Watch CBS News

Judge Rules For Pizzi To Resume As Miami Lakes' Mayor

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

MIAMI LAKES (CBSMiami) -- After a year and a half legal battle, Michael Pizzi may once again be the Mayor of Miami Lakes.

On Tuesday, a judge ruled in his favor saying in an order, "Mr. Pizzi  should be restored to office."

The order set a 30-day stay and then Pizzi could take his job back.

With his trademark animation and ebullience, Pizzi announced to reporters and supporters that he was back.

Click here to watch Carey Codd's report. 

"My name is Michael Pizzi and I am the only Mayor of Miami Lakes because the people voted for me and we have our democracy back," Pizzi said.

As Pizzi greeted supporters, he basked in the glow of a judge's ruling that found him to be the rightful mayor of Miami Lakes.

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 had been battling to be reinstated in office.

"I beat the federal government," he said. "I defeated the governor. I won in every court. It is time for officials in Miami Lakes to respect the Constitution. Respect the will of the people. It's time for the officials to realize Michael Pizzi is the mayor and respect that ruling."

After Pizzi's arrest, the town elected a new mayor, Wayne Slaton. The judge's ruling Tuesday determined that Slaton's victory became temporary once Pizzi was exonerated and that Pizzi has the right to return as the town's mayor.

"The clear intent (of the statute) is to provide for a temporary suspension of the indicted official; and, the reinstatement of that official upon absolution," wrote Judge Gisella Cardonne Ely . "Under a plain reading of the statute, this Court, therefore, finds that Mr. Pizzi's suspension created a temporary vacancy in the Mayor's office."

Pizzi said the town should stop fighting the case and wasting taxpayer money.

Our news partners at the Miami Herald report that the case has cost the town of Miami Lakes more than $174-thousand dollars.

"I call upon the current administration in Miami Lakes: Do not spend another penny of these people's money on these illegal measures," Pizzi said. "Stop it!"

Miami Lakes resident Lourdes Cabrera is pleased to see Pizzi return.

"I'm very glad that he got his job back. He was a very good mayor and he was found not guilty of his charges so he deserves it," she said.

Other residents, like Alfredo Purrinos are ready to be done with the whole legal fight.

"I think that they need to focus on what's important and what the needs of the people are, not their own needs," Purrinos said.

The judge's ruling Tuesday cleared the way for Pizzi to return as Mayor but put everything on hold for 30 days to let the appeal process play out. That is no matter to Pizzi.

"I am the mayor of Miami Lakes," Pizzi said. "I expect to be in that seat sooner than 30 days."

In response to the judge's order, city officials issued a statement on his reinstatement saying, "We appreciate the courts time on this issue. Important charter issues like these are almost never decided at the trial court level.

The Town Council will be meeting with the Town Attorney over the next few days to discuss the next steps."

As part of the ruling, the judge issued a stay and writes "… the Court stays the enforcement of this Order for a thirty day period pending appellate review."

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 insisted the mayor's office was his until his term runs out next year.

On Tuesday, he issued a statement on the ruling saying, "I appreciate the trial court's review of this case, and understand that the judge is automatically staying her ruling while the case moves into the appellate process. The judge previously stated when this case began, that regardless of her eventual ruling, that she understood this issue would be going to appeal due to nature of the case. I remain confident that our attorneys will be successful in the forthcoming appellate process."

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

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.