#BecauseMiami: The Death of Cuban Exceptionalism

Summary

Summary of Podcast Episode: #BecauseMiami: The Death of Cuban Exceptionalism

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
• Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz
• Episode: #BecauseMiami: The Death of Cuban Exceptionalism
• Release Date: May 30, 2025
• Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
• Description: Hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz, along with guests, delve into pressing local and national issues, blending sports insights with cultural and political discussions.

---

1. Introduction to Cuban Exceptionalism

Timestamp: 02:05 – 05:35

The episode opens with a poignant exploration of "Cuban Exceptionalism," a long-standing theory that has heavily influenced American immigration policy towards Cubans. The hosts discuss how Cuban immigrants were historically welcomed warmly due to the geopolitical climate during the Cold War, marked by the proximity of Cuba to the U.S., the oppressive communist regime, and the Soviet influence on the island. This exceptional treatment facilitated a smooth immigration and citizenship process for Cuban exiles, differentiating them from other immigrant groups.

Notable Quote:

"Cuban exceptionalism is a theory that has been the cornerstone of American immigration policy for over six decades." – Dan Le Batard [03:15]

---

2. Shifts Under the Trump Administration

Timestamp: 05:38 – 15:55

The conversation shifts to significant changes initiated during Donald Trump's presidency, which marked the end of the privileged status previously enjoyed by Cuban immigrants. Former Congressman Joe Garcia joins the discussion to shed light on how Trump’s policies have targeted Cuban Americans, a community that once strongly supported Republican candidates. The administration's approach, characterized by mass deportations and stricter immigration controls, has left over a million South Florida residents—comprising Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, and Haitians—vulnerable to deportation.

Notable Quotes:

"We are living history in real time. This is the death of Cuban exceptionalism." – Stugotz [06:45]

"Donald Trump owns the Cuban American community." – Joe Garcia [15:07]

---

3. Impact on the Cuban American Community

Timestamp: 16:00 – 19:50

The hosts and Joe Garcia delve deeper into the ramifications of these policy shifts. The conversation highlights how policies once designed to assist Cuban exiles have now inadvertently endangered long-standing community members, including those with criminal backgrounds who have served their sentences. The lack of acceptance from Cuba for deportees forces the U.S. to consider alternative countries like El Salvador and Sudan, despite geographical impracticalities.

Notable Quote:

"Most of them are historics... These are people who've been in this country for 50, 60 years." – Joe Garcia [18:20]

---

4. Internal Miami Politics and Corruption

Timestamp: 20:12 – 44:37

A significant portion of the episode focuses on internal political strife within Miami City Hall, specifically concerning the mismanagement of the Bayfront Park Management Trust. Commissioner Miguel Gabella discusses allegations against former Commissioner Joe Carollo, who is accused of diverting funds and abusing his power to manipulate city ordinances for personal gain. The hosts play clips from recent city commission meetings where tensions escalate, showcasing attempts to weaponize governmental authority against political opponents.

Key Points:

• Misappropriation of Funds: Funds from the Bayfront Trust were allegedly redirected to unrelated projects benefiting Carollo's district.
• Political Manipulation: Carollo is accused of altering ordinances, such as making English the official language, to marginalize the Hispanic community and enforce assimilation.
• Whistleblower Fear: City employees and residents fear retaliation, hindering transparency and accountability.
• Audits and Accountability: Efforts are underway to conduct independent forensic audits to uncover financial irregularities within the Bayfront Trust.

Notable Quotes:

"America makes immigrants American. What makes Miami great is the people who live here." – Joe Garcia [12:30]

"He is the one that has a kangaroo court where all the employees... are scared of him." – Mike Ryan [25:10]

"It's weaponizing city government... this is costing the taxpayers in excess of $10 million." – Mike Ryan [31:00]

---

5. The Future of Cuban-American Relations and Miami's Politics

Timestamp: 44:37 – 48:17

The episode culminates with reflections on the potential future of Cuban-American relations and Miami's political landscape. Joe Garcia emphasizes the pivotal role Cuban Americans play in shaping policies that could influence Cuba's trajectory towards freedom and economic stability. The conversation also touches on the recent chaotic developments in Bayfront Park and the city's ongoing struggle with corruption and governance.

Notable Quote:

"Donald Trump could change the dynamic not only of this community but of its relationship with Cuba." – Joe Garcia [15:15]

---

6. Closing Remarks and Local Journalism Highlight

Timestamp: 48:17 – End

In a final segment, the hosts highlight a powerful piece of local journalism that exposes further issues within Miami's city governance, particularly focusing on the Bayfront Park fountain restoration fiasco. The episode wraps up with a humorous yet critical take on the ongoing political drama, underscoring the deep-seated challenges facing Miami.

Notable Quote:

"Grand opening, grand closing." – Mike Ryan [48:13]

---

Conclusion:

This episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz offers a comprehensive and engaging analysis of the decline of Cuban exceptionalism in U.S. immigration policy and its profound impacts on the Cuban American community in Miami. Through incisive discussions with former Congressman Joe Garcia and heated exchanges about local Miami politics, the show sheds light on significant socio-political shifts and corruption issues within city governance. For listeners unfamiliar with the episode, this summary provides a detailed overview of the key topics, insights, and concluding remarks that capture the essence of this compelling broadcast.

Transcript

[Mike Ryan]

This episode is brought to you by Amazon Prime. From streaming to shopping, prime helps you get more out of your passions. So whether you're a fan of true crime or prefer a nail biting novel from time to time, with services like Prime Video, Amazon Music and fast free delivery, prime makes it easy to get more out of whatever you're into or getting into. Visit Amazon.comprime to learn more.

[Roy Bellamy]

Now's a good time to remember where Tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented tequila Cuervo, what are you doing here?

[Joe Garcia]

Cuervo? Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.

[Roy Bellamy]

Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think he could lay out especially for one of our great partners, Sweet, delicious Cuervo. Since then, Cuervo has stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion.

[Joe Garcia]

Cuervo.

[Roy Bellamy]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all.

[Joe Garcia]

Cuervo.

[Roy Bellamy]

Cuervo, the tequila that invented tequila. Proximo Cuervo.com Please drink responsibly.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Cuervo Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying.

[Roy Bellamy]

It's not just for celebrities.

[Kaley Cuoco]

So do like I did and have.

[Mike Ryan]

One of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today.

[Kaley Cuoco]

I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for three.

[Roy Bellamy]

Equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first three months only, then full.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.

[Roy Bellamy]

See full [e-mail] hey there travelers.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Kaley Cuoco here. Sorry to interrupt your music great artist BT Dubs, but wouldn't you rather be there to hear it live? With Priceline you can get out of your dreams and into your dream concert. They've got millions of travel deals to.

[Roy Bellamy]

Get you to that festival, gig, rave.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Sound, bath or sonic experience you've been dreaming of.

[Roy Bellamy]

Download the Priceline app today and you.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Can save up to 60% off hotels and up to 50. So don't just dream about that trip. Book it with Priceline.

[Mike Ryan]

Go to your happy price.

[Joe Garcia]

Priceline.

[Mike Ryan]

I also sent a letter to you concerning 100 Cuban oppressors. They're actually living in the United States.

[Joe Garcia]

That were granted either asylum or entry.

[Mike Ryan]

Into the United States that should have.

[Joe Garcia]

Never been here and we need to deport those. Have you received that letter? Or what's your department doing about looking.

[Mike Ryan]

Into and vetting those hundred names that I gave you.

[Joe Garcia]

Yes, sir.

[Kaley Cuoco]

I received your letter and read it this week, and we'll be responding to you. And that is something that President Trump is focused on, is adding integrity back to the programs that we have. That was Miami Congressman Carlos Jimenez, the Republican Cuban American who was talking with United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noemi. Jimenez's list is kind of the opposite of Schindler's List. It sounds like Roy, he has a list of 100 plus Cuban immigrants that he once deported. These are extraordinary times in which we're living in historic. I mean, we're living history in real time. Not just national history or international history, but Miami history. And it is the death of Cuban exceptionalism. And Cuban exceptionalism is a theory, Roy, that has been American immigration policy for going on, I don't know, six decades in which the proximity of the island of Cuba, 90 miles south of Key west, the tyranny of its communist regime, and the stranglehold that the Soviets had on it made it such a significant threat, not only politically, but in terms of the humanitarian crisis. We welcomed Cuban immigrants with open hearts and open arms. The exile transformed Miami Dade county, and they had a very easy path to citizenship, to green cards. It created real inequality in immigration policy with every single other immigration group, including others who were escaping tyranny in the Caribbean and in Latin America. But now the headline at Univision, how Cubans lost their privileged status in the US under the Trump administration and are now also the focus of its immigration offensive. While Trump's promise of mass deportations has frightened migrants of many nationalities, it came as a real shock to the 2.4 million Cuban Americans who strongly supported the Republican on two occasions and have enjoyed privileged status in the US immigration system for years. We're seeing videos all over the Internet of Cuban Americans, Venezuelans who supported Donald Trump whether they could vote or not. They were supporters of Donald Trump. Voters of Donald Trump. The FIU poll from last year, October, of likely Cuban American voters in Dade county showed 68% support for Donald Trump. That was double digits above and beyond his extraordinary support in 2016. And now it's adios, amigos. We're joined now by former Congressman Joe Garcia. Joe, this is fascinating to me because as a native Floridian and lifelong Miami, and I feel like everything I've been told now, in a way, is a lie. Everything I was told to believe about the island and about the. The sanctity of our allowing its people kind of unfettered access to America I'm very confused right now. As a Miami Billy, you're, I've always.

[Joe Garcia]

Said you're more Cuban than you are Jewish. You just retain some of the cultural attributes that make you a little bit faster. But, but the reality is that that is exactly right. One of the things that one finds in Trump is that he finds third rails of. He not only grabs them, but he tries to floss his teeth with them. And this is one of those examples, right, where the reality is that here was an example of what was. We were the fair haired darlings of the Cold war. We were 90 miles from the United States and so because of that we received the full generosity of the American immigration system. No group came faster, quicker and legalizes faster. Believe it or not, the fastest average for legalization of any immigrant group in the country is Cuban Americans. It takes them less than seven years to, from the moment they arrive to when they become citizens. And usually that slowdown is simply because of statutory limits and bureaucratic limits, but not because of the lack of Cubans interest in becoming U.S. citizens. So it is an end to that. But I will say two things. One, I'm going to correct you. He received unprecedentedly high numbers in 2020 when he lost. In 2016, when he won, Hillary Clinton performed better with Cuban American voters than any other Democrat before.

[Kaley Cuoco]

I misspoke. I misspoke. You're right.

[Joe Garcia]

In the full flourish of opening to Cuba, Cubans had literally moved very aggressively. And then of course, Trump and the Republicans kept mining those wounds, real wounds of family separation, totalitarian government abuses, human rights violations. And he got the numbers way up there and they continue up there. And the first thing Trump did, true to his word, because, I mean, no, I've never seen a guy go into Hialeah as Trump did, spoke against immigration. The crowd was over 95% foreign born and they applauded his attack on immigrants. Of course, Cubans, much to your point, we're not immigrants. We're exiles in our own mindset. And therefore we are immune from the vagaries of, of coming here because we have to. We come here because we're forced to, or we want to, but we're forced to. And I think the sheen, as you say, is off. The Cuban exceptionalism is now we are exceptionally similar to everyone else. And right now over a million people who call South Florida their base of operation, that is Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans and Haitians are on the bubble to be deported. Over a million of them have no status and could be deported at any moment. And we've been watching that. People going into normal immigration proceedings in downtown Miami and being arrested and summarily put in jail and sent to be deported.

