Bush is challenging School Board race

Bush is challenging School Board race

Holloway; Bush and Gallon

By Staff Writer

MIAMI – In  what has become a race tarnished with personal attacks and an ugly history, Dr. James Bush III, a former candidate for the Miami Dade County Public School District 1 race, is contesting one of the hottest school board races in Dade County.

Dr. Bush said, “it is now time for voters to clean up election misconduct, absentee balloting fraud and abuse allegedly within county and city elections.”

The other two candidates running in the race, now set for a November 8 run off, are current school board member Dr. Wilbert T. Holloway and Dr. Steve Gallon II.

Bush filed the contest on September 13, 2016 within the circuit court of Miami Dade County Civil Division alleging that Dr. Gallon III, his campaign team and the Miami Dade County Supervisor of Elections Canvassing Board allegedly violated provisions of Fla. Stat. 102.168 and 102.141.

Fla. Stat. 102.168 gives the unsuccessful candidate the right to contest or dispute the results of an election based on misconduct, absentee balloting fraud, ineligibility and corrupt election practices on behalf of the alleged successful candidate.

In the Complaint Bush is challenging not only the returns but Dr. Steve Gallon III eligibility status to run for the position in the first place.

Gallon has had in the past a very sketchy history with the School District in New Jersey as well as a stellar history here in Miami/Dade County.

According to the Sun Sentinel article by Amy Shipley and Karen Yi, New Jersey authorities banned educator Steve Gallon III from working in their public schools. The struggling schools gave Gallon’s company $500,000 in taxpayer dollars over two years, allowing him to give jobs and double payments to his buddies.

The prosecutor’s press release said Gallon was charged with “conspiring to commit theft by deception, theft by deception as an accomplice, and false swearing.” Others were charged with “uttering false documents, theft by deception, conspiracy to commit theft by deception and false swearing,” according to the press release.

Florida election laws state if a person has been convicted of an alleged crime within any state court that person must prove that his and/or her voting rights were restored by the state charging him or her with a crime, meaning you cannot vote or participate in a Florida election without it.

Bush has implied that Dr. Gallon is in compliance with this violation, and the SOE should act on this immediately.

An injunction also was filed by Bush on September 20, 2016 which is set for an emergency hearing in Dade County at 9am on September 29, 2016 before Circuit Court Judge Thomas Rebull. The injunction asks the court to halt the November 8 run-off election until the election contest can be heard at a later date and/or before the general elections.

“Dr. Gallon should be disqualified if he has not restored his voting rights within the State of New Jersey after his conviction. I want every ballot and absentee ballot manually inspected and counted by the courts who can rule on the outcome of misconduct and determine if the election is in compliance, thus avoiding the appearance of misconduct, fraud and corrupt practices,” stated Bush.