CBS breaks Lexus story

Isn't the general manager of Lexus a police auxiliary?

I see him being escorted through the building as a VIP all the time by Major Martinez....

This needs to be investigated throughly. Something smells very fishy :idea:

Read and Learn!

http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/index. ... 6#0838.016

CBS 4 NEWS:
http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_232161732.html
(Go to this link for pics and more news on this)

Aug 20, 2007 7:01 pm US/Eastern

Exclusive: Miami's Top Cop Drives A Freebie SUV
No Charge To Miami Police Chief John Timoney For SUV Worth Over 50K
Timoney Spokesman Denies Ethics Violation
Read: Ethics Policy | Miami Police Dept. Policy

Gary Nelson
Reporting
Poll
What is your opinion of Chief Timoney's free use of a luxury car?


(CBS4) MIAMI Want to sound off? Click to share your opinion

Miami Police Chief John Timoney drives a very expensive car, but a CBS4 News investigation has revealed that his use of that luxury SUV valued at more than $50 thousand may be in violation of Florida law and his own department's policy.

CBS4?s Gary Nelson found that Miami?s top cop dives a luxury car provided to him free of charge by a Miami-Dade Lexus dealership, an arrangement Chief Timoney's spokesman first denied, telling CBS4 that the chief had paid for the car, but later acknowledged, admitting that he was getting a free ride.

CBS4 cameras recently spotted the chief driving his 4-wheel ride, a luxury Lexus SUV, which according to Florida motor vehicle records bears a dealer tag registered to the Lexus dealership.

Under motor vehicle laws, dealer tags may only be used on vehicles owned by the dealer, in inventory and for sale. State law says dealers may not accept payment for the use of a car bearing tags.

When CBS4 submitted a written inquiry about the Chief's Lexus, specifying the tag number as positive identification of the SUV, Miami Police Department spokesman Lt. William Schwartz denied the chief was getting the car for free.

?The Chief says he leases the Lexus. He pays for the car there isn't a story here,? Schwartz said.

But when CBS4 pointed out that under state law, the tag on the Chief's car could not be legally used on a leased car for which payment was being made, the story changed.

In a follow-up telephone interview, Schwartz said the chief has a car that he leases from Lexus. But the car you're talking about, the SUV, is a hybrid that the dealer is allowing him to use. He?s test-driving it. He?s thinking about buying one.

CBS4 has learned that the arrangement may be a test drive for the record books.

Sources within the Miami police department told CBS4 that Chief Timoney has been using this car for months and people at the dealership say it's been the Chief's to drive for even longer.

Three employees at Lexus of Kendall a sales associate, a sales consultant and a service technician confirmed Chief Timoney drives a dealership demo car and that he's been driving it for about a year.

At Lexus of Kendall, an SUV similar to the one Chief Timoney is driving has a sticker price of $53,186, which with a typical lease would cost about $750 a month.

Under Florida and Miami-Dade county ethics laws, Timoney is required to submit quarterly reports disclosing gifts, including goods or services, valued at more than a hundred dollars.

State and county records reveal Timoney has not reported his free use of the Lexus.

In a written response to a CBS4 News inquiry, the State Ethics Commission said, ?Our office has no record of any filings of (gift reports) by John F. Timoney.?

If Timoney has violated state ethics laws, he appears to have also violated his own department's policy against freebies.

The policy says: members and civilian employees shall not accept a gratuity, fee, loan or gift of property or services, from any person.

The Chief gets an $8,000 a year car allowance from the city. Through a spokesman, Timoney refused to detail how he's spending that money.

Chief Timoney, through a spokesman, had declined to agree to an interview, and said he would not answer questions about his free use of the luxury SUV, but Monday afternoon, his executive assistant sent an e-mail to CBS4 management.

Although Chief Timoney does not feel that a violation exists (as alleged by WFOR), he has requested his legal counsel to obtain an opinion from the Commission on Ethics as to whether the use of a demo ?Hybrid? vehicle, to be used in conjunction with his leased vehicle, from a dealership located outside the City of Miami, and having no business with the City, is considered a gift, and whether Commission on Ethics form 9 should have been completed, said the e-mail from Angel Calzadilla, executive assistant to Chief Timoney.

Executives at Lexus of Kendall declined to comment on the vehicle arrangement between the dealership and Chief Timoney
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Let's be fair, Angelito said, I didn't hear him say it. He didn't lie, HE WASN'T THERE. And that's his job, to suck a??. And by this email, he is doing a wonderful job. When Johnny goes, Angelito goes to patrol, and he will leave ASAP. How long did he hide in PIO? And you have to love the PIO commander. Put him in patrol and he is history too.

Statement: Timoney On CBS4 Investigation
Angel Calzadilla, Executive Assistant to Miami police chief John Timoney, sent the following e-mail to CBS4 management Monday afternoon in response to the CBS4 News report on the chief's free use of a luxury SUV. This is the unedited text of that e-mail, in it's entirety.


Chief John Timoney has been a customer of Lexus of Kendall for four and a half years. He has leased a vehicle from Lexus for the past five and a half years.

Although Chief Timoney does not feel that a violation exists (as alleged by WFOR), he has requested his legal counsel to obtain an opinion from the Commission on Ethics as to whether the use of a demo ?Hybrid? vehicle, to be used in conjunction with his leased vehicle, from a dealership located outside the City of Miami, and having no business with the City, is considered a gift, and whether Commission on Ethics form 9 should have been completed.

In the event that the Commission determines that the use of the demo vehicle constitutes a gift, then the appropriate form will be completed and submitted.

Additionally, with regards to the allegation (again by WFOR) that a department policy has been violated, no such violation exists as the Chief clearly did not accept the demo hybrid vehicle for services rendered as an employee of the Miami Police Department.
?11.6.17.21 Accepting any fees, rewards, or gifts of any kind from any person for services rendered or pretended to be rendered as a member or civilian employee of the Police Department, without the consent of the Chief of Police.?

Bear in mind, that at most, this would be a failure to file a form, and in no way constitutes any legal wrongdoing.

--Angel Calzadilla
Executive Assistant
Miami Police Chief John Timoney

This is the same guy who said Timoney did not say FiicK the Cubans while drunk! Angel have you no dignity?

Dont ablame Angel for anything, he is told to write with what i am sure of the approval of Timoney himself.

Statement: Timoney On CBS4 Investigation
Angel Calzadilla, Executive Assistant to Miami police chief John Timoney, sent the following e-mail to CBS4 management Monday afternoon in response to the CBS4 News report on the chief's free use of a luxury SUV. This is the unedited text of that e-mail, in it's entirety.


Chief John Timoney has been a customer of Lexus of Kendall for four and a half years. He has leased a vehicle from Lexus for the past five and a half years.

Although Chief Timoney does not feel that a violation exists (as alleged by WFOR), he has requested his legal counsel to obtain an opinion from the Commission on Ethics as to whether the use of a demo ?Hybrid? vehicle, to be used in conjunction with his leased vehicle, from a dealership located outside the City of Miami, and having no business with the City, is considered a gift, and whether Commission on Ethics form 9 should have been completed.

In the event that the Commission determines that the use of the demo vehicle constitutes a gift, then the appropriate form will be completed and submitted.

Additionally, with regards to the allegation (again by WFOR) that a department policy has been violated, no such violation exists as the Chief clearly did not accept the demo hybrid vehicle for services rendered as an employee of the Miami Police Department.
?11.6.17.21 Accepting any fees, rewards, or gifts of any kind from any person for services rendered or pretended to be rendered as a member or civilian employee of the Police Department, without the consent of the Chief of Police.?

Bear in mind, that at most, this would be a failure to file a form, and in no way constitutes any legal wrongdoing.

--Angel Calzadilla
Executive Assistant
Miami Police Chief John Timoney

This is the same guy who said Timoney did not say FiicK the Cubans while drunk! Angel have you no dignity?

Dont ablame Angel for anything, he is told to write with what i am sure of the approval of Timoney himself.

Angel can hold his head up high, while in that position he has not hurt anyone. Utset can learn allot form Angel

Isn't the general manager of Lexus a police auxiliary?

I see him being escorted through the building as a VIP all the time by Major Martinez....

IF this true, he is getting freebie from a city employee, he gets a buck a year. And that is a no no.

Isn't the general manager of Lexus a police auxiliary?

I see him being escorted through the building as a VIP all the time by Major Martinez....

This needs to be investigated thoroughly. Something smells very fishy :idea:

And only the Florida Department of Law Enforcement should!

:cop: :devil: T$ :devil: &amp :devil: BK :devil: :cop:
Looks like your evil reign of terror is coming to an end :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil: :lol: :devil:

If that were only true i might stay longer. As it is i cant wait to get the F--K out of here.