[Kaley Cuoco]

I want to play this clip. I want to follow up on that. But the wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Katie Miller, a Florida woman herself. I think she went to the University of Florida. Go get us. She worked in the administration, the first Trump administration, at both Mike Pence's office, the Vice president's office, and she was a spokesperson for the dhs. I want to play this clip. Katie Miller, she was spokesperson at DHS during the family separation crisis. A vocal, unwavering defender of what we were doing, taking these kids away from their parents. Katie Miller told Jacob, sober off, quote, my family and colleagues told me that when I have kids, I'll think about the separations differently, but I don't think so. Homeland Security sent me to the border to see the separations for myself, to.

[Mike Ryan]

Try to make me more compassionate. But it didn't work. End quote.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Jacob responds, quote, it didn't work. I will never forgot what I saw. Seriously, are you a white nationalist?

[Roy Bellamy]

He asked, exasperated.

[Kaley Cuoco]

No, she said, but I believe if.

[Mike Ryan]

You come to America, you should assimilate. Why do we need to have, like, Little Havana?

[Kaley Cuoco]

There's a long Runway there. But obviously, the end of the clip was the salient point for the purpose of our conversation. Why, indeed, we were told this was an exiled community who deliberately did not assimilate or learn English because the intent was eventually to return home to a free Cuba, which regrettably has yet to occur. Not regrettably because they haven't gone back, but regrettably because Cuba is still not free. All these generations of trauma later. But my question is, as you describe Trump standing there in Hialeah, a city which was home to the, I think, the first Cuban American mayor in American history, where over 90% of the residents speak Spanish at home, a president who signed an executive order making English the official language of the United States, like a group that effectively has voted to deport itself. Why, Congressman, why do we need a Little Havana?

[Joe Garcia]

I think one of the great things of America. Listen, one of the things that America does better than any other country in human history is make Americans right. Like, you can be Moroccan, third generation living in Paris. And you know what Parisians refer to you as Moroccan, right? You will never be French, even though you're nationalized French. And I think one of the great virtues of America, give us your tired, your, your, your, your huddled mass, is Yearning to be free. The reality is we all become American, and we all immigrants probably love America more than anyone else. And in particular, if Miami is a symbol of anything, is that easy. Immigration creates economic success. There is nothing particularly special about Miami. I mean, we've got nice, we got beautiful beaches. They're not the best beaches. We have land. It's not the best land in the world for agriculture, yet it's a number two producer in Dade County. We have some of the most valuable agricultural land per square meter in all the United States. You look at our airport, it's plum in the middle of the city. You need a master's degree in understanding geometry to get through there. But if you know it like you and I locals, we can have our ass sitting in the water within 17 minutes when you know what you're doing in Miami. And in every one of those things, Miami ranks as one of these great cities. But what makes us great is the people who live here, the commitment to people here. You know, I always say that Americans who live in America, in Miami are the greatest Americans at all because they, you know, if you don't speak a little bit of pigeon Spanish, it's impossible to order a hot dog or a hamburger at McDonald's because no one behind the counter does. And so Americans, or full blooded Americans or Americans who are not of Hispanic descent who live among us, they enjoy it. They enjoy the excitement, they enjoy the beauty of it. But the vibrancy of Miami is created particularly because of this. And I think Americans took that for granted.

[Kaley Cuoco]

I would agree, or I would have agreed, like last October, I guess. I'm just, I'm wondering now, is everybody just going to start speaking English? Donald Trump has declared it the official language we can speak.

[Joe Garcia]

Florida did that many years ago and Miami, Dade county did that, if you recall. Billy, you may, you're a little bit younger than I am, but.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Emmy Schaefer, 1980, Miami declared the English only ordinance official language. Yes.

[Joe Garcia]

The next set of elections, we got a majority of Hispanics with the exception of one vote that another guy, but the guy was very connected to the Cuban American community. So the reality is these are the last gasps of, of small thinking. It is the fear of seeing Hispanics across the country. And the reality is they're just the next generation of migrants.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Congressman, we thought that, we thought that last gasp was 30 years ago when we repealed that English only ordinance in Dane county, though. But, but it wasn't, it wasn't in Dade county. We, all those people that you, all those people you say got elected, could all be deported now.

[Joe Garcia]

I mean, they are living in this phony world of trying to suck up to the Republican Party and its president, and they will literally deny themselves, their culture and everything they stand for so that they can stand next to the president. And to be quite honest, Donald Trump owns the Cuban American community. And perhaps no man has had more power to affect the dynamic not only of this community, but of its relationship with Cuba. Because this is probably the first president who could find a way to deal with Cuba, find a way to get Cuba to move off a failed state, find a way to get Cuban Americans to reengage, because they're the only chance of a future Cuba.

[Kaley Cuoco]

You mean like, you mean end the. You mean like, oh, I'm no fan.

[Joe Garcia]

Of Donald J. Trump, but you mean like the Cubans in his hip pocket?

[Kaley Cuoco]

End of the. End of the embargo, is what you're saying? Potentially there.

[Mike Ryan]

But.

[Kaley Cuoco]

But I've been told that that would be the worst thing ever in the world.

[Joe Garcia]

You were also told by Marco Rubio that the Russians were the worst in the world. And a few weeks ago, he was calling for investment in Russia. And we were told all sorts of things. But I will tell you, I once spent a good deal of time with a good hour with Trump alone before he was president. His view of Cuba is very different than what he espouses today. He is a believer, and I'm going to quote him, the only way to kill communism is with capitalism. Capitalism always wins.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Congressman, we've been saying that for decades.

