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RETURN OF HAPPY FEET: Radical Florida House Candidate Elijah Manley Hired Company With Deep Ties To Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton

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Elijah Manley with Dale Holness (on right).

Radical Florida State House candidate Elijah Manley paid nearly $3,000 to a company tied to controversial Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton, records show. In December, Manley, a Democrat seeking the State House District 94 seat, made two payments to Happy Feet Advertising LLC. REDBROWARD previously revealed the Margate company is operated by a close ally of Bolton.

According to State corporate records, Happy Feet Advertising LLC is owned by Trace N. Robinson. While the business paperwork shows a Margate address, the mailing address for Happy Feet Advertising is listed as P.O. Box 451711 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33345.

State records also show businesses owned by Marlon Bolton use the same post office box.

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. These same records show Marlon Bolton and Trace Robinson are business partners.

Records list Marlon Bolton and Trace Robinson as owners of The Driven Project, Praise Experience Worldwide Outreach Church, and South Florida Theological Seminary, Inc. The companies also use the same post office box.

In 2020, Trace Robinson created the Broward Vision PAC political committee. The address for the PAC is the same post office box used by Bolton.

State of Florida campaign records show Broward Vision PAC paid $1,400 to Exy Consultants, a corporation created under the Happy Feet Advertising LLC name by Robinson. Exy Consultants used the same P.O. Box 451711 address as Marlon Bolton.

According to Tamarac campaign reports, Commissioner Marlon Bolton provided Happy Feet Advertising with its biggest payday. Reports show Bolton paid nearly $14,000 to Happy Feet Advertising during the 2020 election cycle.

Commissioner Marlon Bolton refused to answer questions regarding his close ties to Happy Feet Advertising, LLC and its work for numerous Broward politicians and committees.

In April 2021, REDBROWARD exposed the roles Bolton and Happy Feet Advertising played in the election of North Lauderdale Commissioner Regina Martin. Campaign records show Happy Feet Advertising, LLC performed extensive campaign work for the newly-elected Martin. Campaign treasurer reports show Martin paid $14,750 to Happy Feet during the 2020 election cycle.

Last March, REDBROWARD asked Marlon Bolton about his ties to Happy Feet, Trace Robinson and fake news website The Tamarac Post.

We asked Bolton if he had any financial interest in Happy Feet. We asked Bolton if he played any role in political campaign which hired Happy Feet.

Marlon Bolton refused to issue any comment or denial on this facts.

In a text message, Bolton wrote, “Oh! Go ahead write away…Sir, whatever you want to write, you can…”

MANLEY GETS HAPPY FEET

Now, campaign records show Elijah Manley paid Happy Feet Advertising LLC for “monetary” work on his State House race. On December 19, 2021, Manley paid $1,200 to Happy Feet Advertising LLC. On December 30, 2021 Manley gave $1,600 to Happy Feet Advertising LLC.

Days later, Elijah Manley blasted opponents for calling him a “puppet” of former Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness. Manley, a former Holness aide, hired a company tied to Holness ally Marlon Bolton and he does not want people to notice?

image posted by Elijah Manley on Facebook

The radical Manley is no stranger to controversy.

In 2018, REDBROWARD exposed Elijah Manley’s run for President of The United States as a a socialist party candidate. In 2015, published reports documented Elijah Manley’s trip to the Socialist Party convention in Wisconsin. Manley told the New Times, “He identifies as an independent but says if he had to label his political leanings, he’d call himself a Democratic socialist. He’s one of seven candidates slated to speak and debate at Socialist Party USA’s national convention in Milwaukee….”

REDBROWARD exposed Manley’s radical views on Israel, North Korea and law enforcement. Manley posted “ Fuck the police” on his social media accounts.

REDBROWARD revealed Elijah Manley role as a member of Team Dale Holness. In addition to working for Holness’ 2016 re-election campaign, Elijah Manley employed Dale Holness’ daughter Damara Holness as his campaign manager when he ran for the Broward County School Board. Dale Holness endorsed Manley’s school board campaign.

