(UPDATE: Commissioner Fleurimond and I had a lengthy discussion about this blog, during which I invited him to respond in a column which would be published unedited. I also agreed to change the title of this post, as we sincerely appreciate his reaching out to us for the opportunity to tell his side of the story. McKenzie, thank you for your service to the residents of NMB.)
As of this morning, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 191 people in Florida. One of the most heartbreaking was the news announced at a news conference this morning by Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony that 39-year old Deputy Shannon Bennett died last night after being hospitalized since March 27th.
As the Miami Herald reported, Sheriff Tony said, “This is a reminder, to not only this community, but us as first responders, that we’re on the front lines with this. … This is a new enemy we can’t even see. We know it’s there and real and it’s impacting all of us.” He also noted that “officers and staffers have been following protocols to protect themselves with personal protection equipment,” but “added that ‘the virus infecting our planet’ is an ongoing and evolving challenge.”
While brave, courageous police officers are literally risking their lives to serve and protect us against an unseen and frightening enemy, some local, and very irrelevant, politicians are showboating at photo ops for their upcoming campaigns.
Case in point, on Thursday, April 2, North Miami Beach Commissioner McKenzie Fleurimond hijacked a food distribution event sponsored by the youth-run organization Joshua’s Heart Foundation to preen for the camera and then announce on Facebook that his efforts allowed him to bless families.
Talk about narcissism on steriods!
Even more infuriating is that while McKenzie is publicly preaching that everyone should “practice proper hygiene and government suggestions during this State of Emergency” …
… He drops all pretense of civic responsibility whenever it suits him.
On April 3, 2020, in full blown god-complex mode and exploiting his temporary short term role as Vice Mayor, McKenzie took the opportunity to pose for the camera standing thisclose to Publix CEO, Todd Jones without any protective gear as he congratulated himself for the positively “Herculean task” of asking Publix to donate gift cards “to feed families in North Miami Beach.”
As if the corporate execs at Publix would never have been good community neighbors without McKenzie’s prompting.
As we’ve already reported, McKenzie Fleurimond and his partner in crime colleague on the dais, Michael Joseph, were just too “concerned” about maintaining social distance to attend a commission meeting on March 17, 2020, but had absolutely no problem campaigning distributing food while standing way less than the mandated six feet from each other at a Farm Share event held nine days later when COVID-19 had already begun spreading exponentially.
Obviously, their self-unawareness and shameless hypocrisy know no bounds.
While pretentious, pissant politicians like McKenzie Fleurimond and Michael Joseph brazenly promote themselves and hog the spotlight to further their careers as the leaches of society, the true heroes of this devastating pandemic are quietly facing death to save humanity.
Rest in Peace BSO Deputy Shannon Bennett.
God Bless our Police Officer Heroes.
Stephanie
You would think your previous post about Mike Joseph would clue these politicians in. Maybe they don’t read Voter’s Opinion and if not, someone needs to send it to them.
Stephanie, it’s not just these two. I’ve seen other posts on Facebook of posing politicians doing good deeds. What gets my nerves up is that none of these self serving elected servants can do things in an altruistic manner. Instead they need to be sure the public sees them. We all know food and supplies are getting to the needy. No one expects drones are dropping off bags of groceries, but I’m not interested, really, in seeing who is. Should the media bring it to viewers attention, so be it, but when it comes to the volunteer showing off, heck, pass me a bag to barf in.
I’d say pass the bag around but we’re all self-quarantined right now. Well, most of us anyway.
Altruistic manner ? As I stated in a previous blog. This is hubris at it’s best in a time of
national and international crisis. It gets more than my nerves up. Excuse me again while I go puke , but not in a bag. I have to hug the toilet on this one for multiple heaves. I agree with you Fred. I don’t care about seeing who is volunteering or dropping stuff off. Just get your ass of the bench and in the game and at least act like you have done it before. Fake it til you make it.
