#BecauseMiami: Mayoral Clown Car

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode: #BecauseMiami: Mayoral Clown Car
Date: September 26, 2025
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Billy Corben, Roy, Mike Ryan
Theme: Political chaos, corruption, the “clown car” of Miami’s mayoral race, and a deep dive into local scandals and environmental policy.

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Overview

This episode dives headlong into the writhing, feverish pit of Miami politics, as a record thirteen candidates vie for the mayoral seat—many with checkered pasts, familiar family ties, or fresh scandals. With guests including former commissioner Ken Russell, Sierra Club chair Steve Lightner, and Congressional candidate Elijah Manley, the team delivers biting, sarcastic analysis and exposes a corruption-riddled web of power, money, and environmental controversy—and it’s all served with authentic “Because Miami” humor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mayoral Election: The "Clown Car" of Candidates

Timestamp: 01:16 – 06:09

• Breakdown of the field:

  • 13 mayoral candidates, described as a “clown car.”
  • Outgoing Mayor Francis Suarez is finally term-limited after 16 years “of putting Miami into the ground economically.”
  • Joe Carollo, infamous for brawling with political enemies and previous domestic violence-arrest, is running—again.
  • Political dynasties: Xavier Suarez, first Cuban-born mayor (in 1985), deposed for voter fraud, returns for another run, while his son, former/current mayor, also in the mix.
  • The Carollo family keeps power: after Joe’s term, brother Frank Carollo lined up to run for his seat, creating a “recycling” of politicians:

    “In this town where we do not recycle our trash, we reelect it.” (Billy Corben, 02:53)

• Historical context:

  • References to the notorious 1997-98 voter fraud scandal with fraudulent absentee ballots:

    “A bunch of dead people. Super voters, but dead, voting in Miami.” (Billy Corben, 04:44)

  • Multigenerational political crime families compared to Gotham’s villains:

    “Like the Joker running for mayor of Gotham City.” (Billy Corben, 02:48)

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2. Environmental Scandal: The Trash Incinerator Battle

Timestamp: 06:09 – 20:21

• Eileen Higgins controversy:

  • Candidate and commissioner, accused of lying about her refusal to meet the Sierra Club while Ken Russell was involved.
    • Steve Lightner (Sierra Club) doubles down: “She was serious. No, she never did meet with me.” (06:57)
    • Ken Russell: “What she did was not very cool or terribly ethical, but it does not rise to the level of Joe Carollo corruption.” (08:25)

• Incinerator debate:

  • Miami-Dade wants to build America’s largest trash incinerator (4,000 tons/day), touted by Higgins as “environmentally sound,” but fiercely opposed by environmentalists.
  • Incineration will exacerbate climate risks—CO2, toxic ash, aquifer seepage.

    “Incineration is the worst option for climate.” (Steve Lightner, 13:46)

  • Composting and zero-waste strategies can divert 50–70% of trash from landfills.
  • Corporate influence:
    • Ken Russell accuses FPL (big utility company) and consulting firms of “greenwashing” politicians with campaign contributions.

    “The money is what creates what’s called greenwashing…using their money to influence politicians to repeat those greenwashing lies.” (Ken Russell, 15:14)

    • Higgins’ acceptance of these donations viewed as evidence of compromised positions.
  • Only Commissioner Daniela Levine Cava changed her vote after pressure from environmental groups.

    “What’s most important is her vote, not how she treated [me]…the country’s largest incinerator…would be a massive producer of carbon emissions.” (Ken Russell, 11:04)

• Notable quote:

  “Show of hands, everybody out there. How many of you know a trans athlete? None of you do. Let me ask you this: how many of you have trash?…This is an issue that affects 100% of us.”
  (Billy Corben, 12:15)

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3. Congressional Scandal: Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and the $5.7M Overpayment

Timestamp: 23:22 – 34:33

• Overview:

  • Florida Department of Emergency Management overpaid Trinity Healthcare Services (run by McCormick) by $5.7M (meant to be $57,000, decimal error during COVID contracts).
  • Instead of returning the funds, McCormick raised her salary, loaned millions to her campaign, and won by five votes.
  • State’s lawsuit gives her 19 years to pay back the money (interest free), and she’s now suing opponent Elijah Manley for “defamation” for publicly discussing the scandal.

• Notable exchanges:

  “You were one of them [five votes]?” (Billy Corben to Roy, 27:38)
  “Did you get that million, Roy?” / “I did not.” (Billy Corben & Roy, 28:10)

  • Manley points out all his statements are based on public records—House Ethics, FEC, DOJ, and press reporting, yet McCormick drags opponents into court for calling out corruption.

    “This woman is a ghoul and a crim. That’s my opinion. Allegedly.” (Billy Corben, 29:22)

• Elijah Manley’s platform:

  • Promises not to enrich himself at taxpayer expense, focuses on affordability and climate change, highlights his background in public education and homelessness.

    “You should be able to trust your elected officials not to abuse power, not to bully their own constituents with lawsuits, but also not to take your money to chase power.” (Elijah Manley, 33:29)

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4. Miami Budget Cuts for World Cup, Local Outrage

Timestamp: 41:32 – 42:32

• Viral clip from “Ms. Miami on TikTok”:

  “I got cut from my job so a mother could play soccer.” (Ms. Miami, 42:25)

  • As Miami slashes hundreds of jobs (including vital services), residents express anger that over $60M in county funds will support hosting the World Cup next year, underscoring the disconnect between political priorities and public needs.