All residents in State House District 94, regardless of party affiliation, can vote on January 11, 2022. Elijah Manley is running against fellow Democrats Daryl Campbell, Josephus Eggelletion III, and Roderick Kemp.

State Sen. Chris Smith Tied To Shadowy Miramar Political Committee

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SenatorSmithportrait-11

State Sen. Chris Smith

Official State and local records show the political committee of State Senator Christopher L. Smith (D-Fort Lauderdale) contributed money to a shadowy political committee in Broward. Last week, REDBROWARD exposed the role the secretive “Alliance for Better Governance (ABG)” political committtee played in the March 2015 Miramar city commission elections. The committee spent tens of thousands of dollars on the elections, but campaign reports listed fictitious names and addresses for donors and campaign workers.

According to campaign reports filed with the Broward Supervisor of Elections Office (SOE), the “Alliance for Better Governance” received five contributions from the Miami consultant “ABCD” located at 12345, Miami FL 33027. This “consultant” made contributions of $7000, $1500, $750, $1000 and $1800 between February 19, and March 9, 2015.

Roderick C. Kemp, the contact person for the “Alliance for Better Governance,” is a close associate of Alexandra Davis, a former Miramar city commissioner. Records show Kemp registered the domain name “voteforAlexandra.com” in December 2013. Davis used this domain name for her campaign website during the March 2015.

When contacted by REDBROWARD, Kemp admitted the political committee worked to get Davis elected. He said, “We helped [Davis] and lots of municipal candidates.” Kemp said he registered the domain name when Davis “needed an email address.”

As for the fictitious names and addresses, Kemp said the person who filed the reports for him “must have made a mistake.” Kemp promised to fix the mistake.

The very day REDBROWARD reported the story, “Alliance for Better Governance” submitted an amended report with the Broward Supervisor of Elections Office. This new report raises more questions than it answers. The donors include the relatives of a Miami-Dade County Commissioner and the political committee of State Senator Chris Smith.

ABG claims it received two contributions from B&B Professional Consulting Inc of West Park. Once again, the address given for B&B Professional Consulting Inc is fictitious. State of Florida records show the corporation is based at 3840 SW 26th Street, not 3649 SW 26th Street. The company is owned by Billy and Barbara Hardemon, the uncle and aunt of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Keon Hardemon. According to the Miami Herald, the Hardemons are longtime Liberty City political powerbrokers.

Could this be another simple “mistake” by the person filling out the forms? Perhaps. However it is not the only fictitious address on the amended report.

ABG reports a $1,000 contribution on March 2, 2015 by Florida’s Future. The report claims Florida’s Future is located at “3316 HOLLYWOOD BLVD. HOLLYWOOD, FL 33021.”

According to IRS records, Florida’s Future is located at 3816 Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood.

Last week, the Miami Herald reported how Florida’s Future funded the travel and dining expenses of State Sen. Chris Smith. Records were murkier at Florida’s Future, a political action committee operated by Smith, the Senate’s former minority leader from Fort Lauderdale. Expense filings were not matched with individuals. Committee treasurer Roderick Harvey, a CPA, blamed the tax season for a two-month delay in responding to a media inquiry to break down charges. 

Smith told the Miami Herald his committee funded “voter outreach in Broward.”

“Smith said all expenses were related to the committee’s voter outreach in Broward County and ‘not for a particular candidate.’”

The Herald reported the PAC’s registered purpose, which it is required to file with the Florida Secretary of State, is “supporting candidates who believe in creating a solid foundation for Florida’s Future.” When the reporter asked Smith why the committee spent money on outreach and dining instead of spending on a candidate, Smith said, “I honestly don’t know. I need to check that out.”

Last week, the Florida Division of Elections sent an audit letter to Florida’s Future regarding its March contribution to the “Alliance for Better Governance.” Florida’s Future listed a March 2, 2015 expenditure to “Alliance For Better Government.” It failed to include legally required information including the address, City, State, and expenditure purpose.

Florida’s Future has seven days to respond to avoid a violation of Chapter 106, Florida Statutes.