Boy, Steven Bateman doesn't know when to quit. Today, the Miami Herald published an article about another suspicious deal involving the Homestead mayor that appears riddled with conflicts-of-interest. It's becoming a pattern that has spawned separate investigations by the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office and the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission into Bateman's cozy relationships with people and entities that rely on Homestead city government for approvals.
The latest Bateman debacle involves nonprofit agency Community Health of South Florida Inc., which is paying the mayor $125 an hour -- more than $4,5000 for one week's work -- to be its construction consultant. Bateman allegedly failed to publicly disclose his lucrative gig to the City Council and Miami-Dade County officials while he's been lobbying on behalf of Community Health. As a council member, Bateman must also publicly excuse himself from voting on any matters involving Community Health.
Bateman has a history of acting squirrelly since first elected mayor in 2009. Here's a timeline of his shadiest moments in office:
