A Miami commissioner will not face a lawsuit after an investigation into free advertising he received during his campaign. The investigation found that it was routine for the advertising agency to give free ads to customers.
Miami commissioner will not face a lawsuit from the prosecutor for campaign misdoings.
The investigation began when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement noted that Wilfredo “Willy” Gort received 26 bus bench ads during his campaign, but that his campaign reported that he had paid for only ten at a cost of $13,000. The extra signs could have been a violation of state law related to campaign expenses, which may have meant a lawsuit filed by the prosecutor’s office.
Free Ads Routine
According to the company, Fuel Outdoors, it was routine for them to give free ads to customers. The company said that they often placed extra ads to fill up unused space and make the advertising agency look better. The company said they do not always tell the customer about the extra ads, as they do not want them to become accustomed to them and demand free ads in future contracts. Therefore, there was no need for the prosecutor’s office to file a lawsuit against the Gort campaign.
No Wrongdoing
The State’s Attorney’s Office said that there was no evidence of wrongdoing by the Gort campaign and that it did not appear that they received preferential treatment. Gort’s office fully cooperated with the investigation, claiming that they were unaware of the free advertisements. However, the investigation did find wrongdoing against Goodwill President Dennis Pastrana. Pastrana pled guilty to contributing in the name of someone else after the prosecutor filed a lawsuit against him.
When the actions of another person are unethical, a lawsuit may be in order. Contact Dallas-Fort Worth lawyers at Frenkel & Frenkel to schedule a free initial consultation regarding unethical actions by a public figure. For more information on Frenkel and Frenkel, please visit our website at www.FrenkelFirm.com.
