PERDOMO SUES MIAMI LAKES CRITIC

Los Angeles, August 4, 2010 – In addition to being the chief of the Tabacalera Perdomo cigar empire, Nick Perdomo is also the Vice Mayor of Miami Lakes, Florida, and has focused on trying to bring some business savvy to the town and save money where possible.

However, his comments at a public budget meeting last September brought criticism from Angela Garrison, a citizen watchdog who keeps close tabs on the town council. So, according to the Miami Herald, he filed suit against Garrison last November, asking for $15,000 in damages and for additional, punitive damages.

“I want to clear our name and trademark,” said Perdomo, who says that Garrison tried to organize a boycott of his cigar enterprise and has engaged in a "smear campaign" against him.

Garrison contends that she is being sued for simply criticizing an elected official in the course of his public duties. She told a local television station that Perdomo's remarks in urging then-Town Manager Frank Bocanegra to forego an office assistant – with references to Bocanegra's history as a police officer in a predominantly African-American city and that he could supply a "hot Nicaraguan assistant" from his cigar company – and save Miami Lakes perhaps $50,000 in salaries, “were made in poor taste and unbecoming of a public official."

The case will be heard in September before Judge Gisela Cardonne Ely. Garrison's attorney has asked for the matter to be dismissed and for her legal expenses to be paid for by Perdomo.
~ Rich Perelman

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