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5. Humor, Food, and South Florida Culture Interludes

Timestamps Scattered: 35:45–41:32

• The hosts infuse comic relief, riffing on gator cuisine, local food festivals (Goombay), and the eternal specter of Miami corruption:

  “In this town where we do not recycle our trash, we reelect it.” (Billy Corben, 02:53) “We either need less corruption, or I need more of an opportunity to participate in it.” (Billy Corben, 34:18)

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Most Memorable Quotes

• On Miami’s election history:

  “A lot of Trump’s mythology and demagoguery about election fraud stem out of the 1997 mayoral election—one of the most corrupt and fraudulent in the history of the United States.” (Billy Corben, 04:49)

• On the current “clown car” field:

  “It’s like the Joker running for mayor of Gotham City.” (Billy Corben, 02:48)

• On Eileen Higgins’ silence regarding delayed elections:

  “I would not have benefited in any way. The reason I’m running for mayor is the city needs fixing now. It does not need fixing next year.” (Reported quote by Eileen Higgins, 39:04)

• On greenwashing:

  “The money is what creates what’s called greenwashing…using their money to influence politicians to repeat those greenwashing lies.” (Ken Russell, 15:14)

• On the broader impact of politics:

  “Show of hands, everybody out there. How many of you know a trans athlete? None of you do…Let me ask you this: how many of you have trash?...This is an issue that affects 100% of us.” (Billy Corben, 12:15)

• On defending political speech:

  “We have the First Amendment right to free speech and it is incumbent upon her to prove that what I was saying was false.” (Elijah Manley, 32:16)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Topic/Quote | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 01:16 | Joy Carollo enters mayoral race | | 02:53 | “We do not recycle our trash, we reelect it.” | | 04:49 | 1997-98 absentee ballot fraud context | | 06:43–08:25 | Eileen Higgins, Sierra Club, Ken Russell controversy | | 13:09 | Incinerator debate, “100% of us have trash” | | 15:14 | Ken Russell on “greenwashing” | | 23:22 | Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s $5.7M overpayment | | 27:38 | “You were one of them [five votes]?” | | 33:29 | Manley: “You should be able to trust...” | | 34:18 | “We either need less corruption…” | | 39:04 | Eileen Higgins on delayed election | | 41:32 | Miami employee laments job cuts and World Cup funds |

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Additional Notable Moments

• Interplay of local political inside jokes with food: Gator meat, Goombay Festival, and “pork and corruption (leshon)” as metaphors for Miami’s budget and politics.
• Roy’s on-air change of vote from McCormick to Elijah Manley:

  “No, I’m voting for him. That’s it.” (Roy, 33:10)

• The hosts maintain their Miami style—a blend of sarcasm, community concern, and culture—that makes the show accessible to insiders and newcomers alike.

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Summary in a Nutshell:
This episode is a whirlwind tour of Miami politics as only #BecauseMiami can deliver: hysterical, infuriating, and wholly entertaining. It exposes the deep-rooted problems of corruption, recycled candidates, and environmental mismanagement, all interspersed with the hosts’ signature blend of skepticism, street wisdom, and food talk. If you want to understand the warped genius—and tragedy—of Miami civic life, this episode is a must-listen (or, at least, a must-read-summary).

Transcript

[Elijah Manley]

Mike and Alyssa are always trying to outdo each other. When Alyssa got a small water bottle, Mike showed up with a 4 liter jug.

[Billy Corben]

When Mike started gardening, Alyssa started beekeeping.

[Roy]

Oh, come on.

[Billy Corben]

They called a truce for their holiday and used Expedia trip planner to collaborate on all the details of their trip. Once there, Mike still did more laps around the pool. Whatever. You were made to outdo your holidays.

[Elijah Manley]

We were made to help organize the competition.

[Billy Corben]

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[Steve Lightner]

Miami City Commissioner Joy Carollo has entered.

[Billy Corben]

The race for mayor of Miami.

[Steve Lightner]

Now, he has served as the city's.

[Billy Corben]

Mayor twice before already, the last time being in 2001.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's a crowded field of people vying to mayor of Miami. Thirteen candidates have qualified.

[Billy Corben]

The Miami mayoral election will take place November 4th. The current mayor, Francis Suarez, is term limited. You know, the clown car is complete. We've got 13 lucky 13 candidates for mayor of Miami in an election that is really underway, like in a matter of weeks. Vote by mail. Ballots go out in like October 7th or October 8th. And the election, of course, is first Tuesday in November. And Miami will have a new mayor. On the upside, Francis Suarez is term limited out after 16 years consecutively in office, eight as city commissioner, eight as a mayor just absolutely put Miami into the ground economically. With respect to, I don't know everybody who lives in Miami, except for if you're a client of Francis Suarez, because he has over two dozen outside hustles and gigs. But at the risk of burying the lead, I don't think we did. This is your little Twitter account. Little Billy Joe Carrillo is running for mayor again.

[Roy]

Oh, God.

[Billy Corben]

I mean, Joe Carrillo, who was the youngest city commissioner in the history of Miami in 1979, is now going to be met the last Time he was mayor, it was havoc. I mean, the riots in the street, city leaders getting fired for out of political retaliation. Him of course, getting arrested for domestic violence because. And now it might be happening all over again. It's like the Joker running for mayor of Gotham City. And he is not alone in. In this town where we do not recycle our trash, we reelect it. Also running for office is Francis Suarez's father. Yes. Who was also the mayor twice before in the city of Miami. These dynastic multigenerational political crime families. We have here Xavier Suarez. Xavier Suarez became the city's first Cuban born mayor in 1985. Miami's first Cuban born mayor.

[Steve Lightner]

First Cuban born mayor of Miami.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The first Cuban American mayor.

[Billy Corben]

Said he's the first Cuban born mayor.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The first Cuban born mayor of Miami.

[Billy Corben]

The first Cuban born mayor of Miami. Now 40 years later, he's running again. I don't know if you heard, but he was the first Cuban born mayor in the city of Miami. Should I play it again?

[Roy]

No, no, I'm good.

[Billy Corben]

So here's the crazy thing about it. He was the first Cuban born mayor in Miami in 1985. But 13 years later, the last thing he did as mayor of Miami in 1998 was get removed from office for voter fraud.

