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West Palm Beach has been a hotbed for controversy in the past and appears to be again. At the center of it, once again, is Democrat Congresswoman Lois Frankel, this time over the role she had in the firing of the Deputy Chief of Police, Rick Morris.
During the 2023 holiday season, Deputy Morris posed for a photo with Deborah Adeimy, Republican primary candidate and potential challenger to Frankel, at a police fundraising event. He posted that photo on Facebook, along with a number of photos with other people, captioning it “An intelligent young lady running for US Congress”. Morris has said he only met Adeimy that evening.
The next day, Morris and the Chief of Police, Frank Adderly, received text messages from the Mayor of West Palm Beach, Keith James, asking “Is this Lois’ opponent?” According to Morris, the photo was removed at that point and neither he nor Chief Adderly knew she was Frankel’s opponent. Morris replied, “I’ve always supported Lois to the fullest.” “Unbelievably tone deaf” was the mayor’s response. “I apologize” messaged Morris. “Not sure that is enough”, responded Mayor James.
Two weeks later and only 2 days before Christmas, the Mayor told Morris his services were no longer needed.
Deputy Morris was a long-serving, decorated member of the West Palm Beach police force and received the “Chief of the Year” award for all of Florida last year. Mayor James has not denied Morris’ firing was due to his brief post of the picture with Adeimy. Several other officers reached out to Adeimy to ask what she knew. More than one stated, “Lois made a phone call”. It was actually announced at the morning briefing that Morris was fired because of it.
Mayor James and Lois Frankel have a long history. James reported directly to Frankel when she was Mayor. When a Grand Jury investigation was called in 2006 to look into potential pay-to-play corruption in West Palm Beach, Mayor Frankel appointed Keith James to lead it, a rather blatant conflict of interest.
You can read more about the Pay-to-Play Grand Jury here:
An excerpt from the article:
Snippets from the "Pay to Play" Grand Jury Report, West Palm Beach, 2006
Pay to Play
One of the questions addressed by this Grand Jury is: Is the City of West Palm Beach a "pay to play" city?
The question posed in another way: Is it the understanding among developers and businesses that in order to successfully conduct business with the City of West Palm Beach, the developers and businesses must make large financial contributions or other considerations?
The evidence is as follows:
Campaign contributions
Developers and businesses perceive that the City of West Palm Beach is in fact a "pay to play" city. Developers take actions consistent with this conclusion, including the contribution of substantial sums of money to the campaign account of Mayor Lois Frankel. Contributions are made at times significant to approval of or consideration of projects or matters before various boards and the City Commission in West Palm Beach.
Campaign contributions in increments of $500.00 were made by wealthy large- scale developers to the political campaign account of Mayor Lois Frankel. These contributions came from individuals, companies, and legal entities which were found to be connected to the developers. The total campaign contributions connected to a given developer varied from $5,000 to $21,000.
And goes on to list examples.
Another article discusses the questionable outcome and running of the West Palm Beach Grand Jury investigation:
Interestingly, point number 7 reads:
7. Because the report also calls for the formation an ethics commission in West Palm Beach made up of independent citizens NOT handpicked by Mayor Frankel, and such a commission has never been formulated (although the county has recently endorsed plans for a countywide "corruption commission.")
Frankel is known to be vindictive. She was caught in a video during the 2022 election cycle berating a business owner for having a campaign sign for Deb Adeimy in his restaurant.
Apparently, Frankel is very threatened by a conservative opponent who is a long-time resident of West Palm Beach and "knows where the bodies are buried", so to speak. An opponent who would be strong on border security, limiting government, supporting free market capitalism and lowering taxes might also be of concern as Frankel’s voting record, including supporting the hiring of 87,000 new IRS agents, open borders, sending billions to the Ukraine and other countries along with voting to impeach President Trump 3 times and for most every measure that raises taxes and spending, may be catching up with her.
