$63 Million Verdict Against Miami Commissioner Accused of Political Retaliation

$63 Million Verdict Against Miami Commissioner Accused of Political Retaliation
City of Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo speaks during the start of a meeting to decide the future of suspended City of Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo at City of Miami City Hall in Miami, Florida on October 14, 2021. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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A federal jury in Florida on June 1 found Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo liable in a federal civil lawsuit brought by two businessmen who accused him of using his office to harass them after they supported the commissioner’s political opponent.

In Fort Lauderdale federal court, the jury found Carollo guilty of violating the First Amendment rights of businessmen William Fuller and Martin Pinilla, the operators of a string of businesses along the Little Havana business corridor that include the iconic Ball & Chain nightclub.