The Miami-Dade County public hearing Thursday might not have been suitable for children because Deputy Mayor Jennifer Moon — who turns out to be human and not some kind of robot — told everyone what she really thinks of people who trash her budget.
Or so it seemed.
Just as Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava was thanking the people who took the time to educate themselves about the budget and wait for their turn and speak at the meeting, Moon’s voice could be heard interrupting.
“Behind my mask, I’m saying ‘Fuck you,'” she said, obviously using her inner voice and not realizing the mute button was off. After a couple of uncomfortable seconds, Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson told Levine Cava to continue. People seemed shocked and sort of in disbelief that it really happened.
Was she talking to the commissioner (which some people applauded)? Or was she talking to the people who were making comments on her budget, telling her and the commission how they would spend it better.
It was neither, Moon said, quickly apologizing. She said that she was finishing a conversation with someone else in the room with her and didn’t realize she was not muted.
Read related: Public cut out of final ‘public hearing’ for Miami-Dade’s $9 billion budget
“I used an inappropriate word and now you all know I’m human,” she said at the meeting. (By then, the Miami twitterverse was abuzz with the comment).
Moon later told Ladra that she must have accidentally hit the space bar to unmute the laptop and that what she said was in a conversation with someone else about a requested budget adjustment.
“Everyone jumped to conclusions but I was in a conference room with my staff,” she said.
But she was looking straight at the computer screen.
“They were across from me at the table,” Moon said.
A likely story. She sounds just like someone we know who sometimes swears at the screen when Mayor Carlos Gimenez is talking. Only Ladra is not on a mic.
Ladra has reviewed the video clip posted on Twitter and has determined — in addition to the guess that Moon will be voting for Commissioner Esteban Bovo in the mayoral race — that the timing is just too perfect to be a coincidence. It almost sounded like Moon was mocking Levine Cava. And then her eyes pop out when she realizes that, yeah, she said that out loud.
Levine Cava’s campaign manager, Christian Ulvert, thinks so too, asking for an apology on Twitter. Levine Cava did not return a call and text.
“I’m really, really embarrassed. I’m mortified,” Moon told Ladra.
There’s really no need to be. Commissioners thanked her and poured the kudos on thick after they voted to approve the $9 billion budget. Commissioner Javier Souto said she was “cool.” Commissioner Jean Monestime said “her work ethic says it all.”
Ladra bets Moon wishes that were true and her work ethic said it all Thursday.
‘F*&% you,’ deputy mayor blurts out at Miami-Dade’s virtual budget hearing added by Ladra on
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