Federal agency wants housing authority's director put on leave

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Tue, Mar. 16, 2004

HIALEAH


Federal agency wants housing authority's director put on leave

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

[e-mail]


A federal agency has asked the Hialeah Housing Authority to place its director on administrative leave while it investigates whether Alex Morales orchestrated absentee ballot fraud, and then threatened employees who talked to investigators about the allegations. The agency's board will discuss the recommendation tonight.
(snip)

But in a letter dated March 11, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said it was concerned employees weren't able to cooperate freely in the absentee ballot inquiry.

Adriana Narvaez, an unsuccessful Hialeah City Council candidate, alleged Morales had employees gather absentee ballots from subsidized-housing residents and coerced them to vote for candidates favored by Mayor Raul Martinez.
(snip/)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/8195406.htm