[Joe Garcia]

We haven't been doing it. I know we've been building on the embargo. We've been building on family relationships. You know, you had Bush who limited Cubans to one trip a year. You had remittances that were reduced. You had airports that couldn't be used. You had embassies that were closed and then reopened. It's ridiculous because it's been a tit for tat stalemate. This is the last communist redoubt. And the reality is Donald Trump could, if he so chooses, change that, and so could the Cubans. Now, they may not, because both derive tremendous political benefit from, from the status quo. But what is clear for anybody who watches Cuba is that today was worse than yesterday, and tomorrow will definitely be worse than today. And eventually, for good reasons or other reasons, the Cubans will have to engage with South Florida because most of their human capital, most of the capital that Cuba needs is sitting in South Florida. And we've got to find a solution. To this, because if we don't, Cuba will blow up and it'll land on us. And there is no question we do not want Haiti 90 miles away. And the perfect example is that when was the last time you heard about Haiti? It's a horrible situation that's going on there. And yet since Haitians are staying in Haiti, we don't hear about them. And Haiti's a long way away from where Cuba is, on the doorstep of the United States.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Congressman, last question. I've made a lot of true crime documentaries. I have a lot of friends who are Cuban Americans, Colombian Americans, Venezuelans. They have been convicted of terrible crimes in their past some decades ago. Drug trafficking, in some cases violent crimes. They have paid their debt to society. As far as the criminal justice system in our country is concerned. They are out. You're talking about the potentially millions of people in fear, living in fear every day in this country, particularly in our community in South Florida, about the threat of deportation. Also Medicare fraud, some of them, some of them defrauded the federal government. Medicare fraud or, you know, that's very popular.

[Joe Garcia]

Most of them are historics. But Billy, you're talking about over 49,000 Cubans who have a deportation order. But Cuba wouldn't accept them. And so they, some of them are pillars of the community. You wouldn't know it, but every year they've got to go in and get a new work permit, a new documentation, because the new rules of INS make you do that. Some of them go in and they never come out. But they are. These are people who've been in this country for 50, 60 years. They committed crimes when they were young and unwise and they served their time, some of them quite long sentences. And now they come out and this administration wants to deport him. If you notice those two cases that the Herald talked about and that it's been all over the Internet, two Cubans, both of them came to the US at a very young age. They got heavy sentences for violence and other crimes. One I think was engaged in murder. They spent some 20 odd years in federal penitentiaries. And when they got out, they've got no family, they've got no migratory status. And of course they tried to throw them back to the Cubans. And the Cubans said they've lived in the US longer than they've lived in Cuba. We're not taking them back. And of course the US government, in its new, I don't know, hearkening back to the French government in the 1800s, they're trying to find a devil's island to stick all these people. In this case, I think they send them to South Sudan, which isn't a civil war, and they're sitting at an airport there in South Sudan, but apparently that's how we treat so people we don't want.

[Kaley Cuoco]

So. So, Congressman, is the message that no one is safe and it doesn't matter if Cuba or Venezuela won't take you back, we'll send you to El Salvador or to Sudan.

[Joe Garcia]

They already have. And I think it's two of the most horrible things I've ever seen. And by the way, there's not enough room in El Salvador to hold all the people who are under deportation orders now, which do not qualify for repatriation.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Former Congressman Joe Garcia, thanks so much for joining us today.

[Joe Garcia]

Thank you for inviting me.

[Roy Bellamy]

Howdy, listeners, It's Mike Ryan. That temperature, it's starting to turn up a little bit. Maybe you're going out on the boat. Maybe you're having a pool day. Maybe you're just hanging out in your backyard, your patio, and you're grilling. Oh, you're prepping the meats. You're looking at the family. You're enjoying your time with the friends. And guess what's in your hand? A Miller Light. That's right. Miller Time is the best time, especially when the temperature starts ticking up a little bit because you have a beer and that's brewed for people like you and me, people who love their beer and it cools your body down. I've been stocking the cooler with it for years, and for good reason. It's brewed for taste only. 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbs. This year, Miller Lite turns 50. That's five decades of cookouts, laughs, and ice cold moments that never miss the original light beer. And it's still my go to Miller lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Cheers to 50 years of Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Dan wouldn't understand this. He's busy running a content circus. But if you're actually running a business, then you know hiring the right people isn't just important. It's everything. And that's why LinkedIn jobs is an absolute game changer for small business owners. You're juggling payroll logistics, maybe even mopping the floors before you open. You don't have time for flaky resumes, ghosted interviews, or job boards that feel like a black hole. When it's time to hire, you need a partner who grinds just like you. LinkedIn. They don't sleep. You clock out. They clock in. They'll help you write the job post quickly and clearly promote it. You'll get three times more qualified applicants. Not a guess. Real data. And Once it's live, LinkedIn helps you amplify it by sharing it with your network. You can even add that hiring frame to your profile, which doubles the number of qualified candidates you're likely to see. This is built for business owners who care about getting it right. Post your job for [e-mail] dls that's LinkedIn.com dls to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

[Kaley Cuoco]

The conference finals are set. NBA history is on the horizon with DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA. You're not just watching, you're actually in the game. From player props to game lines, live bets, this is playoff betting at its best. New to DraftKings.

[Roy Bellamy]

Bet just five bucks and if your.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Bet hits, you'll cash with $300 in bonus bets.

[Roy Bellamy]

The finals are almost here.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Get in on the action now. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use code DAN. That's code DAN for new customers to get 300 bucks in bonus bets.

