As upheld by the 4th FL Ct of Appeals on 1st Anmendment rights, Campaign For Freedom is a group of concerned citizens exposing corrupt South Florida lobbyist and convicted criminal Ron L Book, and his bimbo daughter, current FL State Senator and Victim Industry Profiteer (Professional Victim) Lauren F. Book. We desire freedom from the corruption of the Book family and their political cronies. All news here posted under fair use.
As reported in FloriDUH Politics and the Sun-Slantinel, Ronald Stagger-Lee Book pleaded to a lesser charge of reckless driving, will get no jail time and no mark on his criminal record.
While I am not shocked by this development, I am disappointed nonetheless. Ron flipped a car and nearly killed a man by his reckless actions. He was drunk as a skunk. He refused to take a breathalyzer. And yet not once was he held accountable for his actions. At least he is still being sued in civil court. I am sure he will eventually settle.
However, Ronald Stagger-Lee Book is free to drink and drive. Maybe next time, he will kill a kid when he flips another car.
Motions in Ron Book's DUI case were largely denied on July 15th, 2020 (Note: Motion In limine #2 apparently involved an attempt to exclude testimony from the officer who gave Ron Book the Field Sobriety Test.)
Deryk Luis Rivera Plaintiff
vs.
Ronald Lee Book Defendant
Broward County Case Number: CACE20005775
State Reporting Number: 062020CA005775AXXXCE
Court Type: Civil
Case Type: Auto Negligence
Incident Date: N/A
Filing Date: 04/01/2020
Court Location: Central Courthouse
Case Status: Pending
Magistrate Id / Name: N/A
Judge ID / Name: 12 Frink, Keathan B.
You can read the documents filed in this case by doing a case search at browardclerk.org
The case is in the early stages, and there has been noting posted as of yet that isn't already known based on the news reports about the DUI. No court dates on this civil suit have been scheduled at this time.
Ron Book's DUI criminal trial is currently scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 9:30am.
05/19/2020Jury TrialHearing Time: 9:30 AM
Judicial Officer(s):Levy - MP, Jill K.
Location: Room 6170
XX/Special Set. Continuance granted from 4/14 in open court
04/14/2020 Reset by Court to 05/19/2020 - Rescheduled
02/18/2020 Reset by Court to 04/14/2020 - Rescheduled
Ron Book's trial date was rescheduled for Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 at 9:30am. I have little doubt Ron Book is stalling for time to get a sweetheart deal because everyone knows he is guilty as sin.
In 2002, the NISMART-2 estimated 45 worst case "stereo kidnappings" happened that year, the kind that permeates headlines and ends in death or permanently missing.
In 2017, a total of 1,147 children 14 and younger were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of those 1,147 fatalities, 220 (19%) occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. Out of those 220 deaths, 118 (54%) were occupants of vehicles with drivers who had BACs of .08 or higher, and another 29 children (13%) were pedestrians or pedal-cyclists struck by drivers with BACs of .08 or higher. 71 (32%) were occupants of other vehicles, and 2 (1%) were drivers.
What that means is that your child is statistically more likely to die at the hands of a drunk driver than a kidnapper, much less a registered person (which is barely 5% of sex crime arrests on average).
Imagine Ronald Lee Book of 510 Coconut Palm Terrace Plantation, FL 33324, the millionaire head of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, driving around the city in an overpriced Lamborghini, drunk as a skunk, gets involved in a wreck in which the car Ron hit flipped. He failed THREE field sobriety tests. He REFUSED to take the breathalyzer.
If Ron Book is trying to claim his meds made him drive erratically, then:
1. Has Book had cancer for a decade? Other media reports found a decade worth of Book citations for reckless driving.
2. Are we honestly expectedd to believe the "most powerful lobbyist" who makes millions of dollars can't read a prescription label warning of drowsiness or not to drive while taking the meds?
3. Why would Book refuse a breathalyzer test if you are sober?
4. Why lie to the police about how he caused the accident?
Miami Lobbyist Ron Book Arrested for Alleged DUI
JERRY IANNELLI | FEBRUARY 25, 2019 | 2:22PM
Ron Book, one of the most powerful lobbyists in Florida, was arrested Sunday for DUI, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office online arrest database. Book is one of the most influential behind-the-scenes political figures in the state. In addition to being the lobbyist for powerful private firms such as the prison giant GEO Group, Book is also the official lobbyist for Miami-Dade County.
The Sun Sentinel first reported news of Book's arrest after a car rolled over on I-595 near Nob Hill Road. According to BSO's online records, Book was slapped with two charges: driving under the influence and damaging someone else's property. He also allegedly refused to take a Breathalyzer test. Book's bail was set at $1,500. He bonded out that night.
Notably, Book spends a great deal of time admonishing others — specifically the homeless — for similar conduct. He chairs Miami-Dade County's Homeless Trust, a position he holds despite having no background in social work, addiction therapy, or any other relevant social scientific study.
He routinely fights public programs designed to make life easier for the homeless. For example, Book once argued against the addition of more public bathrooms in Miami-Dade because in his view, making life "easier" for the homeless makes it harder for the county to reform them.
