MDCPS Superintendent Jose Dotres speaks out in the aftermath of Lubby Navarro's arrest
MIAMI - Former Miami-Dade School Board member and Vice Chair Lubby Navarro appeared in court Wednesday to discuss her bond and county schools superintendent Jose Dotres spoke out in the aftermath of her arrest.
Police arrested Navarro last Thursday on accusations that she spent more than $100,000 tax-payer dollars on personal expenses. The issue at hand in court was where the money for her bail came from.
"The ankle bracelet is on," defense attorney Michael Davis said.
Her attorneys said she has surrendered her passport and has an ankle monitor on.
While the state said they've received the paperwork, they still have questions as to where the money for her bond came from. Because of due process, Navarro's attorneys said Navarro will remain on house arrest while the origins of her bond are figured out in court.
Navarro is accused of using two school district credit cards for personal spending. According to court records, Navarro took her boyfriend at the time on a four-day getaway to Las Vegas. After they broke up, she's accused of using that same money to purchase two artificial silicone pregnancy bellies on Amazon to try to convince him and his family she was pregnant. She also allegedly bought two Apple AirTags which police said her ex-boyfriend found in his car.
At Walmart, authorities said she bought a $300 Disney gift card, ten bottles of wine, underwear and hair coloring.
"Any comments on the charges?" CBS News Miami's Morgan Rynor asked.
Navarro did not respond to the question, but her attorneys' did.
"Is the argument that she didn't actually spend the money or that it was spent in the right way?" Morgan asked. "What is the defense's argument here?"
"So obviously, I'm not going to comment on the exact defense," Davis said. "What I will say is that Miss Navarro is unequivocally innocent of all charges."
As for where the funds for her bond came from, Davis said there's no doubt it's legitimate.
Morgan asked Davis why the state still had issues if the source was clear.
"That's a question you'll have to ask the state," Davis said.
Another court date was set for January 31st.
Navarro's bond was originally set at two million dollars but a judge lowered it to one hundred thousand dollars.
Navarro resigned her office more than a year ago. The chair of the school board has ordered an immediate review and audit of purchasing procedures related to county card spending for board members.
On Wednesday, the board voted unanimously on a measure to enhance policies, procedures, and reviewing board member spending of district credit cards, known as purchase and travel cards.
The superintendent is tasked with implementing the new policies voted upon. Some changes approved by the board, including looking back at the last five years of all board members, current and former, spending, an annual independent audit and a quarterly review.
"We have an issue that must be addressed," Miami-Dade School Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas highlights a plan to respond to the fallout.
Board member Dr. Steve Gallon asked, "Was it a part of human error? Was that a part of human intent? Was it a combination of both and where there are gaps in the system?
Board members tell CBS News Miami they receive purchase and travel cards with strict procedures.
Dr. Steve Gallon questions how her expenditures went unchecked for as long as they did.
CBS News Miami's Joe Gorchow asks, "Should board members even be allowed to continue to purchase cards and travel cards? Should there be a new way of reimbursement with district funds after something as serious as this just transpired?"
Gallon responds, "Absolutely, full stop. We have a system in place."
A system Gallon suggested in the meeting needs changing. The board awaits a recommendation from the inspector general on the next steps and tasks.
Gorchow asks, "Should the board be in charge of monitoring their expenditures?"
"The board hires and fires a superintendent who administers the district, right? And so today, we will have a lengthy discussion about where and what may have gone wrong to ensure we get to the bottom of it," board member Luisa Santos responded.
Gorchow then asks, "Should those p card expenditures from board members be published annually so the regular citizen, the regular taxpayer, can review them?"
Gallon responds, "I think that goes without saying that anything related to the public's pocketbook is subject to public inspection."
The Navarro fallout has board members asking for someone outside the chief auditor's office to review all board members' expenses. And to look back potentially for five years to review and audit board member expenses.
It's just the beginning, as the Inspector General's Office continues its review of the board.
On Wednesday, Superintendent Dotres said, "We are a school district that has implemented a very rigorous process. The Chief Auditor mentioned that. There also is an important statement that I believe that we all understand: You trust, but you verify. Maybe here, what we've done has been off balance."
