Joe Carollo, to quote Jimmy Buffet’s song Fruitcakes, was just caught “struttin’ naked through the crosswalk in the middle of the week.”
Carollo has five code violations on his Coconut Grove home for construction work done without permits.
That is according to employees from the city’s code compliance, building and public works departments. The Miami Herald reported the violations after an inspection of his home on May 20.
Now we know that Carollo is a “fraud,” as businessman Bill Fuller declared during his news conference the prior week, and a lawbreaker. The City of Miami unmasked the corrupt crusader for what he is — a bully who attacks others for doing exactly what he is doing.
Ball & Chain owner Fuller, the Little Havana businessman who has been the prime target of Carollo’s selective code enforcement charade, originally pointed out the violations.
Since he came back into power after a long exile in the City of Doral, Joe has been using the city’s building inspectors as a blunt instrument, hammering away at his perceived enemies.
He staked out the valet parking concession for Ball & Chain, a popular tavern in the City of Miami, at night and sent building inspectors to go after any property owned by Fuller.
As we reported earlier, Fuller and his associates put together a package of violations at the house that Carollo owns in Coconut Grove. (Joe supposedly lives in an apartment in District 3, but only a few folks believe its more than a mail drop so he could run for office.)
They gathered the permit history on Joe’s house and pictures from public records and a drone. A sole inspector was sent out on May 17 and she reported finding nothing, much to Crazy Joe’s relief.
Nothing to see here. Move along. Move along.
Evidently, Miami city manager Emilio Gonzalez wasn’t satisfied with that initial report and a squadron of inspectors was dispatched to Coconut Grove. They found five violations: protected trees cut without permission, and no permits for work on concrete pavers, a rooftop deck, a carport, and installation of a wood lattice.
All of these required that Joe apply for — and pay for — building permits.
Somehow and someway, Miami’s Code Enforcement Guardian Angel forgot to get the required permits and follow the law.
Joe blames it on his lawyer. The unnamed barrister supposedly told Joe that he didn’t have to follow the City of Miami building code. It was all magically covered by county and state code, Carollo insisted.
Oh, and Joe is miffed that a second crew of inspectors came to his property. Life isn’t fair, Joe.
Carollo has been caught doing what he blamed others of doing. A psychologist will tell you that is a form of narcissism, a mental condition where the patient believes that the universe revolves around him and he can never suffer any blame.
The city is going to send a notice of violation to Joe. He already is talking about tearing everything out. Someone, maybe that imaginary lawyer, needs to explain to Joe that he’ll still need permits to remove the violations.
Joe Carollo’s spent too much time strutting “naked” around the City of Miami. His cheeks are getting red. He needs to apply sunscreen to all four of them.