[Roy Bellamy]

If your bet wins.

[Kaley Cuoco]

When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling Problem Call 1-800-Gambler in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY at 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Bet must win to receive Reward. Bonus bets 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio if there's anything.

[Mike Ryan]

With all due respect, your time is up.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Okay?

[Mike Ryan]

If there's anything that there's here that anybody wants to bring up, bring it to the state Attorney's office. Like I'm going to bring up the tens of thousands of dollars, sir, that you have gotten in freebies since you become Trust chairman. Really? Have you or you have not gone on Friday, the first Friday of the Ultra, with six members of your family? Listen in this character, you went there. You want me to. Let me talk. Because tens of thousands of dollars and you didn't pay a penny. You want. Just like you did in prior years. Just like you did in prior years, Just like Commissioner King was there also, and all the commission. I did not do that in prior years. You prove it. If I did, that's a lie. So you want to turn this into a trip I can't get? When you always do like, you know, you're. The Thompson was built without permits. He always does the same thing. And this is what I was telling you gentlemen not to get into, okay? He is the one that has a kangaroo court where all the employees, a lot of employees in the city of Miami are scared of him. If you go talk to the employees without not in his presence, of course, of what went on there in Bayfront Trust, you would find that everybody was terrified of this gentleman, okay? Terrified. He doesn't speak about the facts. What he wants to do with you is he wants to muddy the waters today. He wants to detract. He wants to control the narrative. And the narrative is the wrongdoing that was happening in Bayfront Trust and what I promised as a commissioner to bring forward. I promise transparency and accountability when I became chairman, and that's exactly what I'm doing. He doesn't like the fact, you know, that this is going on, okay? And I would advise him, okay? I would advise him. We have enough lawsuits already, okay, in the city of Miami, basically 95% of them having to do with him to get into more, okay? We are simply going to report here what has happened, okay? And let the chips fall where they might.

[Joe Garcia]

Foreign.

[Kaley Cuoco]

TELENOVELA at Miami City hall continues show en Espanol Roy so works. That works. Listen, believe it or not, there is actually sanity and order going on at City Hall. Now, I know it sounds a little out of control, but that's because, of course, everybody's least favorite, commissioner, Joe Corollo, he's there doing his thing, trying to distract, Trying to, you know, as Commissioner Gabella, who you heard there, who is now the chairman of the Bayfront Park Trust Management. It's like a bunch of words thrown together. The Bayfront Park Management Trust, the trust was formally chaired by Joe Carollo. It was taken from him after the chaos that he creates everywhere he goes. He had like seven executive directors in seven years. That was all intentional to create a situation where he was the only person who knew what was going on, who the board answered to. And of course, there are now serious allegations. The Headline reads, miami park leaders allege city Commissioner that's Joe Carollo misused tax dollars. That's what that emergency or special Bayfront Trust meeting was about that you were just listening to. And Joe Carollo was there to just kind of distract attention away, make false accusations. As you know, every accusation is a confession, Roy. So if you want to know what Joe is up to, you just need to listen to what he's accusing other people of. Joining us now is Commissioner Miguel Gabella, Miami City Commissioner, and of course, now the chairman of the Bayfront Trust. Commissioner. That was a little bit of the chaos there in that clip, and it's all good and fun, but the story was a serious one. The meeting was a serious one. Can you give us a little bit of an overview about what it is that you have discovered since you've taken over at the Bayfront Trust, which for those people who don't know, it's right outside the studio. Here it is, the Central park of Miami. It's a beautiful place with a lot of money going in and out of there. And what did you find was happening when Joe Carollo was in charge?

[Mike Ryan]

Well, first of all, thank you for giving the, giving me the opportunity to speak about this issue, which is a very serious issue and an important issue for a lot of the residents of city of Miami, if not all. And yes, Billy, what transpired was that since I became chairman, we started to notice irregularities that have been going on in the past. And we brought this to the forefront with a special meeting because this is the equivalent. He has taken funds when he was, when Joe Carollo was chairman of the Bayfront Trust, apparently funds were diverted from Bayfront Trust entity to other entities that had nothing to do with Bayfront Trust. Hence, for example, the food operation that he was assembling in Bayfront Trust, which had nothing to do with his district, but yet he assembled those bags of food and used paid employees paid from the Bayfront Trust to assemble those bags of food that then went to his district. And you see the bags that they have as logo. That's misappropriation of funds. That is fraud in my book, because I don't think that I, for example, was put in charge of Bayfront Trust as chairman to divert, you know, funds to help my political career or to divert funds from Bayfront park to my district. That's what he did, and that's what we reported. It's my due diligence and my obligation to report this. And that's simply what we did. He had his answer to this if you notice, you know, his answer is he doesn't defend himself. His answer is throwing, like you said, muddying the water, controlling the narrative, okay? And making it detracting from what really is going on. By now, threaten me with a code enforcement by calling by. By instructing Art Noriega, our city manager, to come after me and my properties and to investigate my properties. When I can tell you right now, Billy, I have zero violations and have had zero violations with the exception of some trash violations that my. One of my tenants took out, you know, furniture that they moved, and they took it out one day earlier. It's $150 fine. I told them not to do it again, and I paid it out of my pocket, but that's it. I have zero violations since I've owned that property. You know, and the same thing for my house. The most I have on my house is a graffiti that I called for to be removed. That was a service call. And that's. That's what I. What I have.

