鈥楾RIPLE what you gave him or literally do not ever even approach me again in public or anywhere ever again,鈥� Dass tells tenant.
A Port of Palm Beach commissioner running in the Aug. 20 Democratic primary pressured a tenant to contribute to her campaign, drawing a complaint to the port attorney.
鈥淵ou need to support my campaign more than you鈥檝e supported my opponents (sic) campaign by close of business Friday,鈥� Commissioner wrote July 8 to port tenant and contractor Patrick Aliu of PSA Constructors.
鈥淣one of my other tenants would ever dare pull this garbage. And trust me, I will be very vocal about what you鈥檝e done.鈥�
Dass expressed frustration that Aliu had given her campaign the same amount, $1,000, that he gave to one of her two opponents in the Group 2 race, .
鈥淎s the incumbent, it鈥檚 disrespectful you would even support my opponent, much less give him the same amount as what you gave me,鈥� Dass wrote in the three-text string shared by Aliu with Stet News. 鈥淵ou need to get me TRIPLE what you gave him or literally do not ever even approach me again in public or anywhere ever again. This is was (sic) so unacceptable.鈥�
The port commission is embroiled in a dispute over the job performance of Executive Director . Dass is one of three commissioners who support Meekins while Commissioner Jean Enright has led the opposition.
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鈥淒o you realize when you support Jean getting control of the commission, and back her puppets you signal to Mike Meekins鈥檚 that you don鈥檛 value his work or employment as our executive director?鈥� she texted Aliu. 鈥淵ou know all our tenants are loyal to Mike, right?鈥�
Residents in the , which extends across Palm Beach County from Southern Boulevard to Palm Beach Gardens plus Wellington and most of the Glades, will fill two of the commission鈥檚 five seats in November.
The winning Democrat in Group 2 will face Republican Ted Sarandis. Enright, a Democrat, faces a challenge from Republican Roderick Clarke in Group 3.
Commissioners will consider , which does not rely on property taxes, at a workshop today.
Port attorney: No jurisdiction
Aliu sent the emails last week to port attorney , who told Stet News on Tuesday that he was investigating. On Wednesday, Fumero sent Aliu an email explaining that he could go no further.
鈥淚 cannot make any independent determinations on actual or potential violations, as that is up to the agencies with jurisdiction over these issues,鈥� Fumero wrote.
Aliu would have to make a complaint himself to the state Commission on Ethics or Florida Elections Commission, Fumero wrote. He also noted that he would inform all port commissioners.
, who is a subcontractor on some port construction projects, said in an interview he wrestled with the decision to go public but viewed the texts as a threat.
鈥淢y thing is, when I look at that, yes, you鈥檙e going to block me off from opportunity,鈥� Aliu said. 鈥淲hen you say 鈥楧on鈥檛 speak to me ever in public,鈥� I see that as a threat. I will never get work even if I鈥檓 the most qualified.鈥�
Dass, who was appointed to the seat in December 2022, said she had the right to get angry and vow not to speak to Aliu but her actions didn鈥檛 rise to the level of criminal or ethical misconduct.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 understand how that鈥檚 a threat,鈥� she told Stet News. 鈥淚f you offend someone and they don鈥檛 want to talk to you, how鈥檚 that a threat?
鈥淣o one has a right to make you engage with them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just not something that exists in the world.鈥�
She added that she would not withhold contracts from Aliu.
鈥淚 am completely analytical in all my decision-making and this tenant has nothing to worry about as far as my ability to be impartial,鈥� she said.
鈥楢 guy I used to run up and hug鈥�
She was stung, she said, by Aliu鈥檚 defection.
Aliu鈥檚 corporations gave Dass two contributions of $500 on April 30 but made contributions to Jackson of $500 on April 29 and May 17, campaign finance records show.
Dass has raised $45,000 while Jackson has raised $11,000. A third candidate, Kelly Fleury, has raised $40,000, more than half his own money.
鈥淭his is a guy I used to run up and hug, and was always kind to,鈥� she wrote in a text. 鈥淚 stlll can鈥檛 believe he would support my opponent.鈥�
Dass, a lawyer who ran unsuccessfully for the Group 5 seat in 2022, said she had been provoked during the campaign by supporters of Enright and Jackson, providing of vulgar accusations lobbed at her during public comment at a July 17 Riviera Beach City Council meeting.
鈥淧lease do not take one text of me upset and characterize it as my everyday behavior when unprovoked,鈥� she wrote in a text to Stet. 鈥淟aunching a character assassination against me for one text when I was angry, when this is how these people behave regularly, is so unfair.鈥�
She also submitted a statement:
鈥淚 thought Patrick Aliu and I were close friends. So I felt extremely hurt, disappointed, and betrayed when he supported my opponent. Others have donated to my opponent or refrained from donating to my campaign, and I have never engaged with them in this manner.
鈥淚t was because I considered Patrick a dear friend that I felt so deeply hurt 鈥� my dispute with Patrick is personal, not professional. I have done nothing adverse to Patrick other than indicate I am never interested in engaging with him on a personal level again. I can鈥檛 control the way he feels. As far as I鈥檓 concerned, my friendship with Patrick is over.鈥�
Varisa Dass鈥� July 8 texts to PSA鈥檚 Patrick Aliu
鈥淵ou need to give me $1000 per entity. This was completely unacceptable. You gave my opponent the same amount as me $1000 from PSA constructors. This was so disrespectful.
鈥淎s the incumbent, it鈥檚 disrespectful you would even support my opponent, much less give him the same amount as what you gave me. You need to get me TRIPLE what you gave him or literally do not ever even approach me again in public or anywhere ever again. This is was so unacceptable.
鈥淒o you realize when you support Jean getting control of the commission, and back her puppets you signal to Mike Meekins鈥檚 that you don鈥檛 value his work or employment as our executive director? You know all our tenants are loyal to Mike, right? It鈥檚 not just me you disrespect with your actions. You need to support my campaign more than you鈥檝e supported my opponents campaign by close of business Friday. None of my other tenants would ever dare pull this garbage. And trust me, I will be very vocal about what you鈥檝e done. No one respects her, and no one should respect people who support her either. You support corruption, a good man getting fired, and chaos when you support her and the opponent she is trying to get in my seat. No one should work with people like that. I鈥檓 done texting you, but I hope you will have an ounce of clarity in your brain and recognize you need to try to fix this complete lapse of judgment you exercised by backing my opponent.鈥�
This story was originally published by , a 港澳天下彩News partner.
