Recall Challenge Delayed By Friendly Judge
A court hearing in the effort to recall Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez hit a snag Friday, when the judge in the case offered to let both sides challenging his fitness to hear the case, because he apparently knows most of the parties involved.
The hearing dealt with efforts to toss out more than 112 thousand signatures on petitions to asking the county to give voters the chance to toss Alvarez out of office. Alvarez has challenged them because a letter certifying the petitions valid was signed by a deputy clerk, instead of Clerk Harvey Ruvin.
Alvarez claims that violates the county charter; Ruvin said he reviewed and approved the petition, and the deputy clerk simply signed a courtesy letter for him.
Judge Israel Reyes was assigned to handle the case, but when proceedings started Friday he looked around the courtroom, and raised the possibility he might have the appearance of a conflict.
Reyes did not recuse himself from the case, but have both parties until Monday to decide if either wants to ask for a new judge.
If nobody asks Reyes to step down, the case is not set for next Friday.
What we're watching
- The U.S. military launched two back-to-back waves of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, marking the fifth day of attacks on Iran as the war ramps back up in a battle to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz.
- Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan reported incoming Iranian missile or drone attacks earlier Wednesday, as Iran lashed out again at U.S. allies in the Middle East in retaliation.
- The latest round of overnight U.S. airstrikes on Iran wounded more than 260 people, an Iranian health official said Wednesday, while a government spokesperson said at least 30 people had been killed in "recent days" by U.S. attacks.
- Judge Israel Reyes was assigned to handle the case, but when proceedings started Friday he looked around the courtroom, and raised the possibility he might have the appearance of a conflict.
Reyes did not recuse himself from the case, but have both parties until Monday to decide if either wants to ask for a new judge.
If nobody asks Reyes to step down, the case is not set for next Friday.
Timeline of the Condo Towers Collapse
- 1981: Champlain Towers Built – a 136-unit Champlain Towers South condo building at 8777 Collins Ave
- October 2018: Structural engineering report issued about problems with Champlain Towers South condo
- November 2018: Meeting board meeting minutes indicate the report was reviewed and the building was in good shape
- April 2020: A Florida University report notes evidence of "land subsidence" at the tower location.
- April 2021: The president of the condo association's board says the concrete deterioration is accelerating.
- June 2021: Condo partially collapses at 1:20 a.m. while most residents are asleep.
The hearing dealt with efforts to toss out more than 112 thousand signatures on petitions to asking the county to give voters the chance to toss Alvarez out of office. Alvarez has challenged them because a letter certifying the petitions valid was signed by a deputy clerk, instead of Clerk Harvey Ruvin. Former Florida police officer convicted of murder gets new execution date
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