[Kaley Cuoco]

This is what he does. This is the weaponization of.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, he weaponizes city government like he did with Bill Fuller, like he did with Martin Bonilla. And this is 2.0 now with me and my wife. And my wife, which is also a citizen of the city of Miami. And now he wants to sick his dogs, okay? And listen, not all people in the city of Miami or in court enforcement are bad people, okay? But you must understand that this gentleman is weaponizing city government. It's already cost us in the millions of dollars. He's doing it again. He's got a track record. He's got an ammo. And this is precisely what he does to his political opponents. You know, the only thing is that he thinks now that he can do it to me and that he can get away with it. The problem is he's got a track record. We all know what he's done before, and like I said, this is costing the taxpayers in excess of $10 million. We're still at it. We still have lawsuits on top of us that we're now negotiating, okay? Trying to settle, okay? There's legal costs, ramifications, and here he goes again, one more time, okay? And I don't know why our city manager allows himself. Himself to put it. To be put into this position is what I understand. And I think he's in the middle of all this, but I think, okay, I think that the city manager knows that Joe Carollo used his chief of staff, William Ortiz, as his proxy to basically give. Give an order to Art. To investigate my properties once again. My properties don't have a problem. Okay? None of my properties. Now, his properties, Joe Carlos Properties, they've had problems in the past. This has been public. And guess what? I asked for, for a. An abstract, if you will, of violations on my property, which I have with me, okay? And I've got zero problems. But when you go to search for his. His past violations, they're all covered up. They're redacted. And if you go on these, The Miami Dade county website, you can't. You put his name in. It's like a police officer. It's erased completely. You go to my stuff and you can see my properties and you can read the information. You do it to him. We just got to redact the copy that A lot of stuff is blacked out. Who knows if he still has the violations? I understand he cut a banyan tree down. He was cited for carports, illegal carports. He was cited. It's like eight or nine or 10 different things. And the latest one was about one commission meeting ago or two commission meetings ago. I did not know that there was an ordinance being passed for fences from 4ft to 6ft. And guess what I've learned that this was supposed to happen to accommodate him because I understand that he might have a problem with a fence and. And his pool and because they tell me it's a weird configuration. I want to know because I've never been to his house nor planned to. Okay, but this is the thing that. That's going on here, that. That, you know, this is serious business. He's making it out to be like it's, you know, it's some kind of joke, you know, Roy, I want.

[Kaley Cuoco]

I want to clarify. What the commissioner is saying is that Joe Carollyo brought an ordinance to the commission to vote on it about fences. That was only for the purpose of benefiting himself because he has an issue. He is violating code with his. So he was just trying to change.

[Mike Ryan]

For him.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Yeah. Just change the law. Yeah. So that he could. That he could benefit from, which he did, of course, with the redistricting, which he's done. I mean, that is weaponization of government in and of itself, creating legislation solely for his own personal benefit. Commissioner, you brought up a really interesting point a moment ago. Obviously, you've got tens of thousands of employees, I think, you know, working at the city. They are not all bad. Of course not. There's a lot of very hardworking people who just want to wake up in the morning, do their Jobs, be public servants, help the city, help the commissioners, help the residents, the business owners. But those people live and work in fear and in terror. And that is part of the weaponization. And when they know that shit rots from the top down, and when they know the. The city manager is in on it, when they know the city attorney is covering for it and enabling it, and they know that you've got this wannabe tin pot dictator kind of running the city with an iron fist. And Joe Carollo, people are scared to come forward. Is there some way to enable whistleblowers to anonymously. You know, people want to come to your special meeting about the weaponization of city government, but they are scared to show their faces. They are scared to participate because they know they're going to get targeted and have their homes taken away or their businesses, you know, livelihoods destroyed. You know, your, your wife seems in fear. So is there some way that city residents, business owners, city employees, the good ones, can come forward and bring anonymous tips, whistleblowers, so that they don't get retaliated against from their own, their own government?

[Mike Ryan]

I would encourage our citizens, if you have any information on the Bayfront Trust and what happened there, please come forward, come to my office and tell me about it. Because we're trying to get to the bottom of things. And I'm sure that we continue. Now, we've asked for a forensic audit. It was supposed to be done a year and a half ago. A year ago, the late commissioner, former Commissioner Maloda Reyes, asked for it. We learned that it has never been done. And now we're doing one of our own. We've picked an auditing company that has no ties with anybody, and all of a sudden we get the city. The financial department is telling us that they have an auditor already, and we're saying, no, no, thank you. We're picking up our own auditor, you know, and you're late to the game because this should have happened a year ago. That's the next step that, that we are taking. But this gentleman weaponizes city government. This is what he's done in the past. He's doing it again now. He's doing it with a fellow commissioner, you know, and it's just sad what's going on and what you have to hear. But, but here's the. I would hope, I would hope that the, the city manager has gone through this before. This is not his first rodeo. He knows this is not correct. Okay? He knows this is not correct. And all we've asked for is look if he wants to do this witch hunt, okay, he can't do it and weaponize city government. I want to pass a resolution so this can never happen again between commissioners, okay? And my resolution says that if you got a complaint against another fellow commissioner, you go ahead and present it to the county and let the county pick a third party and give it to whoever it is that they want to give it to. Because if you see this man, Joe Carollyu, and the way he acts, he passed a resolution, an ordinance about five years ago that said the city of Miami Police Department cannot investigate the city of Miami commissioners. I think, you know, good or bad, I think that was a good thing because it avoids conflict of interest. Well, this is the same thing. This is the same thing. You know, it takes the conflict of interest out, you know, but he's against it. You know why he's against it? Because he's hoping to weaponize the city government against me, a fellow commissioner, because he's got a political ax to grind with me. Understand that he did this through his chief of staff, directing the city manager to take action against me when I have zero problems in my properties. And he did it the same day that I. That I'm going to do the meeting. He puts this memo out at 12 something, 12:45 in the afternoon, about 15 minutes before I'm going to start my meeting. And I don't get to text that message until the next day. From Art Noriega.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Commissioner, I want to show this clip from the last commission meeting because it's really compelling. For a long time, you know, City hall watcher like myself, to finally see Joe Carrillo get a taste of his own medicine. The bullying, the kangaroo courts, all the bullshit he puts the city through, the employees, through his family, through his constituents, through. But you decided that rightfully so we're going to shut the meeting down because you had the same vote as him. You have the same power as he does. You're one of five. Well, now four, unfortunately, commissioners up there on the dais. You have the same bully pulpit he has, but he seems to abuse it in ways that make him like the de facto strong mayor and city manager and police chief. And I just want to show this clip and have you give us some context on it.