[Elijah Manley]

A Florida appeals court has ruled that.

[Roy]

5,000 fraudulent absentee ballots cast in the.

[Mike Ryan]

November 4 mayoral election for mayor Xavier.

[Roy]

Suarez should not be counted.

[Billy Corben]

Swinging the election in Joe Corollo's favor and returning Corollo to office.

[Steve Lightner]

We've proved what everyone in Miami knew, that these elections were won with massive absentee ballot fraud.

[Billy Corben]

Yes, that's right. The 1997 Miami mayoral election was Corro versus Suarez or Suarez versus Carollo. Suarez won. But then in 1998, after a lot of litigation, Joe Carollo was installed into office as mayor by a judge because of excessive absentee voter fraud, which included Manny Yip and his buddies down at the cemetery, as Carl Hiason called them. A bunch of dead people. Super voters, but dead voting in Miami. A lot of Trump's sort of mythology and demagoguery about election fraud stem out of the 1997 mayoral election. One of the most corrupt and fraudulent in the history of the United States of America. Or Miami for that matter. Only in the Banana Republic, baby. Only in Miami. And it's all just a little bit of history repeating. And what's even crazier, Roy, is that before Joe Carollo was the District 3 Commissioner for eight years, his younger brother Frank Carollo was the District 3 Commissioner for the eight years immediately prior. And guess now that Joe Carollo was term limited out as commissioner and is running for mayor, guess who's running for commissioner?

[Roy]

Frank Carollo.

[Billy Corben]

Frank Carollo.

[Roy]

So I mean, I was just guessing there.

[Billy Corben]

I just, I got, I love the show and this, this is going to prove to be the craziest season ever. You know who else is running for mayor?

[Roy]

Who's that?

[Steve Lightner]

Bill?

[Billy Corben]

We had her on the show last week, Eileen Higgins. And this is what she had to say. You were quoted as having said that you would not meet with the Sierra Club as long as they employed Ken Russell, the former Miami city commissioner and one of your opponents for mayor. I did not say that. Now, I did not. Joking. Might you have said it in jest or think so? I don't. I don't think so. Matter of fact, I think Ken's put out a video saying that that was not true. Steve Lightner is the conservation chair for the Miami Sierra Club. He is joining us now. Steve, Eileen Higgins says you're a liar. What do you say?

[Steve Lightner]

Well, I say that I stand by what I heard her say, which is that she would not meet with me or anyone from Sierra Club as long as Ken was in our employee.

[Billy Corben]

So that's what she. Do you remember where she told you and when she told you that it.

[Steve Lightner]

Was at a quarterly meeting or the Miami Climate Alliance. It was at the Dade Public Library, downtown public library at their meeting site.

[Billy Corben]

So you know exactly when and exactly where this happened and she's saying it didn't happen. She doesn't remember. If she said it in jest, might she have said it ingest?

[Steve Lightner]

I didn't take it that way. And I want to recant. My answer is actually was at the Miami Dade one of their meeting rooms. I forget what building. I think building too. It wasn't at Miami Dade Public Library. But no, I didn't think she said it in Jess.

[Billy Corben]

Okay, let's assume, let's give her the benefit of the doubt, though. Let's say she did say it in jest. Did she meet with the Sierra Club?

[Steve Lightner]

No, she did not say it in jest. She was serious. No, she never did meet with me. I wanted to discuss her vote in favor of incineration, which she has been a consistent proponent of Dade county moving forward, building an incinerator.

[Billy Corben]

So I want to talk about that in just a moment. But first, Roy, you remember at the end of that clip, Eileen Higgins, candidate for city of Miami mayor, and now it turns out possible liar. She might have sat Right here in this studio and lied to my face. But I've got the kind of face you can lie to, so I can appreciate that. But at the end there, you notice what she said. She said that Ken Russell put out a video saying that this didn't happen. So I didn't know what video she was talking about, but here's that video.

[Ken Russell]

No, Commissioner Eileen Higgins did not get me fired from Sierra Club. What she did was not very cool or terribly ethical, but it does not rise to the level of Joe Carollo corruption. But let me go into this. This. This false accusation that she got me fired. I was a contractor. I have a small consulting company. I was working on political strategy with Sierra Club to help get cities in Miami Dade county, as well as Miami Dade county, away from building the garbage incinerator. And we were successful with many things. But the County Commission, including Commissioner Higgins, voted to build the incinerator. And when the Sierra Club principals talked to Commissioner Higgins about this, she said, I would be glad to sit down with you and talk about the incinerator once Ken Russell is no longer involved. She did not use the words get rid of Ken Russell. When Sierra Club brought this to me, I resigned immediately. Told them I didn't want to cause them any drama or difficulty in their efforts. They didn't accept my resignation. But my contract was organically ending at the end of July, just a few weeks later. So we finished out the contract. It did not renew. It's not to say that it would have renewed, but for Commissioner Higgins, but her pressure was not appropriate. I don't think anyone should limit access to their office based on political opposition, etcetera, Things like that.

[Billy Corben]

Ken Russell is joining us as well. He is a candidate for City of Miami mayor, running against Joe Carollo, Xavier Suarez, Hylene Higgins, and the rest of the clown car. Oh, I didn't mention Alex Diaz. Laportia, remember him? Got arrested a couple years ago and was removed from office for money laundering and bribery charges that were later somehow dropped. He's running as well. How many.

[Roy]

Come on.

[Billy Corben]

How many mug shots do we have in this race, man? But Ken Russell, former city commissioner as well, and former, as it turns out, Sierra Club lobbyist. That video doesn't quite say or deny or disprove what it is that I think Eileen Higgins was trying to mislead me to believe.

[Ken Russell]

No, no, she misled you.

[Billy Corben]

That.

