Mishandling of the Pino deadly boat crash case is an insult to our family
Troubling revelations
The Puig family is once again forced to confront the deeply troubling reality that continues to emerge from the handling of the George Pino deadly boat crash case — a reality marked by incompetence, negligence and/or what appears to be deliberate concealment of the truth by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and other officials involved.
We are grateful to the Miami Herald for their unwavering commitment in continuing to bring the truth to light.
From the very beginning, the investigation into this tragedy has defied logic, transparency and basic standards of professionalism. The disappearance or destruction of four FWC officers' body camera videos, contradictory statements from key personnel, the sudden surfacing of credible eyewitnesses who were never contacted and troubling communications between officials from the onset paint a disturbing picture. Add to that the recent revelation of a vehicle homicide detective's own observations at the scene, and it becomes painfully clear that something is deeply wrong. These are not mere oversights. At best, they reveal gross incompetence. At worst, they suggest an intentional effort to obstruct justice and shield individuals from accountability.
The statement made just days after the crash — that no officer saw signs of alcohol use — continues to ring hollow in light of the officers' own depositions and evidence that was either ignored, lost or hidden. It is an insult to the memory of Lucy Fernandez, who died as a result of the crash, and a complete disregard for the injuries suffered by the victims on the vessel, especially Katy Puig.
Katy's parents are still processing these painful recent revelations. While we are relieved and grateful that Pino was finally charged with vessel homicide, the path to that charge has been littered with incompetence, misconduct and missteps.
We are grateful to Rep. Vicki Lopez for having the courage to call for an investigation. We call on our leaders in Tallahassee to fully investigate this disgraceful series of events and ensure that no family ever has to endure this kind of betrayal in the wake of such a devastating loss.
Jose R. Puig
Katy Puig's uncle
Under scrutiny
Re: the Miami Herald's June 11 editorial, 'After pardon, former Proud Boy tries to cash in.' Under no circumstances can the Trump administration defend any lawsuit by people who were arrested, charged, convicted or in anyway allegedly injured during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot, insurrection or attempted government takeover. There could never be a greater conflict of interest.
Not only has President Trump described all those who were jailed as hostages and political prisoners, he incited their actions. In addition, unlike his unbelievably quick call to the National Guard and the U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, he did absolutely nothing, for hours, while the Jan. 6 D.C. rioters shoved, beat and squeezed Capitol police, screamed to hang then-Vice President Pence and smashed windows and doors of the Capitol Building.
The actions taken by government personnel on Jan. 6, 2021 must be properly defended by — at a minimum — objective, unbiased defense attorneys, not beholden in any way to the man who caused this horrific attack on our democracy. American taxpayers deserve that much.
No one in the Trump administration meets that criteria. No one in the administration can or will properly defend American taxpayers. There is an absolute conflict of interest.
Leon Botkin,
Miami
Clear-cut answer
Every complex problem has a simple answer and it is always wrong. Perhaps I am oversimplifying the immigration issue, but I separate my immediate world into two sets of people: those who are law abiding and those who are not.
For the law abiding, who also are gainfully employed, contributing to our economy and are free of misdemeanors or felonies, but who entered the USA under a program enacted by a prior administration, there should be full and unequivocal amnesty and a path to citizenship for them
However, those who entered the country illegally, did not bother to apply for proper visa status and who disregard our nation's laws, should not be here. Furthermore, those who are here illegally and were also convicted felons here or in their native country, should be swiftly deported.
Willy A. Bermello,
Coral Gables
Pursue misconduct
The recent Miami Herald report about the rejection of ethical complaints to the Florida Bar against U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi by 1,380 lawyers and professors, should not be a one-time-only story. Her poor record was well-documented by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, among others, even before she was confirmed.
The American Bar Association has already complained about Bondi's warning that the U.S. Department of Justice will no longer heed the ABA's vetting of judicial nominees.
A letter from a longtime Florida Bar counsel flunky asserts that the Bar cannot pursue ethical complaints against a federal employee, thereby protecting Bondi. The letter had no citations. I made a public records request to the Florida Bar seeking information about that letter. Complaining lawyers certainly should appeal the Bar's decision internally; that is the right of anyone who signed an ethics complaint against Bondi.
Note that it took years to get Rudy Giuliani disbarred in New York and then in the District of Columbia. It may take as long or longer to bring Bondi to justice, but the necessary pursuit by ethical lawyers and the press must not stop.
Gabe Kaimowitz,
Gainesville
Gutless GOP
Elected Republicans representing Florida's extensive Latino population have quite a bit of power to help their constituents but, cowardly, opt not to.
They can threaten control of the U.S. House simply by becoming Independents and caucusing with Democrats. Loss of the House would jeopardize all of President Trump's agenda.
I expect no such courage from them at a time it is sorely needed.
Charlie Franchino,
Miami Beach
Sham library
As an educator, I have been proudly associated with local educational institutions for years. However, I was appalled when I read in the Herald recently that President Trump's representatives continue seeking a presidential library site among several south Florida colleges and universities.
Why would Miami-Dade College, a champion for international students for decades, want to be associated with a man who attacks educational institutions, thinks immigrants are criminals and will drive off the best and brightest of our students and faculty?
How can the Board of Trustees at our state universities ignore the objections of students, faculty and administrators of political 'selections' of college presidents with little or no relevant professional experience?
These individuals are appointed because they support a president and a governor who ban books, disrespect science, abhor liberal education (if they even know what it is) and pretend diversity doesn't exist.
Whose agenda will they set?
A library reveres knowledge and multiple points of view. No authentic educational institution should want to celebrate Trump. Let him park his plane elsewhere.
Susan Kah,
Hollywood
Dictatorial drama
What U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said at her press conference in Los Angeles on June 12 should enrage every citizen as much as it did U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California.
Noem's performance for President Trump — all appearances are performances, as they must include his name multiple times — stated that 'they' weren't going anywhere until 'they' liberated the city from the current mayor and governor. What!
Trump will replace, by force, any duly elected officials if 'they' don't like the way they run their cities and states? The will of the people to freely elect their representatives must be stopped?
Why isn't this called the dictatorship that it is?
John Jarnagin,
Key Largo
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