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The Town of Southwest Ranches, Corrections Corporation of American (CCA), and DHS / ICE want to build one of the largest immigration detention centers in the nation within walking distance of thousands of homes; thus, reducing the quality of our life and our community. We do not agree with the federal government privatizing our immigration detention centers throughout the nation when there is clear evidence that privatizing our prisons creates a clear public safety threat. For ICE to continue to privatize these institutions and bring this safety threat through their "secure communities Initiative" to our community is unacceptable. Depriving someone of their liberty is a non-delegable governmental function and privatizing of such a function is infecting our nation like a virus.

The Town of Southwest Ranches has now entered into it's THIRD Fire Contract within the last year now with the Town of Davie, costing taxpayers $120,000 in ramp up fees. They are now closing several roads in western Southwest Ranches charging the tax payers $80,000 for the gates. They have paid an unknown amount of money for lobbying with ICE regarding this prison. They have several lawsuits against the Town, 1- Involving Open Meeting Violations on a November 5th meeting concerning the ICE Detention Center, 2- Open Records Violations, and 3- The Town is putting together a lawsuit to sue Pembroke Pines for breach of contract because the City utilized their exit clause and cancelled for convenience their Fire/EMS contract which included water and sewer at the last minute for the CCA prison. In the contract it states that there should be no third party beneficiaries. CCA would be a third party in this instance.

CCA has also filed suit in Federal court against the City of Pembroke Pines saying they are denying them water however the City had never seen a water application. The City did file for a Declaratory Judgement in State Court but that has been put on hold until the Federal Court hears the suit from CCA.

Is ANYONE CONFUSED as to why the Pembroke Pines/Southwest Ranches Fire Agreement was cancelled? The Town Attorney Keith Poliakoff attempted to "slip" into the agreement a portion that guaranteed water for the prison at CCA's request. This is something that should have been brought up separately. CCA should have brought it forward on their own in a water application. This is sleight of hand that CCA and the Town attempted to do because they were so afraid of CCA being on the Pembroke Pines agenda.

As of June 2012, ICE put out a statement that the site selection was no longer needed due to the fact that the extra bedspace was no longer needed. READ UPDATE HERE!


Thursday, November 24, 2011

What Kind of Man is CCA's Sam Poole?

In a prior article, we linked to Berger Singerman's bio page on Sam Poole where he's presented as a concerned environmentalist.  What he seems to be is a former Broward County bureaucrat who's now found a way to use his former public influence to represent some of the most despicable companies who profit off the hurt, destruction and exploitation of those around them.  He's represented Corrections Corporation of America, LLC for years in their attempt to get a stronghold in Southwest Ranches AND take over the town government.

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2004-08-26/news/bitter-sugar/5/



Sam Poole has an even more twisted clientele than most.  He seems to make his money off companies that PROFIT off the exploitation of poor immigrants.  CCA is the largest private prison corporation in America and is estimated to provide nearly 20% of the beds for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) countrywide.  CCA and the Town of Southwest Ranches want to put the BIGGEST immigrant prison in the country right here in bucolic Southwest Ranches.  This prison will be run with FEDERAL tax money and will enrich the corporation, their highly compensated white collar staff AND help feed the greedy, rich leaders in Southwest Ranches who think they are so poor they need revenue from a prison.

All this money will be made off a completely dysfunctional immigration system that is beyond harsh to those misfortune individuals caught up in it.  Back to Poole.

This is a long article about the Fanjuls who own all the sugar land from here up to Clewiston as well as the coop sugar refinery in South Bay.  If you read the article, you will find laid out some of the injustices their immigrant workers have faced.

If you move to page 5 of the article, you will find a name that we now know well.  It's that of Sam Poole.

To persuade Durando, the Fanjuls sent an impressive three-man team -- the trio's prestige further proof of the Fanjuls' ability to enlist high-powered talent in their cause. On her right sat Samuel E. Poole III, a former executive director of the South Florida Water Management District, who recently joined the Fanjuls.
...

The Fanjul team feared defeat. "Well, why wait?" Poole asked. "This is the public-private partnership we need to use as the right model and duplicate it elsewhere."

...

That's what essentially ended the meeting. The Fanjul folks changed the subject. A promise, especially on paper, was apparently too much to ask. Cantens suggested maybe Durando could set up another meeting, next time bringing other environmentalists. "We'll have it at your place," Poole added.

...

Outside the commission chambers, environmentalist turned Fanjul lawyer Sam Poole stood by himself. He leaned against a wall watching the meeting on a television set. He promised that the Fanjuls would be back. He promised they would win over more environmentalists. "We intend to seek a dialogue on what should happen on this site.
So, folks fighting this prison, Sam Poole is THE GUY who is used to ameliorate opposition to controversial people and projects MAINLY exploiting immigrants and the environment.

Anybody privy to the behind the scenes manipulations by Debbie Wasserman Schultz in trying to co-opt opposition to the prison can now see that this is all by the playbook and that Poole is expert at this.  Who will suffer this time?  Just like with the sugar barons, immigrants, residents and the environment suffer.
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1 comment:

  1. JAQUEBAUERNovember 25, 2011 at 8:09 AM

    I believe D.Wasserman Schultz has a deeper involvement in this prison, going back to when she was a Florida legislator. It is illogical the land parcel on which the proposed prison be constructed would be granted to SW Ranches when the roads, utilities, and properties adjacent to it are within the city of Pembroke Pines.

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