On February 1, 2024, Governor Ron DeSantis dropped his fifteenth Executive Order of the year stating that former Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo is under investigation. The Eleventh Circuit case is being turned over to the Seventeenth Circuit court. DeSantis approved.
After winning the special election in February 2023 against me (Christi Tasker) and 12 other candidates, journalist and corruption fighter Sabina Covo is under investigation.
Covo campaigned her anti-corruption message with massive billboards all over the City of Miami yet there was no evidence or talk of her reporting corruption.
As a candidate in the same race, I (Christi Tasker) can see things a little differently and do wonder who reported what. It's often very hard for the public to see the truth about politicians until it's too late.
Today, out of journalistic integrity, I texted Ms. Covo to ask if she wanted to respond to the Governor's Order, and today she texted back with the statement below.
Former Commissioner Sabina Covo responds to Banana Republic News regarding the investigation...
This is quite surprising as I haven’t been contacted by any agency or the Governor’s office. I led with the highest ethics and integrity and any review of my tenure, including my campaigns will confirm as such. I candidly do not know what the investigation involves but I do know is that I conducted myself and my office with the utmost good-faith, ethics, and with sole interests of the residents of the City of Miami and District 2, where I live with my husband and three children. ~Former District 2, City of Miami Commissioner, Sabina Covo
I probed Ms. Covo with more questions and she did not respond.
Sources close to Ms. Covo state she had no access to the $857,000 funds donated to Dream Miami PC. The Dream Miami PC was the funding source identified on postcards, election campaign materials, and billboards for Sabina Covo's campaign.
One may think Ms. Covo got a big payday from the almost $900,000 Dream Miami PC monies raised. Funds go to the chairman of the PC for distribution. In this case, the funds were managed directly by Christian Ulvert, Covo's campaign manager, and PC Treasurer Maria Kuhn.
I am concerned for all of Miami Dade because Sabina Covo's campaign manager is the campaign manager for Daniela Levine Cava, Eileen Higgins, and baker's dozen more candidates. Imagine if he's controlling all of their funds.
Conveniently the expenditures and disbursements for the Dream Miami PC alone totals almost match. Out of the entire $857,000 raised, a whopping $864,891.90 of expenditures were made from the PC. Can the public see any of the receipts? NO!
The PC has received over 15 Late Report Letters, Fail to File Letters and Fine Letters. According to the Florida Ethics Commission letter, the fines were waived without an appearance based on "notes" from the PCs. The original Chairman of the PC was William Juan with the address of 2734 Bird Ave APT 308, Miami, FL 33133.
Dream Miami Chairperson is Campaign Manager Christian B Ulvert and Treasurer: Maria Kuhn, the Campaign was fined $650 but then revoked.Photo byDream Miami PAC
Furthermore, in a statement in December 2023, Sabina Covo says she had not planned to run for office, yet the Dream Miami PC was formed with documents dated July 2023.
The District 2 Miami City Commissioner is the mom of three. She immigrated to Miami from Columbia. During the campaign, there were allegations Covo was connected to the Columbian M19 militia. A photo of her aunt and a known M19 Malitia member was used as evidence on political postcards that were never identified with a paid-for political marking. My guess is this piece was paid for by debenched Judge Martin Zilber.
State of Florida Attorney General for Miami Dade County, Katherine Fernandez advised the Governor that a key witness in this case is a close associate of the state attorney's office.
Ms. Covo had a run-off election with current commissioner Damian Pardo. Third runner-up in the race, Eddy Leal endorsed Covo. Leal is also the Mayor's Office Counsel for Mayor Francis Suarez (also under investigation). The fourth candidate in the race, James Torres, a known criminal with anger management issues endorsed Damian Pardo. Torres has advocated and conducted meetings that resulted in payoffs in the name of security to Bay Front Park Trust led by Commissioner Joe Carollo.
Could Eddy Leal, Mayor's Office Attorney, or Criminal James Torres Be The "Witness"?
While Eddy Leal the Mayor's office attorney endorsed Covo, he showed no intention of favoring Covo. So did Eddy collude with Mayor Suarez and abuse his power as an attorney to mislead Covo into making statements?
Or did criminal James Torres get proof of his claims? It's illegal to record audio only in the state of Florida but under-cover video footage is admissible in court.
The real question is - will any verbal evidence be admissible in court if it's in Spanglish or Spanish and not English?
Torres claims that Covo made a $120,000 position for him.
Covo responded on her X/Twitter account:
Realistically, I do not believe Covo or anyone other than Eddy Leal liked James Torres.
Katherine Fernandez Rundle Recuses Herself From Prosecuting Covo But Has Left Herself on Much Higher Profile Cases
Regardless of who the "key witness" is, Mrs. Rundle wants to avoid a conflict of interest or any appearance of impropriety, so she has voluntarily disqualified herself and has requested the executive assignment of another State Attorney regarding the investigation and prosecution of this case and all related matters regarding Sabina Covo.
Honorable HAROLD F. PRYOR, State Attorney for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, has agreed to accept an executive assignment to oversee the prosecution.
If we could just get the Honorable Katherine Fernandez Rundle to recuse herself on all Miami cases, I'm convinced the scales of justice would prevail.
Governor DeSantis Executive Order 24-15 Ordering Harold F. Pryor State Attorney To Oversee Sabina Covo Prosecution
Governor Ron Desantis Executive Order 24-15 Re: Sabina Covo Miami Commissioner InvestigationPhoto byBanana Republic News
After leaving the Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services as Director of Hispanic Media Relations and Communications, Sabina Covo decided to run for the City of Miami Commission in District 2. She is the mom of three who won the District 2 seat and was highly supported by Coconut Grove residents.
Despite the election being a nonpartisan race, Covo was endorsed by heavy hitters such as the Florida Democrat Party and their leader Nikki Fried. The police and fire unions also backed her.
Mayor Daniela Levine Cava and Eileen Higgins were out campaigning for her - all three have a massive amount of connections including the same campaign manager Christian Ulvert, who is in cahoots with recently arrested Alex Diaz de la Portilla.
When running for the City of Miami District 2 commission seat where Covo claimed she would fight corruption and that she had spent her entire life-fighting corruption. Now, she is under investigation for bribery, remuneration by candidates for services, support, etc.
Ms. Covo said it would take her nine months to get the office ready and she's right - it did, only to hand it over to now Commissioner Damian Pardo.
It doesn't take politicians or journalists to fight corruption. It takes people willing to stick their necks on the line to tell the truth. And then it takes leaders willing to do the right thing without political favors, or monetary or personal gain. I encourage all citizens and even city employees to be vigilent and take the time to do their own research and report corruption to someone whether it be anonymously to a journalist or to a superior. Our government leaders must be held accountable and the only way we can truly clean up Miami is to stay informed and find the facts amidst the propaganda. May the scales of justice always be fair and swift. ~Christi Tasker
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