Staff Reports
Ron DeSantis banished the mayor of North Miami Beach, Anthony DeFilippo, after authorities arrested him for participating in an unlawful activity. Officials revealed last week that DeFilippo had voted illegally in three North Miami Beach elections in 2022. The charge against him specifically states that he voted three times in the 2022 primary, general election, and run-off elections using the address of a North Miami Beach residence he had sold a year earlier.
The investigation began various months ago when a complaint was filed claiming that the mayor was living outside the jurisdiction. Upon deposition, DeFilippo initially stated that he and his family were residing in Davie, while he was occupying a condo in North Miami Beach. However, the Mayor later stated that he was living with his mother in North Miami Beach and has now moved to a different condo. Investigators discovered that the Mayor had allegedly spent most nights in Davie, including when he voted in the North Miami elections, citing cell phone records.
DeSantis, in an executive order, stated that DeFilippo would be banned from performing any official act or duty and refrain from receiving any pay or allowance as a public servant. The order also identified that DeFillipo would no longer be entitled to any public or official privileges or honors, effectively erasing his mayoral status.
Several different angles suggest that DeFilippo was aware that his actions were unlawful, and in fact, he admitted it saying it was an “oversight” and that he’d taken prompt measures to fix it when he realized his mistake. On the other hand, the Mayor accused his competitors of using political tactics to charge him with false accusations.
DeFilippo faces a maximum jail sentence of 15 years if convicted of the three felony charges. The suspension of the Mayor comes in the middle of DeSantis’ campaign for the presidency, where he portrays himself as a tough and determined advocate of the conservative platform. DeSantis believes that his confrontational approach to dealing with DeFillipo would hearten Republican Party primary voters, earning him their support.
Source: Conservative Institute
