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Nov 13, 2009 5:45 pm US/Eastern
History Shows Corruption Not New To Miami Gov't.
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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The skyline of Miami, Fla., is shown in this March 9, 2005 image.
Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images
Prosecutors have been busy this week as two commissioners in the city of Miami have run afoul of the law. While the city government will be able to function with help from Florida governor Charlie Crist, government corruption is nothing new to South Florida.
Former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz joined CBS4's Elliot Rodriguez for a taping of News and Views to discuss the city's future and his legacy as mayor. He said both Michele Spence-Jones and Angel Gonzalez, the two commissioners who faced charges this week, worked hard for their districts and the people who elected them.
"We were able to transform all neighborhoods in the city of Miami and we worked very closely and very hard to accomplish that," Diaz said.
But much like today, in the past making progress in Miami has fallen victim to corruption, divisive ethnic politics and as in the case of Commissioner Johnny Winton, embarrassing behavior. Winton was arrested after fighting with cops at the airport.
In the 1990's, Comissioner Bert Hernandez was busted for voter fraud. Miller Dawkins went down on corruption charges, as did city manager Cesar Odio, and police Chief Donald Warshaw. A corruption and sex scandal brought down commissioner Art Teele who committed suicide in 2005.
Now out of office and looking forward to some time off, Diaz said he hoped Miami had finally turned a corner.
"It was important to maintain peace and stability. When you have this much controversy going on it's much more difficult to focus on positive energy," Diaz said.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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