‘Harlem Shake video’ producer at Miami-Dade resigns

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Henri Sori, the Miami-Dade county department head that came under fire last year for that “Harlem Shake,” “morale-boosting” video his staff produced in 2013,  resigned from his position Friday.

The official reason is that the director of the Community Information and Outreach Department found outside employment. But sources tell Ladra that Sori was told to resign or get fired after employees complained that he had gotten out of line yet again.

Sori had been in the administration’s sights since the county was embarrassed by the politically incorrect video that was exposed by WPLG Local 10’s Ross Palombo. To refresh your memory, the video had employees shaking their booties and waving wads of cash. In different segments, employees drank booze, danced “Gangnam Style” in their offices and did the “Harlem Shake” inside commission chambers, even standing on the dais. In one scene, a male employee aggressively air humps the vacant space in what Sori later claimed was a reference to Wednesdays and the Geico “hump day” commercial.

While Sori said it was intended as a team-building exercise, the little stunt and his poor judgement landed him a five-day suspension.

But that was a year ago and las malas lenguas say the back-breaking straw was something more recent and may have involved sexual harassment complaints from employees in his department.

Michael Hernandez, the spokesman for the count mayor who oversees CIAO, would only say that Sori left to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. And Sori’s own resignation letter references a “job outside the county.”

Here it is:

“It is with mixed emotions that I write this e-mail advising you of my resignation from County Service effective immediately, as I have accepted a job offer outside of the County. This is not an easy decision as my career with the County has been very rewarding, yet this is the right decision for my family and me.  I have worked for Miami-Dade County since January 1990 and it has been a distinct pleasure and privilege.  I have worked in various Departments, for various County Managers and Mayors and these last four years, serving as your Director, have been the most rewarding.  I learned significantly from all of you through your hard work, dedication to your craft, creativity and always maintaining a positive attitude even through challenging times.

The one constant in life is change and while I look forward to this new chapter in my life, I will miss you!  Keep making a difference, continue to excel and always maintain a sense of humor.  There are many individuals who shaped my career, they know who they are and I wish to express my sincere gratitude.

I want to personally thank Mayor [Carlos] Gimenez for appointing me Director of the Community Information and Outreach Department in August 2011 and I wish him continued success in leading our County.

A sincere THANK YOU!  I wish you and your families all the best.”

But c’mon! Here we have a 25-year employee who has spent the last four of those as a department director, earning $160,000 a year. Don’t know what his golden umbrella exit package totals yet, but I bet it’s nice.

Sp, I don’t know about you, but Ladra believes the sources.

After all, it’s not like someone with the poor judgement to produce a video of employees air humping and making sexual innuendos that made some feel uncomfortable wouldn’t do something else just as stupid.

In fact, some might say it was just a matter of time.

  Carlos Gimenez, Miami-Dade