Amid Public Discourse, Trustees Vote To Convey Land For Trump Presidential Library

A 250-minute long meeting that featured spurts of fiery exchange culminated with Miami Dade College’s Board of Trustees voting unanimously to once again convey a 2.63 acre lot next to the Freedom Tower to the state for construction of the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library. 

Seventy nine people addressed the BOT during a spirited forum held at Hialeah Campus on Tuesday. Forty eight were against the land transfer and 31 favored the measure. Each person received three minutes.   

Two speakers were asked to leave. One hurled a profanity-laced outburst toward the board and another spoke out of turn, offering a business card to a speaker whose uncle was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The meeting included appearances by Alina Garcia, who serves as the Miami-Dade County supervisor of elections, filmmaker Billy Corben, Ana Sofia Pelaez, who launched the Miami Freedom Project for Democracy, retired MDC professor Mark Richard  and attorney Jesus Suarez, who represents the College in the ongoing litigation over the land.

“We value the input of our community,” said MDC President Madeline Pumariega. “I fully recognize and understand how some may feel hurt by a presidential library coming to Miami… we listened and we heard, but we do believe that in the long term, the economic value and opportunity for our community and for our college being the first in the country to be considered for a presidential library is something that is historic.”

Marvin Dunn, who is suing the board over the transparency of the Sept. 23 meeting where they originally decided to convey the land to the state, was visibly bothered as he addressed the board. 

“Your minds are already made up,” Dunn said. “Are you here today to listen or to hear people in the community? We don’t want this land given away. It should not be given away to Obama or any other president.” 

Earlier, Suarez accused Dunn of being a “ringleader” of lawfare—the use of legal action to intimidate an opponent.

He cited Dunn’s tweet from Sept. 22: “This is my last warning Donald. Don’t make me have to come up there and kick your ass.”

Dunn’s lawyer, Richard Brodsky, immediately interrupted Suarez. The two then engaged in a heated back-and-forth, before BOT Chair Michael Bileca intervened. 

Before the vote, residents opposing the conveyance submitted 18,465 letters electronically via ActionNetwork to President Pumariega and the board on Monday. 

“I collected the letters…to show that people are opposed, not opposed because of Donald Trump, they are opposed because it is a financial issue,” said Vanessa Brito, a political policy consultant and organizer of the 50501 Movement. “You can’t tell the people in Miami I’m going to give away a plot especially when people are struggling.” 

Others voiced their support for the land transfer, including Garcia, the county’s elections supervisor. 

“I think that this would be very important, very good for Miami-Dade County, for Miami, and because at the end of the day, you know, how many counties have presidential libraries?” Garcia said. “It will be a great tourist attraction, and it’s a great place for our kids to go and learn about the office of the presidency, and regardless of whether you are Republican and Democrat, whether you like the President or not.” 

Corben expressed support for the construction of a presidential library and the land transfer, but with a caveat. 

“I presume some of you own property in the county—residential, commercial. Why don’t you donate it for free to the president? Any takers? Of course not, it’s ridiculous,” Corben said as he addressed the board. “If you wouldn’t do it with your property, don’t do it with the College’s property. Just get a good deal. Negotiate with this wildly successful multi-billionaire real estate mogul that is our president. This is not communist Cuba.”

Last Monday, 11th Circuit Court Judge Mavel Ruiz scheduled an Aug. 3 start date for the lawsuit that Dunn filed against the board. The following day, the BOT agreed on a new gathering to avoid further delay of the land conveyance and additional legal fees.

Today, after a nearly three-and-a-half hour public discussion, the trustees each gave an explanation for their vote. Trustee Marcell Felipe talked about the Bay of Pigs invasion, President John F. Kennedy’s role in it and how it affected the Cuban community.

“You know who has a library named after him right down the street in Hialeah? President Kennedy… take a lesson from Cuban-Americans,” Felipe said. “We’re not here demanding that his name be taken down, because he is an American president, duly elected by the people of this country.”

The trustee then called for the Miami Herald to retract a story they published yesterday that said the College was limiting access to the special board meeting, threatening to sue the publication if they didn’t retract.

Felipe continued his rant—which lasted 16 minutes and 41 seconds—calling those opposing the conveyance hypocrites for allegedly not supporting the Confucius Institute’s removal from MDC in 2019 or donating to the Freedom Tower’s recent remodeling.

The comments were met with an uproar from the crowd, including 76-year-old Linda Conner.

“I am appalled at what just went on in there,” Conner said after walking out of the meeting. “We all got three minutes and he went on for 15 or whatever, talking about things that had nothing to do with the matter at hand, which, somebody should have stopped him. I couldn’t help it anymore.”

Despite the board’s decision, Dunn vowed to remain steadfast in his legal battle.

“This case will continue,” Dunn said. “There are other pathways to challenging what they have done, what they are doing. This meeting today will not end the lawsuit. It will continue.”

 Lucas Duarte, Divyasri Kadambi, Ninette Portero and Pietra Romano contributed to this report.

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