Segurola Acknowledges Giving Information to Ethics Panel

A regular meeting of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and the Public Trust, July 17, 2019 (Key News/Tony Winton

Village Council Member Ignacio Segurola acknowledged Friday he provided information to a Miami-Dade Ethics Commission panel about his colleague, Ed London.

Segurola shared the information during a meeting he called to tell London, “I have nothing against you.”  

The Ethics Commission inquiry involves ties between nonprofit groups such as the Key Biscayne Community Foundation and Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce and Council Members London, Brett Moss, and former Mayor Frank Caplan, who is also the publisher of Key News. 

Village Attorney Stephen Helfman said earlier the Ethics Commission had notified him that Segurola provided information about potential conflict-of-interest matters. 

Friday’s meeting was called by Segurola and was public under open meetings laws. About 15 people showed up, far more than the tiny conference room could hold. Segurola also had asked Moss to attend, but Moss declined. VIDEO

Segurola began by repeating a statement that he did not “file a complaint,” but told London he did answer questions when the Ethics Commission called him. 

“What they asked me about you was if you had donated money to the Foundation. I said yes, that’s public knowledge,” Segurola told London.

London shot back: “That’s not public knowledge. I don’t donate money to the Foundation.”

London said the Community Foundation administers, as a service, separate donor funds that he contributes to.  

Segurola again declined to answer in more detail exactly what he has said to the Ethics Commission, so it’s not clear what statements he may have made to investigators or when he might have made them.

But the Ethics Commission did write to Segurola to clarify what the word “complaint” means.

“We refer to ‘complaints’ as those formal, sworn complaints that are submitted to us on the appropriate form,” said Michael Murawski, the Commission’s advocate. “It would not be uncommon for someone, including Mr. Helfman, to use the colloquial term ‘complaint’ when in fact what we were referring to was someone calling us with information.” 

Murawski confirmed last week that he responded to Segurola but didn’t provide any further information about the matters being investigated in the Village. 

As the meeting between London and Segurola ended, the two shook hands. 

“I am fine,” London said.

“I’ve got to work with him, hopefully we’ll get some stuff done.”