[Ken Russell]

That she didn't get me fired. And she did. What she didn't say is that she tried. So she wasn't successful, is what she.

[Billy Corben]

Should have said the video said. What you're saying is she didn't get me fired, but she did in fact get me say what she said or you did in fact understand or believe that she effectively threatened the Sierra Club to say that. As long as, by the way, same thing Joe Carollo did to a lot of the tenants of the Ball and chain owners, the property owners, Bill Fuller and Martin Panilla on Coyote. Saying like, hey, as long as you're tenants of these guys, we're not going to help you or we're going to try to shut you down. I mean, that was the same thing Eileen Higgins was saying, was saying, like, yeah, as long as you employ Ken Russell, you're not going to get a meeting or access to me. You still believe that happened?

[Ken Russell]

I know that it happened because I believe Stephen. And what I further believe is that Sierra Club ethically never considered firing me. I offered to resign. But what's more important is that they realized she is not ever going to come around on this issue because of her compromise position and the money she's received from fpl. They are a massive bidder on this incinerator and she's never gonna come. She was on her show saying she is not open to listening to the other side. So my employment with Sierra Club and I still help them, you know, completely off book and just happy to be available as a resource because this issue is so important for Miami Dade county, you know, how our garbage is handled and to build the country's largest garbage incinerator that would be a massive producer of carbon emissions and put it potentially in the is so many bad things. What's most important is her vote is what's important, not how she treated. That's all rough and tumble in politics and we can handle that.

[Billy Corben]

So, Steve, let's talk about this, because this is a multibillion dollar deal of great consequence economically, environmentally. As Ken Russell just said, we're talking about building an incinerator to burn billions of tons of trash, possibly in ecologically sacred areas. Also, show of hands, everybody out there. How many of you know a trans athlete? None of you do. It affects none of your lives. Let me ask you this. How many of you have trash, throw out trash, go to a trash chute to throw your trash out into a dumpster, drag your trash can out to the curb, you know, twice a week, three times a week, to have your trash picked up? This is an issue that affects 100% of us. So while it may not sound sexy, let's be clear. There Are billions of dollars of your tax money at stake? There is the future of our planet, our clean water supply here in South Florida as we continue to grow by leaps and bounds, I would say, in an unsustainable way. And of course, if there is no place. What happens if the garbage trucks stop showing up? Right. What happens if.

[Roy]

Mass hysteria.

[Billy Corben]

Mass hysteria. Cats and dogs living together. So this is an issue that affects 100% of the people. Things you want your local government to do, provide public safety, have the lights go red and green, pick up our trash. Just the basics here. So, Steve, talk to me about this issue, how all this scandal has come up, which is this idea of incineration. And Eileen Higgins has insisted, I'm sure you saw her interview, that that is the most environmentally sound option for what to do with the, again, billions of tons of trash we generate in Miami Dade County.

[Steve Lightner]

Yes, correct. Ever since the Doral incinerator burned down in 2323, February 2023, the county has been trying to figure out how they're moving forward. They now plan to build the largest incinerator in the country, 4,000 tons per day. It will produce that much CO2 being spewed into the atmosphere, exacerbating our already extreme heat events and sea level rise and strength of hurricanes. Everything that climate is raining down on us. Incineration is the worst option for climate. Some, some of our commissioners think that landfilling is the better option, and that's not scientifically correct. Landfills do emit methane. Methane is a climate problem. Methane can be mitigated. There are ways to handle waste. So we take out the organic debris, even if we didn't take out the organics from a landfill. Landfilling is a better option than incineration.

[Billy Corben]

So, Ken, I imagine you agree that environmentally which the better option is, but also. Talk to me about the money. Let's follow the money here. What is going on? Who is paying? Who are donating to who, what in order to get this pushed through? Why is Eileen Higgins taking this position that appears to be antithetical to what environmentalists and scientists believe is the better option?

[Ken Russell]

So the money is what creates what's called greenwashing. And that's where corporations don't use the green of money, but the green of environmentalism to wash over the bad things that they do. And using their money, however, they're able to influence politicians to repeat that those greenwashing lies to make it sound environmental. And this idea that burning garbage will create energy so it's renewable, it's one of the worst ways to create energy, least efficient and dirtiest ways to create energy. And it's not efficient, it's not financially efficient. But the money that's flowing this is a multi billion dollar contract to span over 40 years to build this incinerator instead of going to newer and better technologies that are out there employed by other major cities like Austin.

[Billy Corben]

Name names follow the money. Who is donating to Eileen Higgins that you believe is persuading her in this? Sure.

[Ken Russell]

Eileen Higgins has received substantial contributions during this garbage decision process from the company that writes the reports for whether or not this is environmental, as well as FPL themselves. Who are the number one bidder on building the incinerator and why does FPL want an incinerator? Because they're able to then turn a little turbine, make some electricity and call it renewable.

[Billy Corben]

So what is it, Steve, that people need to know about this? Because this doesn't seem to be a battle that the Sierra Club, the environmentalists, are winning here. Is there overwhelming science on this? Is the jury still out? What should be happening here in Miami Dade that's not happening.

[Steve Lightner]

The jury is not out. As I said, incineration is the worst pathway forward. There are a number of options called zero waste solutions that the county is in the process of adopting that can deal with our solid waste issues to a substantial degree. Composting alone reduces 50 to 70% diverse 50 to 70% of our waste from our landfill. So there are many options. We could do more effective recycling. We could do a. Help me Ken here. Ken's the expert on construction and demolition debris mandate to divert that debris. Substantial amounts of that goes into our landfill. So there are many options that the county could pursue. And actually the county has hired a zero waste contractor to advise them. But the county's only planning on letting about a million tons per year come under the auspices of zero waste. They're planning on diverting another million to the incinerator. That doesn't include the amount of waste that the municipalities generate. This is unincorporated day. So yeah, our commission is hell bent on pushing this issue forward and building this incinerator.