[Mike Ryan]

Can I. Can I suggest I have an important discussion item that has to do with all of us, and I'd like to take that up now. I would like not to just get to discussion items. I'd like to move through the agenda if we possibly can, but you're not going to be here. You said you're not going to be here. But. But I don't have to be here. There's three of you, which makes. No, no, no. I need your vote on this because I've been. I've been targeted by the city of Miami Code enforcement department to the city manager because of doing my job on Bayfront Trust. And Commissioner Garollo is harassing me, okay? He wants. He wants my house to be investigated when I have. Commissioner. No, ma' am. No, ma' am. I know what's going on here, Commissioner. So tell you what. That I'm leaving. If I don't do this, I'm leaving right now. This is ridiculous. That you don't want to. I did that. We would not take it up. I said we would take it up. Yeah, but when you leave, I need your vote. I need your vote, Commission. I need to vote. I have a commitment. Okay, then let me. Let's take care of this. We have other work to be done, and we go in order. We will go in order, as we always do. The mayor presented something today at the last minute, and you took it every time. I always end up in the same thing. Mine is time sensitive. You know why? Because the code enforcement is coming after me for doing my job. Ma' am. That's what's going on here. Commissioner, if that's your position. Because I'm not going to take the discussion items out of order. If that's your position and you leave, we won't have any more commission meeting, if that's what you want. This is a resolution. No, it's a discussion item. Again, if we can have some training on the agenda, process and how this commission should work with protocols, I would appreciate that because I don't want it.

[Roy Bellamy]

To seem as if I'm being unfair.

[Mike Ryan]

You're being unfair. Because I am being unfair. I am being harassed, man. I am being harassed, and I want to save the. The city of Miami. Okay? You. If you allow me, please. This commission meeting is now in recess. The. I will not be here. My. My commissioners are here. It's three. They have a quorum. They can. Okay, so then the commission meeting has now resumed. The.

[Joe Garcia]

The commission. The commission.

[Mike Ryan]

Thank you. The commission has recessed.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Thank you.

[Mike Ryan]

The commission meeting is over. Thank you. 1.

[Kaley Cuoco]

My two favorite lines there, Roy, are when Chairwoman Christine King, the commissioner, says, I don't want it to look like I'm being unfair. So. Which. Because she's being unfair. And of course, when Commissioner Gabella, when you say, I know what's going on here. Again, we all know what's going on here. And. But I want to know. I'm going to give you the last word, rata time. But what did you mean by I know what's going on here and what happened there? And why did you feel the need to do what you did?

[Mike Ryan]

Look, here's what's going on, okay? Number one, she has a tough job to do. And I realize this, right, because she's in the middle of Carolyn and myself, okay? But she was willing to take on the mayor's last minute request. And you know what the mayor's last minute request was about? Paddleball, Adele. Okay? That's what that request is about.

[Kaley Cuoco]

That's time sensitive, Commissioner.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, that's. Apparently that's more important than weaponizing city government, I guess. But I'll give her the benefit of the. You know why? Because I'm not going to speak ill of my fellow commissioners, except for Joe Carolyu, okay? Because I don't have beef with the. With the chairwoman. I don't have a problem with Commissioner Pardo, okay? My problem was joke with. Is with Joe Carollyo and what he is attempting to. To do, which is to get his way always in the. In the City Hall. And, you know, earlier in the week, you know, there was a building collapse, right, Billy? There was a partial building collapse in my area.

[Kaley Cuoco]

In Alapata.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, in Alapata. I asked Art Noriega for that. I wanted answers, okay? I wanted answers. The day after it happened, I wanted answers, okay? And. And he told me that he would get to it, you know, And I gave him the benefit of the doubt, okay? Because I was very livid of what had happened in my area because this was a building that for five or six years was known to be unsafe, okay? And was left like that until finally almost came down on somebody. Luckily, nobody was injured, but I don't want that to happen again in my area or any parts of the city of Miami. I asked that to be put on as an emergency pocket item, and they said no to me. I got the emails to prove it. If that isn't an emergency for a pocket item, I do not know what it is, Billy. I do not know what it is. And what it is is that people are scared of Joe Carollo, okay? They are scared of Joe Carollo, and therefore they do this because Joe Carollo. What Joe Carollo wants is for somehow he's hoping that Rosado wins this campaign now on Tuesday, and then he has the majority Then he wants the code enforcement to investigate my properties, okay, which have no merit whatsoever, okay. To be investigated. Maybe his does. I would dare say, okay, but this is what he's doing. So he's. So what he did was. He did a maneuver, okay? They did a maneuver. So I cannot pass the resolution that I wanted to pass. And the resolution was quite simply, you got a problem, send it to the county and let the county deal with it, whether it's my properties, your properties, whoever's property. We're both elected officials, okay? But this is funny coming from a. From Joe Carollo, who's known to have violations, multiple violations on his property. This is funny, okay, that he, you know, does this and his M.O. as you know, is always going after his political enemies with anything he has. The problem for him is that I'm also a city commissioner like himself, okay? And I have the same right to ask anybody any questions on that dice. As long as they're. They're fair questions, that's what I'm going to stick to. And they want to. He wants to damage me because again, he wants to detract. He wants to get away from what happened in Bayfront Trust, and we were reporting. He needs to get back to Bayfront Trust to who know. Who knows what he's trying. He's scared of us uncovering. I've heard that there's talk that he made a deal with Rosado and if Rosado comes in, they're going to put him back on the Bayfront Trust.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Absolutely.

