Former Miami Lakes Michael “Muscles” Pizzi may like to say he’s half 
Cuban and may sound like the name of an Italian mafia enforcer, but he’s got the luck of the Irish.
Suspended last year after he was arrested in an FBI bribery string, Pizzi let off last month by a jury that was simply not convinced he was on the take in a bogus federal grant scheme.
Now, he got another good judicial ruling on Monday when the Florida Supreme Court ordered Gov. Rick Scott to explain why he did not revoke his suspension once Pizzi was found not guilty of the federal charges.
Pizzi thinks he should be mayor already and has been acting like the mayor ever since. He had a barbecue thank you party for his supporters and, later, a special reception at Shula’s on Main Street (we don’t know how he paid for either) after he was first exonerated. It was attended by more than 100 friends and fans who also think he should be the mayor again already.
Read related story: Michale Pizzi thinks he is still mayor, throws town party
Pizzi’s attorney, Ben Kuehne, immediately filed a lawsuit against Scott when he failed to reinstate him to his post — and crowed Monday about this order as if it were a victory already.
“Mayor Pizzi is gratified with the court’s expedited order and anticipates that his suspension will be vacated in short order,” Keuhne said in a statement sent to all the local media.
“This is a narrow ruling that is exactly as requested by Mayor Pizzi’s mandamus petition. Following the lifting of his suspension, Mayor Pizzi looks forward to pursuing all available options to continue his public service for the betterment of all the citizens and residents of the Town of Miami Lakes.”
But hold up! Wait a minute Mr. Postman! It isn’t automatic.
Scott has two weeks to respond to the court. And Ladra assumes he’s going to give the same answer, that the Miami Lakes charter called for a special election and that the voters elected a new mayor and that Scott wants to let hometown charter rule here. The court even suggested that it was a plausible explanation.
“This Court is not, however, suggesting that Governor Scott is required to order that Petitioner Pizzi be reinstated to his former municipal office, which has been filled by operation of a special election in accordance with the Charter of the Town of Miami Lakes, Florida,” the order says.
Isn’t that like giving the guv the answers on the test?
Rick Scott must explain snub on suspended Michael Pizzi added by Ladra on
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https://karldickey.files.wordp…
Adrian Wyllie is clearly the best choice for Florida.
Its simply stupid for the Florida Supreme Court to order the Governor to issue an explanation of why he did not reinstate Pizzi when he was acquitted – knowing full-well the Articles of the Miami Lakes Town Charter.
It is stupid a decision and a waste of taxpayer money.
Once the election for a new Mayor was conducted and certified by the Secretary of State, the issue became moot. The governor should not have the right to overturn an election and override the municipality’s Charter.
Pizzi will simply have to wait until the next election cycle and run then – Period!
My prediction: The Supreme Court will require that the suspension be lifted. That will entitle Pizzi for his salary and benefits from the time he was suspended to the date of the election of his successor, about two months. Pizzi will also make a play for his attorneys fees. But that may require Pizzi and his attorneys to turn over detailed billing records, including the identity of anyone footing the bill for Pizzi’s defense. (Was it the Lowell Dunn family? We’ll see.) Plus, it could open the file of Pizzi’s attorneys to scrutiny. (Normally files are protected, but the Town could argue that since Pizzi is seeking the extra ordinary remedy of having his attorneys’ fees covered by taxpayers, they are entitled to see how wisely they spent their time. And how much time was spent on the Mayoral corruption charges versus how much time was spent on the Town Attorney of Medley charges. The people of Miami Lakes, if they are forced to cover his fees at all, aren’t required to pay for the defense of the charges related to Pizzi’s post as Town Attorney of Medley.) Of course, there’s the factor that Pizzi may only be entitled to having his fees covered for the two months until Slayton was elected. So, understand that even those the Supreme Court has inched this forward, it is far from over.
Miami Lakes is going to be hell if this guy is reinstated, no more sleepy town.
I would like to see who those “100 friends” who gathered to support this sleaze ball of a politician are. I am sure in that group you are going to find his pet former Lakes Council member George Lopez who lied in federal court by claiming Pizzi had given him the cigars and he tossed away the package in a trash can. I bet another one of those friends is the Pool Hall inhabitant who claimed he found the money in the trash and kept it. Miami Lakes has no stomach for this type of politician. No decent person I know accepts monies from a stranger in a closet. For years Pizzi claimed Natacha Seijas was corrupt. and that got him elected. Look who is corrupt now.