[Ken Russell]

Billy, we are not alone either. 60 organizations and environmental leaders signed a letter urging the county not to do this and to seek the alternatives. The only one to listen actually was Daniela Living Cava, who reversed her position on incineration and came around to what we were offering. And other major municipalities like Austin already do this. They burn the same amount of garbage as we. I'm sorry, they handle the same amount of garbage we do without burning.

[Billy Corben]

And it is possible, if it wasn't for reverse positions, Daniel Levine CAVA wouldn't have any at all.

[Steve Lightner]

No.

[Roy]

How about that, Roy? Steve, of course we're worried about the methane when it comes to these landfills, but are we also worried about anything seeping into the groundwater?

[Steve Lightner]

Good point. Yes. Generator produced a substantial amount of ash. That's. I mean, what doesn't go up the flue as CO2 ends up as ash. And that ash has to go into a landfill. And that ash is highly toxic, highly concentrated. And our landfills leak into our aquifer. So filling our landfill with incinerator ash is another very dangerous path forward.

[Billy Corben]

Ken Russell, I'm going to give you the last word. I know you listened to that interview last week. So you're good enough to join us today live. Live from your car. I'm guessing you're canvassing and campaigning for mayor. Was there anything else in just the last 60 seconds here? You feel that you heard from Eileen Higgins that needs to, the record needs to be corrected or you felt was disingenuous or in the cases we've been talking today, a flat out lie?

[Ken Russell]

Sure. No, she, she conflated composting and incineration as complete separate things. They are one in the same in terms of they use the same fuels. But that's the science. What really matters to you here and to the voters is the beginning of your segment that they have a choice between the mayors of yesterday or the potential mayors of tomorrow. And if they're considering between myself or Eileen Higgins, for example, they, we need to recognize these differences on ethical choices, on who's funding their campaigns and of course, how they are on the environment. So I'm putting my fourth as the ethical champion of the environment, of housing, of all these issues that we care about. And I'm gonna keep chubbing along in this race, regardless of whatever political games get played. We're in it for the next month and we're gonna see.

[Billy Corben]

And it bears mentioning that one of Eileen Higgins county Commission colleagues, Keone McGee, honor about the same meeting in which they voted for an incinerator had suggested in a roundabout sort of way that now that the property, the Dade Collier Landing Strip, has been activated for other uses, in this case the state's Alligator Alcatraz immigrant concentration camp, that perhaps they could put the incinerator there. Because what concentration camp is complete without the ovens? So what could be, could possibly, possibly go wrong here? Ken Russell, running for Miami mayor. Steve Leidner Conservation chair for Miami Sierra Club thanks so much for joining us.

[Ken Russell]

Thanks.

[Steve Lightner]

Thank you, Billy.

[Roy]

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. We've all asked some odd people for advice before. Whether it's a barber or a bartender or somebody in a bathroom line, it's all right. We won't judge you. They're fine for small talk, but none of them are actual therapists. And when you're dealing with stress, relationships or anxiety, maybe it's best to talk to someone who's trained to Help. That's where BetterHelp comes in. BetterHelp has over 30,000 licensed therapists, and they've been doing this for more than 10 years, helping over 5 million people find the right match. They've got a 4.9 rating for more than 1.7 million reviews. So, yeah, it works. It's all online, so you don't have to drive anywhere. You can switch therapists if you need to, pause your plan and schedule sessions whenever it fits your life. It's simple. So stop trauma dumping on strangers like me and talk to someone who's trained to listen. With BetterHelp as the largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of Expertise. Find the one with BetterHelp, our listeners get 10% off their first month with BetterHelp.com DLB that's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P.com DLB hey, everyone, it's Mike Ryan.

[Mike Ryan]

One thing about me that everybody knows, I absolutely love Miller Lite. You know what else? I love you. That's right. You listening on your way to work right now, wondering whether or not today is the day to tell your boss what you really think of the new reports he needs filled out every week. I absolutely love you. That's why I'm thrilled to tell you that we are again partnering with Miller Lite to give you a chance to play along with weekend observations starting September 22nd. You'll be able to go to DraftKings.com and guess what will happen during weekend observations on the show. Monday, September 29th. How many beeps will there be? Who's the first person to interrupt? How many people will talk about the used chances to win a national title? Spoiler alert. Definitely me. The winner will get a trip for you and a guest to come to Miami and hang with us at Flanagans for Thursday night football on October 30th and a visit to the studio to see a taping of the show. Make sure you go to DraftKings and play for you to win and then tune in to the show and check out how you did. Must be 21 to enter. Eligibility restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. See DraftKings.com for details.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Florida's Department of Emergency Management is suing Trinity Healthcare Services because the state accidentally overpaid invoices to the tune of more than $5.7 million. And when they asked the company to return those tax dollars, they claim they got no response. The overpayments occurred in the spring of 2021, while Sherfiliss McCormick was the CEO of Trinity, her family's company. She left the job soon afterwards to run for Congress and eventually won the seat formally held by Alcee Hastings. But the Office of Congressional Ethics has been investigating her campaign finances, and she reported to them she got a $6 million raise from Trinity in 2021. And just days after Trinity was overpaid by $5 million, Shirfless McCormick personally loaned her congressional campaign committee 2 million. And she reported making more large loans after that. I wanted to ask you about the investigation into your families, but this is also part of her congressional duty. Congresswoman, you know you're under investigation for the Congressional Ethics for violation of campaign finances.

[Billy Corben]

Hey, Roy, you know this takes place in. In your congressional district. This is your congresswoman, Sheila Sherfilis McCormick.

[Roy]

Yes. I. I voted for you.

[Billy Corben]

Oh.

[Steve Lightner]

Oh, Roy.

[Billy Corben]

Oh. How could I know that she's a Medicare huckster.

