Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Grieco finally got involved in the city’s upcoming elections Tuesda
y — when he publicly chastised and denounced one of candidates for using Grieco’s Miami Beach Kids First non-profit in a paid campaign email blast.
In it, Grieco basically calls Mark Samuelian an outsider who would “do anything to try and win an election, including using a noble and non-political event such as this to mislead the public.”
He’s referring to an email Monday from Samuelian promoting the group’s inaugural event Thursday. Grieco is founder and director of the non-profit, which he created about five months ago after he failed to get the city to fund 55 scholarships for pre-K and special needs students. And doesn’t want anybody using his organization for political purposes.
The commissioner said he was shocked to see a campaign use the non-profit’s logo and believes the candidate was trying to pass off as his own.
“One hundred percent,” Grieco told Ladra. “It’s not like it’s been around for 20 years. It’s been around for 20 weeks. So any person not aware of the facts could think it’s his.”
“I’m livid that somebody would think to do that,” he said.
Grieco did not hold back in an email titled “Politics does not belong here”:
“I am compelled to reveal a shameful action by a 2015 candidate for political office that I neither approved nor condone, As many of you know, I am leading a fundraising effort for Miami Beach Kids First, a non-profit to help the youngest children in our City that truly need the aid.
This is not a political event.
However, a recent arrival to our City who has decided to run for the Commission unilaterally chose to use this event and cause for political advertising and self-promotion purposes. I want to reiterate that Miami Beach Kids First did not condone that action and in fact, I denounce it. Miami Beach Kids First is in no way connected or affiliated with any candidate for political office and I consider it offensive to try and adopt a charity as one’s own when he has no involvement or affiliation with it.
It is unfortunate that some people will do anything to try and win an election, including using a noble and non-political event such as this to mislead the public and take advantage of it. However, I won’t stand idly by and allow that to happen. This event has nothing to do with Mark Samuelian’s campaign and he was not authorized to use this event as a ‘political football.’ Moreover, his use of our foundation’s logo was done so without permission and by using it in a political advertisement he could have jeopardized our tax-exempt status.”
Samuelian’s eail Monday came complete with the logo and a photo of himself volunteering as a chess coach at Miami Beach High.
“Miami Beach Kids First, a non-profit focused on raising funds and awareness for Miami Beach’s preschool and special needs children, will be hosting their inaugural event this Thursday evening! The details are listed below, and you must RSVP with info@MiamiBeachKidsFirst.org if you plan on attending.
I am proud to support such a worthwhile cause (he sent a $500 contribution that Grieco has returned) and I hope to see many of my supporters there.
As the first in my family to go to college, I know the importance of education. That’s why I spend my time volunteering with the students at Miami Beach Senior High School, where I coach the after school chess team.
Education is critical to the health of our community, and as your commissioner I will work to bolster our students by promoting city-sponsored educational efforts including after school activities and programming that will engage our students in meaningful ways. In addition, I will also actively support transitioning South Pointe Elementary School into a K-8 Center, a decision supported heavily by parents I’ve met in our community.
Working together, we can create new opportunities for the students and families in Miami Beach.
Grieco said he got no less than 15 emails and phone calls from people confused about Samuelian’s role in the non-profit.
But does that mean that he was trying to take credit for a sitting commissioner’s charity? Or does it mean that he reached a lot of people.
Samuelian said he used his campaign email account to reach more people and he was simply supporting a worthy organization, like one might for United Way or Equality Florida.
And, maybe, just maybe Samuelian was trying to latch on to a popular issue, a popular group that is led by a sitting commissioner
. That’s not good.
But if I was that commissioner, and it was really all about the kids, I’d be thrilled. After all, no less than 15 people contacted him after seeing it. Imagine how many others saw it that never even knew about the event.
And doesn’t that benefit the kids? If you are really doing this for kids, is it so bad that Samuelian told the thousands of people on his campaign email list about it?
What Grieco did not say in his email blast was that he is already supporting the other candidate in that race, John Elizabeth Aleman, who has also promoted the event on her Facebook page.
The commissioner told Ladra that was different because both she and Michael DeFilipi, running in the clusterbunch for another seat, shared a post from his page and didn’t try to make it look like their own group.
Again, what does it matter whose group it is if it’s all for the kids?
Beach Commissioner to candidate: ‘Hands off my charity’ added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