Regards to Steph and Fred
Thank you Stephanie, you are great ! People like you keep county alive. Thank you !
Stephanie, I would dig deeper. That photo does not appear to be recent, as in the Covid-19 era. Another showboat moment for a showboating politician. Look at all the people in the background, close together. Why would the CEO be down here smiling at a time like this. These are serious times and like one of your commenters mentioned, is it a time where one should be taking their own pictures of their volunteerism? I don’t think so and furthermore it turns me off.
I was actually thinking the same thing. I’m not sure how I can find out without personally contacting the CEO to determine when this photo was actually taken. I’ll see what I can do, but the Publix execs and employees have enough stuff on their hands right now. Even more odd is the fact that McKenzie appears to have removed this post from his Facebook account. Fortunately, I took a screen shot on Thursday night while it was still posted. I’m going to follow up with a public records request to make sure this post was archived because it is illegal for a public official to remove any post having to do with city business. I will keep you posted.
Thank you, Stephanie, as always, for doing more than your share of the heavy lifting to make this information available to the public. This is a dreadful time for the country and you are greatly appreciated for all you do. Stay safe.
Thank you and same to you. Please stay safe!!
You seem like a strong political enemy of this newly elected young official. I will see EVERY one of this emailed articles and ask….What is her ANGLE? You clearly have one. Maybe you’re running in the next election?
NMB has had a LOT of corruption over the past years. Where were YOU when we needed you then???
And Mackenzie Fleurimond, BY HIMSELF, is the problem in NMB? Cmon man. Stop waging political attacks on the local level. I dont even particularly support Fleurimond, but you clearly have a vendetta.
Where were you when she took on Mayor Myron Rosner and 10 years later we are still waiting for the trial on about a dozen misdemeanor and felony counts.
Where were you when she took on Frantz Pierre and 8 years later we are still waiting a trial on abuse of power and theft.
Do we want to also talk about Hallandale Beach another city she brought politicians to task on.
Do we want to also talk about North Miami another city she brought politicians to task on.
I have known the blogger for almost 20 years and the only agenda she has is to get rid of corrupt politicians.
Harold Braynon:
I have no angle. I’ve never run for office. I’ve never wanted to run for office. I don’t even live in NMB, so that blows your silly theory out the window.
I’ve also been fighting local government corruption and blogging about it since 2010. I’ve been here ever since. Where have YOU been?
I have no vendetta against any elected official. My only goal is to expose corruption, and there’s plenty of that to go around in NMB, as well as North Miami.
Furthermore, I have targeted over a dozen dirty politicians, and only twice has my mission been personal. I exposed Myron Rosner and Michael Joseph for their corruption, and also because of their personal actions against me. Read the archived blogs about those two corruptocrats if you’re interested in finding out why.
I don’t wage “political attacks,” I wage war on corruption whenever and wherever I see it. I’ve done this for over a decade, and I’m certainly not about to stop now.
But thank you for your concern.
Fleurimond seems to be the chief food getter for his neighborhood. People on limited income and seniors already receive food assistance in the form of Food Stamp Cards, Medicaid, and supplemental food nutrition programs. It’s people like me who lost their jobs due to the virus that need the help. Many of us work pay-check to paycheck and don’t receive any food or other assistance. Instead of giving all the free stuff to the same people in his neighborhood or attend those mass food give-aways that many people seem to take advantage of whether they need it or not, Fleurimonde should be looking to give those Publix cards to the layed off workers who need the food and don’t get any assistance. Maybe practice a little diversity in the process.
It looks like the photo of the Publix CEO and Fleurimond was photo shopped. Especially the CEO’s middle finger.
Calvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings is renting in NMB. You want to talk about social distancing – he seems to think he is above the law and healthier then anyone else He is having pool parties, he can easily have 13 cars parked in his driveway, and buying crabs from someone’s trunk is probably not the healthiest idea right now. Shame on him!!
Spell check misspelled the name of Minnesota Vikings #33. It is Dalvin not Calvin