Wild civil and criminal litigation filed in South Florida’s state and federal courts has exposed an allegedly pernicious web of political corruption stretching from Southwest Ranches Town Hall to the Davie Police Department and on to State Attorney Harold Pryor himself.
A federal civil lawsuit filed March 19 targets Southwest Ranches, but also names as defendants former Town Administrators Andy Berns and Russell Muniz, Code Compliance Director Julio Medina and, most notably, Town Attorney Keith Poliakoff. The town contracts for municipal legal services with Poliakoff’s firm, Government Law Group, PLLC.
Poliakoff is accused of orchestrating the town’s “campaign of harassment” against the owner and operator of Cielo Farms Nursery including “unconstitutional, retaliatory and unlawful actions,” the suit says. Cielo Farms, an agrotourism business at 4680 SW 148th Ave. (Volunteer Road), Southwest Ranches, is owned by Atlas Investments LLC, whose principal and managing member is Miguel “Mike” Rodriguez Albisu.
“Poliakoff played the central role in directing and executing the unlawful actions against Cielo Farms, including legal misrepresentations, regulatory manipulation, and obstruction of Plaintiff’s business operations,” says the complaint written by Miami attorney Cody German, a partner in the Miami office of Cole Scott & Kissane. Their 65-page complaint goes on to label Poliakoff as a Democratic political operative and “kingmaker of the Town.”
Two years after a wedding in Southwest Ranches came to an abrupt end after a venue owner was caught on video brandishing a gun at guests, attorneys on both sides had a hearing Thursday on pending motions.
Miguel Rodríguez Albisu, the owner of Cielo Farms, was arrested for wielding a revolver back in March of 2023.
Albisu was in court on Thursday for a hearing to discuss pending motions on the case, which included the state’s motion to squash subpoenas and remove witnesses — including the state attorney — from the defense witness list.
His defense attorneys reiterated claims that cameras didn’t capture what happened before the gun came out.
"On the night that he was surrounded and attacked by drunk party goers at a wedding, he was forced into a situation where he had to defend his family, his child, his wife and himself," said defense attorney Kenneth Padowitz. "Eventually, he was grabbed and had to pull out a gun.”
“The defendant’s case rests, in part, on a theory that this prosecution was instigated or continued despite the lack of probable cause [to arrest] under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law,” the Padowitzes argue. “The defense contends that this is not a routine charging/prosecution decision, but rather a politically motivated endeavor aimed at harming Mr. Albisu, a known Republican ally and outspoken critic of certain local actors – at least one of whom, Keith Poliakoff (a listed Defense witness), happens to be [a] powerful/influential member of the Democratic Political Party (as is State Attorney Harold Pryor).”
Wild civil and criminal litigation filed in South Florida’s state and federal courts has exposed an allegedly pernicious web of political corruption stretching from Southwest Ranches Town Hall to the Davie Police Department and on to State Attorney Harold Pryor himself.
The suit is seeking millions of dollars in damages.
Poliakoff is accused of orchestrating the town’s “campaign of harassment” against the owner and operator of Cielo Farms Nursery including “unconstitutional, retaliatory and unlawful actions,” the suit says. Cielo Farms, an agrotourism business at 4680 SW 148th Ave. (Volunteer Road), Southwest Ranches, is owned by Atlas Investments LLC, whose principal and managing member is Miguel “Mike” Rodriguez Albisu.
