Nearly $2 million — that's been the total for bills paid by taxpayers so far for Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo’s legal bills.
Carollo is being sued personally by two businessmen who accused him of trying to destroy their businesses as political retaliation.
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Four law firms have been hired for his defense. The majority of the payments have been to Ben Kuehne with Kuehne Davis Law, who successfully represented Carollo back in 2017 when he was sued for supposedly not living in his district before being elected to the commission.
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Also receiving a great part of payments is attorney and former city of Miami commissioner Mark Sarnoff with Shutts and Bowen. The other firms are Marrero Wydler and Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney in Fort Lauderdale.
The total figure paid so far, according to invoices received by NBC6 and confirmation from city attorneys, is $1,934,743.38 from the period between April 8, 2019, to April 12, 2023.
And that is only the beginning. April 12 was the third day of trial that just concluded week number six, and the defense has yet to rest its case.
“The Florida Supreme Court has made it very clear that public officials are entitled to legal representation at public expense to defend themselves against litigation arising from the performance of their official duties while serving a public purpose," City of Miami Attorney Victoria Mendez said in a statement. "Moreover, we are in this predicament because of unscrupulous business owners who think they can do whatever they want in contravention of city codes and ordinances. They think by filing lawsuits they can bully elected officials and public servants into bending at their will."
The judge had estimated the trial would conclude in early May, but after six weeks, he called for a break and the trial will resume Tuesday, May 30.