[Roy]

Is always Medicare.

[Billy Corben]

So I want to tell you something crazy. You want to sound crazy?

[Roy]

What's that, Billy?

[Billy Corben]

So she's running for reelection this year.

[Roy]

I will not be voting for her.

[Billy Corben]

And she's running against young man named Elijah Manley, who is a very young man. How old are you?

[Elijah Manley]

26.

[Billy Corben]

26. He's 26 years old. He is a public middle school teacher in Broward. If I understand that the congresswoman is suing you for defamation, libel, slander, all kinds of shit, you're running against her in Florida's 20th congressional district, which includes Roy's house. And first of all, what is this thing that happened here with this money? How did she get $5.7 million in public money that she wasn't supposed to get?

[Elijah Manley]

So definitely in very nefarious ways. Allegedly.

[Billy Corben]

He'S very careful. Now, Roy, you notice.

[Steve Lightner]

Allegedly very careful.

[Roy]

He needs to earn my vote.

[Elijah Manley]

I need to earn your vote. That's right. But in 2021, during the COVID pandemic, the Florida Department of Emergency Management was giving out contrast to many health care agencies, including small ones, to provide vaccines to various communities In Florida, including the black community here in Broward County. One of those companies, Trinity Healthcare Services, which was being ran by then CEO Sheila Sherfus McCormick, submitted an invoice for $57,000 to receive funding for providing vaccines to the community. The state accidentally misplaced a decimal and paid her out, I think $5.7 million.

[Billy Corben]

Wait a second. So this was a clerical error. She was supposed to get 57,000, and they sent her 5.7 million.

[Roy]

This is office space.

[Billy Corben]

Honest mistake. I mean, never happens to me, but. But they send this lady 5.7 million. She's the CEO. She knows it's a mistake because presumably she invoiced and signed off on 57,000. So she gets this money, public money, our money, taxpayer money, and she realizes the mistake, and she returns it immediately to the state of Florida and the federal government. Correct?

[Elijah Manley]

Nope. She keeps it. She pays herself out millions of dollars, and then she mysteriously drops millions of dollars into her congressional campaign in the special election. Special election. She won by five votes, mind you. She ran for office twice before against Alcee Hastings and reported her income being, I think, around $60,000 a year. And her financial disclosures and never raised more than maybe 50 to $100,000. And so it was weird. Everybody, including the newspapers, were asking, she just ran a few months ago, and she was broke. Where did this money come from? I mean, suddenly you have millions of dollars that come out of nowhere. The people have a right to know where this money is coming from. And so she got sued. She got sued by the state of.

[Steve Lightner]

And.

[Elijah Manley]

Never returned the money. And now she.

[Billy Corben]

I'm sorry, you're.

[Roy]

By five votes. And I was one of them.

[Billy Corben]

You were one of them. Right. So, okay, there is a woman who is making approximately, according to, as you said, her disclosures, about 60 grand, ish, a year. All of a sudden, she raises her salary to $5 million and then loans that $5 million to her congressional campaign to effectively buy. By the way, that was $1 million a vote she spent for. Did you get that million, Roy?

[Roy]

I did not.

[Billy Corben]

Okay, so. So then, though, Elijah, Then the honorable congresswoman pays the money back, right? The $5.7 million that she knows she got mistakenly. She then pays that money back that she loaned to her campaign back to the state and the feds, right? Nope.

[Elijah Manley]

It disappeared, never to be seen again. And she gets 19 years to pay it back.

[Billy Corben]

I'm sorry, 19 years. So the state sued her, you said?

[Elijah Manley]

That's right.

[Billy Corben]

And they settled that. She got this in one fell Swoop. And within like, days or weeks was moving this money around to buy a congressional seat. And yet she has how many years to pay it back?

[Elijah Manley]

19. Interest free. 19 years to pay it back interest free.

[Billy Corben]

And now she's suing you, from what I can tell. Because it's suddenly illegal, Roy, to criticize public officials or tell the truth about them. This is crazy. I read the lawsuit. I read her complaint. One of the things she says is that. Well, she says you're deliberately spreading malicious and false statements about her, resulting in reputational harm and public discredit. As if she needs your help to do that. This woman is a ghoul and a crim. That's my opinion. Allegedly.

[Roy]

And this is don't get sued.

[Billy Corben]

This is what she. Here I am. Here I am. Come find me. Anti slap. I will. You will be paying my attorney's fees. You'll be. You'll be transferring some money to my account, I'll tell you that right now. This is what she claims you've said. Defamatory. That's defamatory. In a campaign video, you said, you can't fight corruption with more corruption or with representatives who are themselves under investigation for serious ethical violations. What about that is untrue?

[Elijah Manley]

It sounds completely true to me.

[Billy Corben]

She is corrupt. She engaged in shameless, unmitigated, overt corruption. And she is under investigation, is she not?

[Elijah Manley]

House Ethics Committee investigation still ongoing. They just found probable cause back in July to continue their investigation that there was wrongdoing in that probable cause statement. They said it was likely she committed these violations. FEC investigation for massive campaign finance fraud. I mean, in the millions and hundreds of thousands apiece. And there have been two criminal referrals, one to the US Department of Justice and to the Florida Attorney General's office, which we'll hear what happens with that soon. But this is all stuff that's been publicly reported on. So everything I've been saying about this case, the stuff the media has been reporting on, Sun Sentinel, Miami Herald, CNN, the Washington Post, Politico, other outlets, CBS12. So I don't know why she's suing me for it.

[Billy Corben]

I don't know why she's suing you for it either. She further claims that you defamed her when you said in the same Instagram campaign video, quote, took $5.7 million from taxpayers and shows bad judgment on her part, followed by regular people don't get away with these types of crimes. And she was busy taking your money to chase power. What about that is untrue? Or defamatory or malicious or false.

