision