Suspended Miami Lakes Mayor Calls Threatening Comments About Rival "Silly Talk"

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Suspended Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi calls a report that he plotted to harm a councilman three years ago "silly talk."

In July, 2010, Pizzi met with a political ally Tom McGrath, chair of the town's planning and zoning board, in the parking lot of Shula's Steak House and spoke about getting rid of then-Councilman Richard Pulido, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.

What he didn't know was that McGraith, a retired Hialeah police officer, was working with Miami-Dade police and was wearing a wire.

In audio obtained by CBS news partner The Miami Herald, Pizzi dropped the F-bomb several times and promised $100,000 to get Pulido off the council.

"I don't care what you do. Rig the f------- brakes on his car. F------ take him out. I don't want to see him anymore," said Pizzi on undercover recording obtained by the Miami Herald through a public records request.

Over the following months, Pizzi backed off on his threats.

"Forget about him; he will self-destruct himself," said Pizzi according to the paper.

Click Here To Read More About The Investigation And Listen To The Audio

In a statement released Friday to the paper, Pizzi said he never meant any political or personal harm to Pulido and had too much to drink the night he met with McGrath, according to the paper. He added that his statements to McGrath  were "meaningless, over the top, silly, ridiculous drinking talk." He amended his statement Saturday, saying he was actually "humoring" McGrath, a man who he said engaged in "Oliver Stone conspiracy lunacies," according to the paper.

Earlier this year, detectives wrapped up their investigation and no charges were filed because there wasn't any evidence to support allegations that Pizzi would harm Pulido.

Pulido, who learned about the investigation from a Miami Herald report and not the police, said he was shaken by what was said.

"When my wife and I first heard the tape and read the police report, we were frightened and deeply saddened by the possibility that our children were placed in harm's way by Mr. Pizzi's plan to physically hurt me," Pulido told the paper.

Pizzi, 51, along with Sweetwater Mayor Manny Maroño and lobbyists Jorge Forte and Richard Candia, was arrested in August after they reportedly accepted thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for championing purported federal grant applications for their towns. The grant scheme was an undercover FBI operation and federal investigators said they planned to line their pockets with the grant money.

Pizzi allegedly received $5,000 in cash kickbacks for the Miami Lakes grant deal and an additional $1,000 cash and $750 in campaign contributions for the Medley deal.

Maroño and Forte allegedly received $40,000 for their parts in the federal grant scheme. Federal prosecutors said they also received an additional $20,000 for introducing the undercover agents and the scheme to other public officials who didn't bite.

Pizzi, who has said that he did nothing wrong, has vowed to clear his name.

CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed to this report.