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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!


Saturday, December 3, 2011

Partial Analysis of Debbie Wasserman Schultz's WIOD Interview

After listening to the Jimmy Cefalo interview of Debbie Wasserman Schultz it's apparent that Debbie has it wrong on many accounts, is perpetuating lying talking points, and sounds like Attorney Keith Poliakoff and Mayor Jeff Nelson.



Before the analysis begins, let's reflect on why the DNC Chairwoman and FL-20 representative is behaving this way supporting her immigrant prison.  She's taken a lot of money from all the parties involved.  They are all cashing in on our misery.  But, Southwest Ranches Town Attorney Keith Poliakoff laid it out best in one of his emails.  He said:
As you probably have seen we have remained incredibly quiet and have been working diligently with our legislative leaders on this matter without pushing the press angle.

As such, I have been fully advised by our DC contacts that we should remain fully quiet on this one and to let our DC Leaders help without sparking a fire that will make it more difficult for them to assist.
So, the motive and the conspiracy are all here on display for us all to see.  Now,  a number of the Congresswoman's quotes are analyzed here for accuracy:
DWS: You know, what I did was wrote a letter... a sort of cursory letter of support because...
She did not write it. It was on Senator Bill Nelson's (D-FL) letterhead and Debbie cosigned it. It did not even come from her office!  The letter was actually written by Southwest Ranches Attorney Keith Poliakoff and SENT to Nelson and Wasserman Schultz for endorsement.  Check the NT blog for the original email containing the letter sent off to them and proving that she's lying.  It's at the bottom of the article.
DWS: Southwest Ranches for many years has been planning on the property already zoned for things like a dump and a MAXIMUM security prison.
The zoning has been for a minimum or medium security prison.  Maximum security is specifically NOT allowed.  Yet ICE requires this as described in their Statement of Objectives. This inconsistency has never been adequately addressed by Debbie (who continues to lie on the issue), ICE, CCA or SWR.
DWS: There have been many many hearings lots of input.
This is patently false which is why Debbie wrote a letter admonishing Mayor Jeff Nelson for a paucity of public information on the prison.  Keith Poliakoff is well noted for gagging his Town's elected officials with a cone of silence and threats that their constituents may even have to register as LOBBYISTS to speak with their Councilmen about the prison.

She then goes on to describe the ICE meeting she set up (even though Pembroke Pines Commissioner Angelo Castillo already began securing this meeting days before).  What she did not tell you is that in clear violation of open meeting laws, residents were barred from entry unless they filled out a card containing their name, address AND position on the prison.  There were people who were threatened with arrest for trying to enter without filling out that card.   She AND General Butterworth should be ashamed for having their names on such a farce.

Further, after review of the public records, the people spoke loudly and clearly.  Of the 333 cards submitted, only 7 cards in total indicated support for the prison.  4 were from SWR.  One was from a Weston resident with the surname Poole.  4 people in SWR came out to support the prison and 1 from Pembroke Pines (who is a Miami Dade Firefighter).  Unreal.  And they are going ahead with the prison.

When an appropriate meeting was held with the public, near 100% unanimous opposition to the building of the prison was expressed.  Does Debbie sound like she got the message or does it sound like she's just aping SWR Attorney Keith Poliakoff's talking points?
DWS: And now I have urged and now it has been done for the Town to create a citizen's advisory council which will be both in Pembroke Pines affected and Southwest Ranches residents too as the facility moves forward give them input and feedback on what they think needs to be addressed.
This is outrageous sham.  What part of WE DON'T WANT A PRISON does this tin-eared politician not understand?  Further, it's NOT made up of we citizens, it's made up of the ELITE.  Not the proverbial 1%, but the 0.01% who are HOA presidents!  None of the opposition to the prison has been included in ANY of these meetings.  This is addressed in the article Announced Advisory Council... Who does it represent?
DWS: ..that many years ago when the town was first incorporated, that property was brought into the Town of Southwest Ranches and it was already zoned for things like a maximum s... there's a prison right next door to the facility...
Debbie, did YOU have anything to do as an elected legislator from the State of Florida for that special dispensation which allowed the town to bring in a non contiguous parcel?  We believe you did.  Your office believes you did as well.  You were an original part of the problem and you still are part of the problem.  Directly.

Again, no zoning of that land has EVER allowed for a maximum security prison to be built.  And the prison next door is a preexisting 700 bed Broward County facility built nearly 40 years ago.  It is not owned nor controlled by the Town.

Would your benefactors at CCA perhaps have their eyes set on taking over that facility too once they get a foothold in West Broward?  We know how you politicians on both sides of the isle are pushing to privatize prisons owned by the people, all over the country.

This is only one minute of her talking. We really can't take any more of her lies, so we will stop here.  She talks down to us and we are her constituents.  She refuses to meet with us personally.  When has a representative refused to meet with her constituents that have issues that are caused directly by that representative? This is unconscionable.  She doesn't care about the children, the women and the men who will be directly affected by this perverse facility going up DIRECTLY in our back yards that SHE supports 100%.

Addendum:

Debbie's defenders and sychophants in the media are doing full damage control for her now.  Check out Channel 10's Roger Lohose's softball report on Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the ICE prison: http://www.local10.com/news/Detention-center-critics-focus-opposition-on-U-S-Rep/-/1717324/4880330/-/view/print/-/oru1kp/-/index.html

Congresswoman, months ago you were given the opportunity to remove your endorsement of the prison.  You have steadfastly refused. You wanted your name on the project? And now you don't? Are we to believe that your's and Senator Nelson's endorsements had no effect on ICE's decision?   Were you born yesterday as you believe we were?

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