Joe Martinez's attorney claims 'he is innocent of any wrongdoings' and the alleged charges are made up by the county prosecutor
On Tuesday, 30th August, Miami-Dade County commissioner Joe Martinez, surrendered himself into custody after he faced criminal charges for plausible corruption.
According to the charges, he’s indicted for receiving $15,000 to sponsor a decree, five years ago to support a shopping plaza that was repeatedly fined for code violations.
Here’s all you need to know about this news.
Who is Joe Martinez?
Joe Martinez is a Miami-Dade County commissioner representing District 11. He first won a seat in October 2000. Joe Martinez is the only commissioner elected twice as the Chairman of the Board and served from 2005-2007 to 2011-2013.
After he served the public office, he returned to District 11 after winning the 2016 election. He represents the unincorporated areas of West Dade, which include Country Walk, Kendale Lakes, Hammocks, Lakes of the Meadows, and Bent Tree.
Unfortunately, Joe Martinez is now facing a potential criminal charge for alleged corruption. It's the first time in the past two decades that a Miami-Dade commissioner in power has faced potential corruption charges.
Here's what happenend
The Miami-Dade County commissioner is facing criminal charges and surrendered on Tuesday. However, the case took a turn when Commissioner Joe Martinez accused the county's prosecutor of making "fake" allegations and charges against him.
The Miami-Dade County commissioner claims these fake charges are politically motivated ahead of his potential run for Sheriff in 2024. Martinez's lawyer, Benedict Kuehne, released a statement saying the impending surrender and prosecution raises questions about the political impact of these charges.
According to the statement, Martinez, a Republican and retired police lieutenant, has openly disagreed with Miami-Dade State Attorney, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, on issues associated with the formation of an autonomous sheriff's office ahead of the 2024 elections.
According to the statement, this has been an ongoing investigation for the past 5 years, so the allegations’ timings aren’t linked to Commissioner Martinez’s time in the office.
Many people familiar with the probe commented these criminal charges and allegations stem from the fact that Martinez received money while preparing legislation to promote a shopping center in West Miami-Dade.
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