MIAMI — A Miami city commissioner is demanding answers about how much taxpayers have spent on Commissioner Joe Carollo’s legal defense in a federal civil case he lost at trial and on appeal.
Commissioner Miguel Gabela said he planed to raise a pocket item at Thursday’s commission meeting that would seek to have Carollo reimburse the city for those legal expenses.
“I think enough is enough,” Gabela said. ”He had his trial, he lost his trial, then he went for an appeal, he lost the appeal."
Carollo’s legal battles stem from a 2023 federal jury verdict that found he violated the First Amendment rights of two Little Havana businessmen, including the owner of Ball & Chain.
Carollo lost his appeal of that verdict earlier in July.
Despite the appellate court ruling, Carollo said Friday, “We have an opportunity I believe to have this reheard again by the full appellate court panel.”
That’s exactly what Gabela takes issue with.
“He will go all the way because it is not his money that is being spent,” Gabela said.
Now, the District 1 commissioner wants his colleagues to consider requiring Carollo to pay the city back for the taxpayer money already spent and cover any future legal costs out of his own pocket. So far, the total amount Miami taxpayers have paid remains unknown.
“I have asked that question before and I am going to continue to ask that question of the administration,” Gabela said. “I hope to get an answer soon, but it has got to be in the millions.”
Local 10 News later obtained documents Friday showing that the city has paid more than $5 million in legal bills for Carollo thus far.
“On his own dime is the way that it should go,” resident John Dolson said. “He has lost twice, you can’t keep this going forward.”
“He lost at trial, he lost at appeal, it is time for the city to stop paying,” added downtown Miami resident Kristen Browde. “If you want to take it any further, pay for it yourself.”
The opinion, just a week old at the time of the commission meeting, made it too tight for Gabela to get his resolution on Thursday’s agenda, leaving him with two options: Bring it up as a pocket item on Thursday, which would require the approval of Chairwoman Christine King, or adding it to September’s agenda.
“I don’t know which way that is going to fly,” Gabela said of King allowing the pocket item.
Gabela said, “I think now is the time to stop this foolishness.”
Ultimately, Gabela did not raise the issue as a pocket item Thursday.
Carollo has been unapologetic about getting public funds for his legal defense.
“There has not been an elected official anywhere in Florida that has brought the kind of money to the place they service like I have,” Carollo said Friday, claiming he’s brought the city more than $5 million yearly. “You know what? The city of Miami should have ten more people like me, that can bring that kind of money because they have brains. Even if they have to pay attorneys’ fees for lawsuits from people like this, because at the end, I have brought them a lot more money every year than anything that has been spent on me.”
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