[Mike Ryan]

I wonder what he's scared of. That we. We. We next.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Yeah, well, he's petrified of the forensic audit. We know that he's been. That's why it hasn't happened for years, Roy. To be clear, Miami priorities are paddleball over, building collapses. Commissioner Miguel Gabella, thanks so much for being here. Good luck to you and your family. I know that this is a very traumatic experience when you have your own government going after you and your wife and your, you know, your grandchildren. So I wish you the best of luck.

[Mike Ryan]

Thank you very much, sir. Thank you for having me on.

[Kaley Cuoco]

God bless Miami History was made last week. Roy, I don't know if you heard about this. Did you hear about this?

[Roy Bellamy]

Usually bad history that's made down here?

[Kaley Cuoco]

This is pretty. This is pretty fun. This is gonna be.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't believe you.

[Kaley Cuoco]

This is gonna be an in show, pat on the back, victory lap kind of a thing. Friend of the show, Fernanda Mondi, who's been a guest of the years, appeared at Miami City hall during public comment at that Bayfront Trust emergency meeting that we talked about with Commissioner Cabela moments ago and he decided as part of his presentation he was going to play live in City Hall. Echoing throughout the chambers from the speakers, a very long clip from this show from. Because Miami. I don't know.

[Joe Garcia]

Oh, am I on it?

[Kaley Cuoco]

I don't know if you jump in. It was, it was the Joe Carrillo fountain of death rant. The monologue. It was actually, it was actually a breaking news story that we did on this program. We got some exclusive documents and did this story and he played it for.

[Mike Ryan]

The computer on there.

[Kaley Cuoco]

It was no, but Ponzi Postalita is. So the cart from the song played in City Hall. And this is a.

[Mike Ryan]

So the mayor caught a stray.

[Kaley Cuoco]

It's funny, I saw the mayor as you from the chambers of the city Commission. You can see upstairs there's like this, this walkway with glass windows looking down across the entire length of the back wall. And I could see, I think the mayor's like sergeant at arms was peeking down there when jokes started to play. And so this is a cut down version of the longer segment from the, the podcast and that we posted to socials. But it was pretty wild. I was sitting there, I think you could probably hear me and some other people in the gallery there laughing because we just can't believe what's happening before our very eyes. But quite a Miami moment to end the show. Co cats and cocaine's. I saw in particular a very powerful piece of local journalism by a local journalist that I think helps set the table certainly for why many of us are here and I think it would be very instructive to watch it. It's only a couple of minutes more breaking news from the broken city of Miami. It's Joe Carollo's fountain of death. The corrupt commissioner's unfinished five and a half million dollar bayfront park boondoggle is a money pit and possible death trap. A secret memo obtained exclusively by Because Miami Revealed reveals safety concerns about the risk of electrocution and drowning in the newly restored bayfront park down leading to a temporary rickety rusted rented chain link fence around the entire perimeter held up only by a few sandbags. This never before published internal memo provided to the trust in mid December confirms Corollo's awareness of the deadly risks and possibility of personal injury lawsuits. The memo was reportedly sent by Deep PG Aqua, the company that got a no bid emergency contract to restore the fountain even though there was no emergency since the fountain had been shut. Down for 15 years. Where did then Bayfront park chairman Joe Carollo find this company? You ask? None other than Mayor Francis Suarez introduced him to this company saying, how can I help? And the next thing you know, they got this crazy five and a half million dollar deal. If you put garbage in, you're gonna get garbage out. And it's now on its own way to becoming the world's largest and most expensive homeless bidet. I just went by there today and discovered the fountain is completely empty, drained of water and filled with workers. Two months after the so called grand reopening, they have to repaint the entire fountain because it's already showing signs of rust.

[Mike Ryan]

Grand opening, grand closing.

[Roy Bellamy]

Howdy, listeners, it's Mike Ryan. That temperature, it's starting to turn up a little bit. Maybe you're going out on the boat. Maybe you're having a pool day. Maybe you're just hanging out in your backyard, your patio, and you're grilling. Oh, you're prepping the meats. You're looking at the family. You're enjoying your time with the friends. And guess what's in your hand? A Miller Light. That's right. Miller Time is the best time, especially when the temperature starts ticking up a little bit because you have a beer that's brewed for people like you and me, people who love their beer and it cools your body down. I've been stocking the cooler with it for years, and for good reason. It's Brewed for taste only. 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbs. This year, Miller Lite turns 50. That's five decades of cookouts, laughs, and ice cold moments that never miss the original light beer. And it's still my go to Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Cheers to 50 years of Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Walk Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Dan wouldn't understand this. He's busy running a content circus. But if you're actually running a business, then you know hiring the right people isn't just important, it's everything. And that's why LinkedIn jobs is an absolute game changer for small business owners. You're juggling payroll, logistics, maybe even mopping the floors before you open. You don't have time for flaky resumes, ghosted interviews, or job boards that feel like a black hole. When it's time to hire, you need a partner who grinds just like you. LinkedIn. They don't sleep. You clock out. They clock in. They'll help you write the job post quickly and clearly promote it. You'll get three times more qualified applicants. Not a guess. Real Data. And once it's live, LinkedIn helps you amplify it by sharing it with your network. You can even add that hiringframe to your profile, which doubles the number of qualified candidates you're likely to see. This is built for business owners who care about getting it right. Post your job for [e-mail] dls that's LinkedIn.com dls to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply.