Messages Families Stillunsatisfied Pentagon Endsitsprobe; Boomerangs Niger Ambush Review of the Area Wheresgt.Ladavid Johnsonlived
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Volume 96 Number 43 | JUNE 12-18, 2019 | MiamiTimesOnline.com | Ninety-Three Cents 2020 ELECTIONS JUNE IS BLACK MUSIC MONTH Review of the Fundraiser Niger ambush in Napa? boomerangs Finance it Pentagon ends its probe; families still unsatisfied Gilbert, Levine Cava, Jones NYAMEKYE DANIEL rolling in campaign dough [email protected] The widow of Sgt. LaDavid Johnson is not NYAMEKYE DANIEL Our choices of the top ready to speak and Congresswoman Frederica [email protected] Wilson is outraged after the Pentagon stood 10 singers of the past decades behind its previous findings in the review of What do you need to pay for to get elected the Niger ambush. into office? For Miami-Dade candidates, it’s NYAMEKYE DANIEL The Miami Gardens army sergeant was one makeup sessions, rental cars, parties, photo [email protected] of four men killed on Oct. 4. 2017 when he was shoots, websites and consultants, lots of left in the woods of Tongo Tongo, Africa to consultants. rom blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll, hip-hop With the 2020 elections more than a to R&B, people of potent melanin year away, monthly reports show that local have exceeded all of the bars. politicians running for office have raised In honor of Black Music Month, The thousands, sometimes stacks of hundreds of Miami Times has selected what we thousands of dollars. believeF are the 10 top greatest singers of all time, Candidates and committees are required in no particular order. to file reports on their campaign finances. Great music and American culture cannot be They must keep track of all contributions, mentioned without any of the following acts. We expenses, loans and transfers. Supporters would love to hear what you think of our list, and if can contribute up to $1,000 in county races you would have added or taken anyone away. The and $3,000 for state races. In-kind contri- SEE GREATS 8A butions, such as service or items, count the same as money. If candidates break the rules, they can be Whitney subject to penalties and fees from the Flori- da Elections Commission. Houston GRANDS RAISED FOR COUNTY COMMISSION County Mayor Miami-Dade mayor is the top job in the Photo courtesy of Jerome McNeil county and the race also has the biggest Congresswoman Frederica Wilson is the bankroll. County Commissioner Daniel- U.S. representative for Miami Gardens, the la Levine Cava could sleep on an extra area where Sgt. LaDavid Johnson lived. mattress with her $326,000 in campaign funds. She only has around $296,000 in her Louis fend off ISIS militants alone. The aftermath account, because she spent $30,000 and Armstrong has been short of a nightmare for Johnson's $350 of the overall is in-kind. Levine Cava family who has many unanswered questions. splurged this month, spending $8,600 on But instead of answers, the Department of advertising, a fundraising party at the Miami Defense has shut the door on the investigation, Beach Golf Club, campaign T-shirts and bypassed punishing commanding officers and supplies. handed out medals of honor. Her opponent, former County Commis- Wilson called the moved a failure by the sioner Juan Zapata, once wrote a $30,000 acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan. check from county funds to cover his tuition Beyoncé “There is no question that the soldiers who at Harvard, reports said. He has raised the were killed, including my constituent, Sgt. same amount for his campaign for mayor. Aretha La David Johnson, were sent on a mission Instead of on an Ivy League degree, this Franklin without the proper intel or equipment and time he has spent $1,000 on email marketing, were woefully unprepared to participate in accounting services and service charges on counterterrorism operations," wrote Wilson his fundraising website in May. The third in a statement released on Thursday. "Despite candidate in the race, Monique Nicole Barley widespread evidence of bad decision making filed on May 28 and did not have anything to across the board, junior officers have been report. forced to bear the brunt of responsibility, while more senior officials go unscathed and one is District 1 in line for a promotion.” Two well-known people are vying for Dis- Shanahan announced Thursday that he is trict 1. Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert satisfied with the U.S. Army’s conclusion in the III officially filed his campaign documents review of the investigation into the Niger oper- on Jan. 10. Since then, he has raised $276,400. ation, which excluded additional punishment In May alone, Gilbert netted $8,200. He has for army personnel. He appointed Gen. Robert spent $8,101 of that money. Nearly $1,587 was Brown in April to analyze what led to the spent with Royal Rent A Car for transporta- entanglement of the 11-member team, which tion. He also invested $3,197 in the consult- included Green Berets and support soldiers ing services of BYG Strategies Inc. The own- and 30 Nigeriens, with more than 100 militants. er of BYG, Brian Goldmember, lives up to his Shanahan said regardless of what led up to name. He has helped County Mayor Carlos Michael the attack, the men fought valiantly and de- Gimenez and Broward County Commission served to be honored. Barbara Sharief rake up thousands of dollars. Jackson “Throughout the process, our primary Gilbert has spent $46,400 of his funds so far. concern has been the families of the fallen. Gilbert's opponent Sybrina Fulton offi- We knew we had to be thorough to ensure cially entered the race on May 20. Since the right decisions were made for our service then she has raised $5,500 of which she has members and provide the opportunity for spent $249 on processing fees for The Action closure for the families,” Shanahan said in a Network, a web platform that can be used Chuck Berry statement. to organize events or launch "progressive" During a pre-Memorial Day interview with platforms. Fulton is known nationally for her The Miami Times, Myeshia, wife of Sgt. John- fight for justice for her son Trayvon son and Cowanda Jones-Johnson, her aunt who Martin, who was killed in 2012. raised him, said they believed they would get the truth. Every time they have tried to get District 3 answers about what happened they have been There are three candidates in District 3. put off. The family has been told that certain Temidayo Olukemi had her a goal in mind details are classified and recounts of the inci- for the district for almost two years. She dent would often fluctuate. filed her campaign documents on Oct. 13, The Pentagon released a redacted summary 2017. Yet, she has not raised a single cent, and Stevie Wonder of their findings in May 2018. The families of her phone number is not active. the four slain soldiers have been waiting for a Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon's final report since then. campaign documents were stamped on May 3, “Even after the briefing I was asking ques- and he has raised $23,600. He used just $122 to tions; they told me they could not give me the order checks from Bank of America. answers,” said Myeshia Johnson. “So I was like Eddie Lewis, who has run in elections before, something is not adding up; something is not started his bidding early. He filed his docu- right.” ments on October 19, 2018. He has raised $1,700. Dizzy The May 2018 summary revealed that the SEE OFFICE 8A Gillespie SEE REVIEW 6A BUSINESS ................................................. 11B YOU & YOURS ............................................ 7D Today CLASSIFIED ............................................. 13B FAITH CALENDAR ................................... 8D 89° IN GOOD TASTE ......................................... 1C HEALTH & WELLNESS ............................. 9D LIFESTYLE HAPPENINGS ....................... 5C OBITUARIES ............................................. 12D 8 90158 00100 0 INSIDE Messages 4C Editorials Cartoons Opinions Letters VIEWPOINT BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY | JUNE 12-18, 2019 | MiamiTimesOnline.com MEMBER: National Newspaper Periodicals Postage EDITORIAL Credo Of The Black Press Publisher Association paid at Miami, Florida (ISSN 0739-0319) The Black Press believes that America MEMBER: The Newspaper POSTMASTER: Published Weekly at 900 NW 54th Street, can best lead the world from racial and Association of America Send address changes to Miami, Florida 33127-1818 national antagonism when it accords Subscription Rates: One Year THE MIAMI TIMES, Finally, a crackdown on Post Office Box 270200 to every person, regardless of race, $65.00 – Two Year $120.00 P.O. 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This marks the government’s first serious at- tempt to shut down these legalized scams, and it should DAVID DENNIS JR., writer and adjunct professor, Morehouse College shame former officeholders and Congress to finally end the It’s a vast understatement But the show is important. That’s why this is must- practice for good. at this point to say that Ava And it’s especially import- watch stuff for white people.