[Elijah Manley]

I'll tell you what, it sounds to me like there's a politician who's afraid that her career is coming to an end. And instead of taking responsibility and accountability for her actions, she's lashing out on the community and on anyone that talks about it. And so instead of saying, you know, I'm taking responsibility, I made a mistake, I did something, and maybe it wasn't a mistake. It doesn't look to be a mistake. How can you mistakenly take millions of dollars? If I wake up tomorrow and there's $3 million in my account from the government, the first thing I'm thinking is, well, I know I didn't earn his money. I don't know why I have this money. I'm going to call the government and say, hey, you sent me $3 billion. I don't want to go to jail. Take this money back. So you can't really mistakenly take.

[Billy Corben]

Well, maybe that's your mistake. Right. Last two things. First thing, this is not the first time she has tried this, in my opinion, unethical tactic against an opponent. And I believe in abuse of our court system as well.

[Elijah Manley]

She's tried this against a primary opponent about four years ago, the person she beat by five votes, Adele Holdings. She sued him for a million dollars for pointing out the same exact thing. That case pretty much got all but thrown out. I believe this one will be thrown out as well because it is a clear slab loss. We have the First Amendment right to free speech and it is incumbent upon her to prove that what I was saying was false. I can't prove that it's false. I can't prove that she didn't take the money. I mean, she has to prove she. That she didn't take the 5.1 million in the state agrees with me. I'm just reporting what the state has said in their lawsuit and what the House Ethics Committee is saying. Her own colleagues, Democrats and Republicans on the House Ethics Committee have said, this is what she did.

[Billy Corben]

Elijah manley.com. i'm going to give you the last word. 30 seconds to convince your constituent Roy to vote for you.

[Roy]

No, I'm voting for him. I got.

[Billy Corben]

That's it?

[Ken Russell]

Yeah.

[Roy]

That's it.

[Billy Corben]

That's it.

[Roy]

Yeah. Am I going to vote for her?

[Billy Corben]

I think. I don't know. She's got the money, man. $2 million a vote she spent for your vote last time.

[Roy]

Yeah, well, she's got $300,000 per year for the next 19 years to payback.

[Billy Corben]

So let me give him 30 seconds to convince everybody else to vote for him.

[Elijah Manley]

Well, thank you, Roy. And honestly, this isn't even about partisanship. This is about accountability in government. You should be able to trust your elected officials not to abuse power, not to bully their own constituents with lawsuits, but also not to take your money to chase power. That's not something I'm going to do. We should be focused on the cost of living, on affordability, on tackling the affordability crisis. These high re climate change, these are the things we need to be focusing on. But instead we have people in Washington who is focused on enriching themselves. That's not the type of person I am. That's not the background I come from. I come from a background of childhood homelessness. And I want to go to Washington to make sure that the people in our district, in our community, some of the poorest people in the country, are actually taken care of. And so I hope to earn your support. I promise I won't be taking millions of taxpayer dollars to abuse my position or sue any of my. My constituents.

[Billy Corben]

You know what they say, Roy? We either need less corruption or I need more of an opportunity to participate in it. That's what I'm. I need some decimal points and clerical errors moving around for me. Elijah Manley dot com. Good luck to you, sir.

[Elijah Manley]

Awesome. Thank you so much.

[Billy Corben]

Hey, got Willa. They got my daughter. I need to find her. From acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson.

[Roy]

You can save that girl.

[Billy Corben]

Today experience what is being called the best movie of the year.

[Ken Russell]

This is the end of the line.

[Billy Corben]

Not for you. Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infinity. Let's go. Here I am. One battle after another. Now playing only in theaters. Experience at an IMAX rated R under 1700 minute without parrot. This episode is presented by State Farm. Having insurance isn't the same as having State Farm. It's like expecting the leadership of a team captain on the field. But getting a sea captain. You wouldn't settle for just anything for your team. Shouldn't it be the same for your insurance? So don't settle for just any insurance when you can go with a leader. State Farm, like a good neighbor. State Farm is there. The U is back, baby.

[Roy]

Yay.

[Billy Corben]

You sound really, really excited about it, Roy.

[Roy]

I am number two team in the nation, man.

[Billy Corben]

Did you do any. Any tailgating?

[Roy]

No.

[Billy Corben]

Are you serious?

[Roy]

No. I loved the house.

[Billy Corben]

When it comes to gators, I love to eat them, then beat them. In that order?

[Roy]

Yeah.

[Billy Corben]

I love gator. You ever had gator?

[Roy]

Yes.

[Billy Corben]

Not fried, though, because they always fry gator and.

[Roy]

No, I never had baked gator. No.

[Billy Corben]

Are you, like, sauteed or grilled?

[Roy]

No, seriously. Always been fried. I would like to have. I would like to have more gator. If you're gonna bring some in, that'd be great.

[Billy Corben]

I'll bring some in. We gotta season it right. You gotta cook it right. Everybody always fries it. But to me, if you're gonna fry it, like, you might as well be eating, like, tilapia or chicken fingers.

[Roy]

Like citrus forward.

[Billy Corben]

Yes, citrus. Wow. That's exactly.

[Roy]

I can cook a little bit.

[Billy Corben]

Sure. Maybe you should cook it. We should grill up some gator here.

[Roy]

I wonder how that would taste.

[Billy Corben]

You get it frozen at Wild Fork, which is not ideal, but you can get it at least, which is great, because otherwise it's pretty hard to come by. Unless you want to go hunting.

[Roy]

Yeah, no, I'm good. But get some of that badia, like orange pepper, lime pepper or lemon pepper.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah. Some everglade seasoning.

[Roy]

Yeah.

[Billy Corben]

Get that right.

[Roy]

I love that.

[Billy Corben]

The citrus and the spice. Yeah. All at the same time.

[Steve Lightner]

Yeah.

