Key Biscayne has been battered in 2024 with numerous crises. Has the Village and its leaders responded correctly to residents’ concerns? Media expert Thom Mozloom thinks not.
“The political willpower isn’t there,” said Mozloom, the owner of the M Network, on the Anti-Social podcast.
Mozloom is a former board member of Miami Fourth Estate, the umbrella organization for the Independent. He is also a former co-host of the podcast.
This year the Village has seen the arrest of a former attorney on child pornography and sexual abuse charges, a newspaper investigation into a former gymnastic coach on sex abuse allegations, and the death of a beloved resident in an e-bike accident.
The U.S. Justice Department on Friday added new and more serious charges against former Key Biscayne attorney William McCaughan Jr., accusing him of enticing two minors into sexual activity and producing sexually explicit images. He pleaded not guilty to the child porn charges and has not yet been arraigned on the new charges.
On Monday at 6 p.m., the Village will hold a “Protecting Our Children – Community Education Session” in the Community Center’s Lighthouse Room. It is a result of an online petition drive signed by hundreds of residents asking for a public forum.
Mozloom criticized Police Chief Frank Sousa’s statement released on the Village’s Instagram account after the petition drive had long started. Sousa did not mention McCaughan or the gymnastic coach.
CLICK HERE: Watch the video of the podcast on Youtube.com
“Managing by Instagram has to be the worst idea ever because as a platform. It’s inauthentic. I don’t believe anything I see on Instagram, even my own posts,” Mozloom said.
Mozloom said the Village should have held an immediate town hall on the issue.
“People want to know is what did you know? When did you know it? Are my kids safe? Is this guy he’s still around? What are you doing to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again? Should we be worried?” he said.
Anti-Social also tackled Key Biscayne’s recent ban on e-bikes and scooters following the Feb. 14 death of beloved resident Megan Andrew. Her regular bike collided with an e-bike operated by a 12-year-old in a crash that was ruled accidental. .
Mozloom said that Village elected officials wrung their hands for years on the issue, and avoided using the legal tools at their disposal, even if solutions were less than ideal.
“Home rule is still something you can defend,” Mozloom said.
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