Bateman Arrested on Public Corruption Charges August 30, 2013 By Mike Dill @mdillSDNL Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman

was arrested at his home Wednesday morning on five charges. According to the arrest warrant, Bateman was charged with two counts of unlawful compensation, which are both felonies. He faces misdemeanor charges of unregistered lobbying, exploiting his official position and acquiring financial interests related to a consulting job with Community Health of South Florida (CHI). The arrest comes after a lengthy investigation by the Miami State Attorneys Office and the Miami-Dade County Ethics Commission. It is a very sad day for the residents of Miami-Dade County and an even sadder day for the City of Homestead, said Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami State Attorney. Bateman is being charged with a variety of crimes for using his elected position as Mayor of Homestead to provide for himself with private income and private employment. Bateman was arraigned on Wednesday afternoon and held on a bond of $21,500. The investigation into began in February when Bateman became a paid construction consultant for CHI. The job paid Bateman $125-per hour for his services. According to Fernandez Rundle, CHI agreed to pay Bateman up to $120,000 through February 2014. In an invoice sent to CHI by Bateman, the Homestead Mayor billed CHI for a meeting with Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez regarding a sewer project in Homestead. Two other invoices one for $375 and another for $250 were for meetings Bateman had with City of Homestead engineer Julio Brea regarding the sewer project. Approval of the project would allow CHI to build a Childrens Crisis Center in downtown Homestead. According to Fernandez Rundle, Bateman never disclosed his work with CHI to city staff or council members even after he said during a Feb. 20th council meeting that he would be meeting with Gimenez to discuss issues the county needs to step up and take care of. One of those issues was the sewer project, Fernandez Rundle said.

We believe that enriching oneself by using the power and the prestige of an elected public office not only enrages the community, but more importantly and fundamentally it violates the law. No one would argue that everyone has the right to a job of their choice, of course they do, but a half truth as to who youre representing and who youre working for is not right. This is all to do about honest disclosure. In our view, he failed to do that. Gov. Rick Scott said on Wednesday that Bateman would be removed from office. I join all Floridians in profound disappointment that another elected official has been arrested and accused of violating the publics trust, Scott said in a statement. Elected officials that break the law must be prosecuted to its fullest extent. All elected officials must be held to the highest ethical standard. Homestead Vice Mayor Jon Burgess assured the residents that the City will move forward during a press conference at the William F. Bill Dickinson Community Center on Wednesday. We are here because of the actions of one individual, Burgess said. Because of the hard work of the State Attorney and the Ethics Commission that individual has been removed from our government. I assure you this council will safeguard the integrity of this government and the citizens of Homestead. Councilwoman Judy Waldman began addressing residents stating, Today is a good day. I have zero tolerance for people using their public office to make money, Waldman said. I think this fight for justice is for what we all should know and believe. Elected officials and corruption of government will not be tolerated in the city of Homestead. George Gretsas, Homesteads City Manager, agreed with Waldman and stated the actions taken were because of a council that wanted to take their government back. It was pretty clear from day one of this individuals reign here that he wanted to turn this into a defacto strong mayor form of government and utilize his position to line his pockets, Gretsas said of Bateman. We are not here to try anybody or pass any judgment on specific statutes, but I can tell you from day one city laws were not followed. Abuses of power took place with this individual. Staff was bullied. People had special favors done for them. The record is clear. Vice Mayor Burgess stated there have been allegations against Bateman for the past few months. When asked if he will serve the remainder of Batemans term in office, Burgess said he would need more time to decide.

It is something that I have to consider when I go home, Burgess said. This was all sprung on me this morning. There are a lot of different things going on right now. As you know we are right in the middle of qualifying for election season. Today my worries are about 64,000 people and the employees of the City of Homestead. When asked if Bateman will still legally be able to run for Mayor, Burgess said he believed Bateman would be allowed to. As far as I know, he can, Burgess said. With the qualification period for the 2013 elections ending on Friday, Burgess was hesitant in answering if he would consider running for Mayor. I have not even thought of that today, Burgess said. There have been so many things and briefings I have been in that it is something I have not had time to consider. Politics does strange things to people.