[Billy Corben]

The tart and the spicy spice and the tart. I'm hungry, man. Let's go for some Gatorade. God damn it. Speaking of which, speaking of slippery, slimy swamp creatures from South Florida, Eileen Higgins was on the show as we were talking about. So we call that Segway, Right? Seamless transition is what that is. Well, another thing she said, because people have been blowing up my phone about this interview last week and pissed off someone called me, a very politically active, concerned citizen Miami resident who will vote in this election for Miami mayor. And their hand was shaking while they were talking to me on the phone. Said their blood was boiling listening to this interview when I asked Eileen Higgins about the city's attempt to illegally cancel the election and gift themselves an extra year in office. And the fact that she stood down and said nothing and was silent when Emilio Gonzalez, the former city manager, now a Miami mayoral candidate, sued the city successfully and won to get the election reinstated and re enfranchise the candidates and the vote voters. I said, why didn't you say anything? And then all of a sudden, Emilio Gonzalez wins the lawsuit and you're sending out fundraising emails saying, victory for democracy, but yet you didn't say anything. And furthermore, I argued you would have benefited from a one year delay. So it didn't. I wasn't entirely surprised to see you sit it out. I don't know. You'd have an extra year in office at the county, you'd have an extra year to fundraise. You'd have higher Democratic turnout in an even year election than in an odd year. Lily, I would not have benefited in any way. The reason I'm running for mayor is the city needs fixing now. It does not need fixing next year. So this furious concerned citizen heard that on the podcast last week and called me shaking to say that they spoke to Eileen Higgins last June at the Goombay Festival in Coconut Grove in Miami in the historic West Grove. And Eileen Higgins told them, quote, quote, I don't care if they push the elections to next year. It's going to be better for me because I can easily win next year.

[Roy]

I'm just surprised. She was at the Goombay Festival.

[Billy Corben]

We all went to the Goombay Festival. It's fantastic. It's a lot of fun. Great music, great dancing, great food. I recommend going everywhere. You at the Goombay Festival?

[Roy]

I was not.

[Billy Corben]

Okay, so I wish I was. You were busy up in. That's. That's.

[Roy]

Yes. We don't have the Goombay Festival in Miramar.

[Billy Corben]

There's no Miramar.

[Elijah Manley]

It.

[Roy]

No.

[Billy Corben]

Maybe we should bring it. Well, Little Bahamas, you know, in the West Grove is. Is the oldest neighborhood in Miami. It's even older than the incorporation of the city because it's where the people lived, who built the city, the city of Miami. Eileen Higgins was there telling people, apparently, that I would. I don't care if they push the election a year because of exactly what I said to her on the show, which is that I don't blame you for sitting it out. You benefit from a year delay. You and your, you know, political puppeteer and campaign consultant Christian Ulvert. You know, this corrupt ghoul can run around shaking down businesses and vendors and contractors with the city and the county and lobbyists. It's just. And then she denies. She lied to my face over and over and over again. And it's incredible to me. And by the way, these people calling me to back check her are all Democrats. This is not. This is not a nonpartisan race. So this is not like there are people on the opposite end of the ideological spectrum who are calling her out. These are technically her people who are just sick and tired of the lies and corruption in this town. Do we need to pivot from Francis Suarez and Joe Corolla corruption to Eileen Higgins and Christian Ulvert corruption? That really is the question. And I will give Eileen Higgins and Christian Ulvert an opportunity again to return to the show. We can go back. What are you laughing at?

[Roy]

I mean. Yeah, what are you laughing at? Everything that you just said in this segment. Yeah, that's really going to convince her.

[Billy Corben]

To come back to. She. Not only did she lie to me, but more importantly, she lied to our audience. No, I was listening. So it offends my tender tender sensibilities, my gamey gator sensibilities. It really does. More importantly, from Ms. Miami on TikTok, she is, is an almost former Miami Dade county employee. Remember we've been talking a lot about the 400 plus million dollar budget deficit which they finally shored up and passed a budget this past week with all kinds of crazy, you know, pork and corruption in it, or leshon as we call it here in Miami.

[Roy]

I'm hungry, man.

[Billy Corben]

So this is a very. It's like a Scorsese movie. It's like all food. You're just like, I'm starving.

[Roy]

We gotta go pork and gator.

[Billy Corben]

We gotta go eat. This woman is losing her job along with probably hundreds of other other county employees. And she's a little pissed off when she discovers that the county is also going to be funding FIFA World cup for over $60 million. This is our Miami moment. Cocaine's I will be losing my job after September 30th. I'm not gonna lie to y'. All. I had a certain respect for our.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Mayor here in Miami Dade county until this happened.

[Billy Corben]

They go to tell us that, that we will be impacted by budget cuts. Then I turn around and I do more research all to find out that.

[Narrator/Reporter]

My county is funding the World cup next year.

[Billy Corben]

I got cut from my job so a mother could play soccer.

[Mike Ryan]

Hey, everyone, it's Mike Ryan. One thing about me that everybody knows, I absolutely love Miller Lite. You know what else I love you. That's right. You listening on your way to work right now, wondering whether or not today is the day to tell your boss what you really think of the new reports he needs filled out every week. I absolutely love you. That's why I'm thrilled to tell you that we are again partnering with Miller Lite to give you a chance to play along with weekend observations. Starting September 22, you'll be able to go to DraftKings.com and guess what will happen during Weekend Observations on the show Monday, September 29th. How many beeps will there be? Who's the first person to interrupt? How many people will talk about the used chances to win a national title? Spoiler alert, Definitely me. The winner will get a trip for you. And a guest to come to Miami and hang with us at Flanagan's for Thursday night football on October 30th and a visit to the studio to see a taping of the show. Make sure you go to DraftKings and play for you to win, and then tune in to the show and check out how you did. Must be 21 to enter. Enter Eligibility restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. See DraftKings.com for details.