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Judge Delays Ruling On Whether Pizzi Is Miami Lakes' Mayor

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - After a year and a half legal battle, Michael Pizzi will have to wait a little longer to find out if he is, once again, the Mayor of Miami Lakes.

A final hearing in the matter was held Wednesday. Before it started Judge Gisela Cardonne Ely announced that she would not be announcing her ruling at the end of it because she wanted to take the matter under advisement.  She said she would issue her decision in the next seven to ten days.

"Miami Lakes is not Syria, Russia, communist Cuba We are a democracy," said Pizzi.

Pizzi was removed from officer by Governor Rick Scott after he was arrested as part of a government corruption investigation.

Last August he celebrated when he was found not guilty on all counts in a federal trial.  Since then he's been battling to be reinstated in office.

But Wayne Slaton, voted mayor in a special election after Pizzi's arrest, has refused to step aside and the town's Council has backed him. Slaton and the town insist the mayor's office is his until his term runs out next year.

"This is not a specific case between two specific people," said Slaton. "The last election is the most important election."

After Pizzi appealed to the Governor's Office, Scott refused to reinstate him so he sued to be returned to office.

Miami Lakes tried to get the suit dismissed but last month the judge refused to toss it. After that hearing, Slaton said he looked forward to a final hearing, "To show why I am the duly elected mayor of the town of Miami lakes, and our charter will prevail in that effort."

Pizzi's side sites Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones case. She was found not guilty on public corruption changes and she was reinstated thanks to the 3rd District Court of Appeals but Slaton's attorneys said the  Town of Miami lakes charter is different than the Miami charter

This fight isn't cheap. Miami Lakes has spent almost 250,000 on this. If Pizzi wins he wants his legal fees covered too.

This is all for a job that pays $18,000 a year. The legal wranglings could have paid the Mayor for 13 years and counting.

Pending the outcome of the judge's final decision, both sides said they would file an appeal with the 3rd District Court of Appeals. If the judge rules in Pizzi's favor, he will go back into office until the appeals court makes their decision.

Click here to watch Cynthia Demos' report. 

 

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