Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez will not be allowed to attend tonight's budget hearing. The Governor has just suspended him following his arrest last month on unlawful compensation charges. In the Executive Order, the Governor says "it is in the best interest of the residents of Miami-Dade County that Martinez be immediately suspended from the public office that he holds." He's expected to appoint a replacement in the coming weeks.
The attorney for Joe Martinez has released this statement on his behalf:
MIAMI, FL - Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced his decision to suspend Joe Martinez, Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 11, after State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle brought baseless charges against the Commissioner late last month. Although the Governor's decision is a disappointment, the Commissioner and his supporters were expecting this development and recognize that this is a part of the process when even completely unfounded charges are brought against public officials.
Commissioner Martinez, his legal team, and his many supporters will focus on clearing his name and fighting these baseless allegations arising from his work as a consultant when he was a private citizen and not an elected official.
The Commissioner offers his support to whomever the Governor decides to appoint to the Miami-Dade County District 11 seat. The most important issue continues to be providing services and protecting the well-being of the residents of the District 11 and of our entire community.
Commissioner Martinez looks forward to being completely vindicated and cleared of any wrongdoing. He has devoted his entire adult life to serving the best interests of the public and he is humbled by the outpouring of support and confidence from the people of District 11 and throughout Miami-Dade County.