MIAMI.- The Commission of Miami It experienced a moment of tension on Thursday night, when two of its members were about to physically attack each other during the first meeting of the year.
It’s about the commissioners Joe Carollo and Miguel Ángel Gabela, who were involved in a heated discussion that ended with insults on both sides.
What happened in the Commission
The incident began when the Commission approved by majority to extend the contract of the City Attorney, Victoria Méndezfor five more months, while a successor is searched.
Carollo, who voted in favor of the resolution, dedicated a few words of recognition and farewell to Méndez, which provoked the anger of Gabela, who voted against.
“A lot of unpleasant, hateful people. That the only thing they know how to do is hate. The ‘8th Street Boys’ and Mr. Gabela,” Carollo said, before his colleague interrupted him.
“No, no, no. You’re wrong there and I’m going to interrupt you because you’re a liar“said Gabela. “You are a liar. You’re a liar. “You’re a liar,” Gabela repeated while Carollo shouted: “You’re not going to intimidate me!”
“You’re a little man,” Carollo said, causing Gabela to get up from his seat and advance toward Carollo, so he had to be stopped and returned to his post.
Meeting suspended
Given the scandal, the meeting was immediately suspended and also the online broadcast of the first session.
“I stopped because I wanted to go to where he was and ask him ‘what is the reason that you have‘, man to man, treating people the way you are always treating people here,” Gabela told the press.
Carollo explained that “Simply, because I answered a little bit of all the things that he was attacking me, a nonsense(Gabela) has exploded and has come on top of me.”
Commissioner Gabela has been requesting the dismissal of lawyer Méndezwho has said that he assumed, “with taxpayer money,” the defense of Carollo in a civil case related to two businessmen on Calle Ocho in Miami.
In June, Carollo was ordered to pay $63.5 million in damages to the owners of the Ball and Chain nightclub. In recent days, a court began a process to confiscate the municipal legislator’s assets.
