HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Halladale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper secretly recorded Commissioner Keith London and commission candidate, Annabelle Taub, inside a copy room at City Hall, using city resources to allegedly do political campaign work.
"It's an abuse of the public trust," Cooper said.
The video allegedly shows Taub handing what are believed to be campaign checks to London, who makes copies, which she then takes and places in a folder.
"You're entrusted by the residents of this city to use your office to the benefits of the residents, not to use your office for your own gain or the political gain of someone else," Cooper said. "That's not what you're elected for. This isn't a campaign office."
Cooper has already filed a complaint with the Broward Office of the Inspector General against her long-time political rival, London.
The usually media-friendly commissioner wasn't talking when Local 10 News investigative reporter Bob Norman bumped into him at City Hall to ask him about the video.
"You can't answer any questions?" Norman asked.
London scampered away, but later sent an email admitting he'd copied the checks.
"While I don't believe there is a violation of any kind, I will be happy to reimburse the city for the sheets of paper I used," he said in an email.
No one answered the door at Taub's listed Hallandale address, but she too sent an email to Local 10 News.
"The idea that we are discussing a few sheets of copy paper instead of public safety and good government is entirely ridiculous," Taub said.
Cooper said she plans to file a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission.