Feb 28, 2008 5:10 pm US/Eastern
Former City Attorney Fired, No Severance
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Jorge Fernandez, Miami City Attorney
CBS
In a vote of 4-0 Thursday, Miami City Commissioners rejected Jorge Fernandez's resignation and voted to fire him instead, thus nullifying his employment contract's severance package. The commission also voted to fight, at any cost, any legal action Fernandez may decide to bring against the city or its administrators.
At
the hearing, Commissioner Marc Sarnoff said, "I'm going to make a motion and I hope someone will second it. I am going to move that we reject his resignation and we immediately terminate him, because he admittedly issued false statements and inappropriate use of public funds."
Another commissioner, Tomas Regalado added, "This issue is about right and wrong."
However, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz believed that the former city attorney might be entitled to his severance through his employment contract.
Convicted of violating the public trust and forced to resign, former Miami City Attorney Jorge Fernandez cut a plea deal with prosecutors that allowed him to avoid time behind bars.
Fernandez's fall came after a
CBS4 News investigation in 2007, which found he spent thousands of tax payer dollars on lavish parties and extravagant meals at area restaurants. Records show that at the Rusty Pelican, Fernandez used money from his city expense account to pay for a $15-hundred graduation party for his son.
When he handed in his letter of resignation, Fernandez had requested the full terms of his severage package which included 6 months pay (more than $128-thousand), unused vacation time (more $120-thousand) and sick leave ($25-thousand) for a total golden parachute of nearly $275-thousand.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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