Aug 29, 2007 11:39 pm US/Eastern
Commissioner Investigated For Vizcaya Condo Deal
by David Sutta
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
The controversial deal approved by the City of Miami to build a high rise condo tower in the Vizcaya neighborhood might have been influenced by consultants that were friends of a city commissioner.
The State Attorney's Office is reviewing a deal to build 225 waterfront condos by developers The Related Group next to Vizcaya. The project was first opposed by several citizens because it posed an eyesore to the scenic bayside neighborhood, but now City of Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones is being investigated for allegedly having her vote to approve the project bought.
Jones admits the Related Group hired her former campaign adviser Barbara Hardemon for the job and political mentor Barbara Carey-Shuler, who was once a Miami-Dade Commissioner herself.
"Unfortunately there are people that decided to take this political issue and try to blow it up, to create an issue because they're not happy with my vote and my decisions, but I'm only one of three that voted," said Spence-Jones.
She says she will be exonerated by the investigation, and said that she didn't have any conversations with the people involved in the project.
"Why am I being targeted?" she said.
Jones said investigators should be looking at everyone else involved in the vote, as other commissioners' associates were hired as well.
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