Book also drew criticism in 2017 for encouraging the arrest of homeless people as a way to give them "shelter" during Hurricane Irma. He also became nationally known as the lobbyist who put sex offenders under a bridge after New Times discovered that sex-offender-residency laws he championed forced a group of Miami's homeless sex offenders to live beneath the Julia Tuttle Causeway.
It's unlikely that Book's arrest will affect his numerous Florida lobbying gigs. This is not his first run-in with the law: In 1986, he was charged with insurance fraud after he allegedly overstated by $10,000 the value of a car that had allegedly been stolen. Book pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor and received no prison time.
Book then launched a volley of illegal political donations to local and state candidates. New Times columnist Jim DeFede wrote in 1995: "Having been scandalized in the Eighties, barely escaping the decade without a criminal conviction, and knowing that police and prosecutors were just waiting for him to trip up again, Ron Book chose to blatantly violate state law by funneling more than $30,000 in illegal campaign contributions to at least a dozen of his political cronies in state and county government. He did this not in a single campaign season, but year after year, over and over again."
He pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor charges, paid a $2,000 fine, and agreed to donate $40,000 to charity. Book, a lawyer, narrowly avoided being disbarred.
In the years since, he's become a lobbyist for Boca Raton's GEO Group, a private company that turns a profit from the arrest and incarceration of others.
In the last 10 years, Book has received several traffic citations in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, but has been convicted on only four: speeding by going 46 mph in a 30 mph zone; not using a turn signal; not wearing a seat belt; and going 75 mph in a 45 mph zone. His fines paid total $783.
This is Jose "Pepe" Diaz, and for years, he has been Ron Book's go-to lackey on the Dade County Commission. In fact, he is credited with writing the controversial "Lauren Book Child Safety Ordinance," the 2500 foor residency restriction law that led to the Julia Tuttle Causeway sex offender colony, otherwise known as "Bookville."
Actually, this is Pepe's MUGSHOT. You see, he was recently arrested for DUI. (HERE IS THE BODY CAM FOOTAGE if you want to see Pepe go full tilt, courtesy of the Miami Herald.) At this time there is no word if he will blame it on a brain tumor. In response Pepe said, "There goes my political career." We can only hope.
Dade Commissioner 'Pepe' Diaz caught on camera: "There goes my political career"
Posted: Sep 20, 2015 10:10 AM EDT
Updated: Sep 22, 2015 11:14 AM EDT
MIAMI (WSVN) -- Dashcam video has been released showing the moment before Miami-Dade Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz was arrested over the weekend after allegedly driving his motorcycle drunk in Key West.
Diaz, known to ride a motorcycle, was arrested Saturday night following the Key West Poker Run, a charity motorcycle event.
According to Key West Police, the commissioner was pulled over at around 7:45 p.m., on South Roosevelt Boulevard near Sea Side Drive, for going 74 mph in a 30 mph zone. Authorities said, during the traffic stop, Diaz failed to put his kickstand down, causing his Harley-Davidson motorcycle to fall to the ground. According to the police report, Diaz did not place his feet down on the ground to steady the motorcycle, causing him to fall over to his side. They also noticed that he had a slight slur, his eyes were bloodshot and watery. There was also a strong alcoholic odor from his breath. Police said that was when the DUI investigation began, and he was taken into custody.
Dashcam video showed Diaz as he attempted to walk a straight line, at times stumbling during the test.
Key West Police bodycams and dashcams on the police car rolled throughout the traffic stop. According to the bodycams one Key West officer was wearing, when asked why Diaz was driving over the speed limit, Diaz apologized. "I'm Commissioner Diaz. I apologize," he said.
"You're who?" asked the officer
"Commissioner Diaz for Miami-Dade County," he responded, as he approached the officer.
"Stop right there."
That's when Diaz explained to police that he was trying to catch up to his friends. A few minutes later, he realized the severity of the stop and said, "There goes my political career."
"Sir," the officer said, "I don't make the decisions on whether you drink, you drive."
Diaz was asked to perform several sobriety tests and failed. He also refused a breathalyzer test.
Commissioner Diaz appeared before a judge Sunday, and his bond was set at $1,000. 7News was the only station there as Diaz bonded out of the Monroe County Jail, just before noon Sunday, but he refused to comment.
Under legal council, he said he could not discuss any details following his arrest. He later released a statement Monday that reads, "Under advice of my legal counsel, I cannot discuss details at this time. However, I look forward to resolving this matter. In the meantime, I will continue to serve my community and the residents of District 12 as I have done for the last 24 years, and I humbly ask for your patience during this time."
Commissioner Diaz addressed the media from his home Monday evening. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry, once again. I am extremely sorry," he said. "This is a very difficult moment for me, for my family, for my friends, for my neighbors. Especially my neighbors that please, after this, let them come back to a normality of life. It's not been easy for them. I will tell you that I will follow the judicial system, as I believe in it, like I've always believed in it. I will go through this process like anybody else that's been in this situation."
7News requested information from the Governor's Office on what steps it might take following the charges. We were told that the legal team there are looking into this case.
Diaz has served on the commission since 2002 and was previously mayor of Sweetwater. The next commission meeting is Oct. 6.
