(WSVN) - The vice mayor of Hallandale Beach was caught on camera in a crude conversation. It’s a city where controversy is common and investigations are piling up. 7’s Brian Entin has our special assignment report: Commission Clash.
Former Vice Mayor Bill Julian: “Stick a sock in it!”
Commissioner Michele Lazarow: “Stick a sock in it? You shouldn’t have done that.”
Drama-filled commission meetings are the norm in Hallandale Beach.
Mayor Joy Cooper: “I happen to still be mayor, it still really drives you crazy!”
The city is known as a political minefield.
Vice Mayor Keith London: “You’re such a wackadoo!”
Mayor Joy Cooper: “You are!”
Commissioners have even accused opponents of putting tracking devices on their cars prior to last November’s election.
Commissioners’ Attorney, October 2016: “I don’t believe in coincidences.”
And now the confrontations have hit the street.
Vice Mayor Keith London: “I’m taking a video of this clown.”
Worker: “London, London, the biggest clown in town.”
Last month Vice Mayor Keith London got into a heated argument with a worker at the site of a new city fire station.
Worker: “You piece of garbage…”
You hear the man berate London with crude comments.
The Vice Mayor has choice words of his own.
Vice Mayor Keith London: “How many times you go to prison? What was it? Did you like it? Did you suck…”
The rest is too vulgar for television.
Neither the worker nor the Vice Mayor would talk on camera about the video, but Mayor Joy Cooper, a political adversary of London, says she’s alarmed.
Mayor Joy Cooper: “You don’t confront residents or employees working on a job site. It’s just inappropriate behavior.”
It’s yet another black eye for Hallandale Beach, but behind the circus-like atmosphere, there is something happening out of the public eye, and it involves the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
BSO tells 7News its corruption unit “is conducting an investigation involving the Hallandale Beach City Commission,” but they will not confirm any other details.
Brian Entin: “Do you know anything about a public corruption investigation?”
Mayor Joy Cooper: “Not until you mentioned it to me, no.”
7News has learned it involves allegations of improper payments to campaign volunteers during early voting last year.
Commissioner Anthony Sanders: “I don’t know anything in detail.”
Commissioner Michele Lazarow: “You would have to talk to my attorney.”
Commissioner Anabelle Taub: “You’d have to call my attorney.”
Their attorneys did not return our calls.
And there are other ongoing investigations: into the tracking devices and questionable favors from a developer.
Brian Entin: “What do you say to people who live in Hallandale who think this is just a mess?”
Commissioner Anthony Sanders: “Well, they’re correct. It is a mess.”
The big question: Will the stormy times in this city by the sea get better – or worse?
If you think there’s something 7News should investigate, give us a call or send an email to clue@wsvn.com.
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