A guilty verdict has come down the pipeline against Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo. The verdict coming down in his federal civil trial. A jury has ruled that Carollo violated the first amendment rights of the two plaintiffs, among them the owners of the Ball And Chain club, for retailating against them in his official capacity. Jurors delivered a massive monetary judgement, ordering him to pay two businessmen accusing him of retaliation more than $63 million.
Bill Fuller, the owner of the Ball and Chain restaurant and club, filed the suit against the commissioner. He claimed Carollo weaponized the city’s police and code enforcement departments to shut down several of his businesses in Little Havana because they supported his political opponent.