A.G. Gancarski
While the divorce of House District 14 Democratic candidate Kim Daniels has been finalized, legal woes still dog the former Jacksonville councilwoman in the form of a foreclosure case.
Daniels, ex-husband Ardell Daniels, and their shared business, Spoken Word Ministries, have a case management conference regarding that foreclosure case on July 12 at the Broward courthouse in Fort Lauderdale.
The former Mr. and Mrs. Daniels are not compelled to show up; counsel can appear in their stead.
The home, with a $3,674 monthly mortgage, was referred to in divorce filings as a “parsonage” in Davie. The former husband and wife had an unusually active and creative approach to home financing.
The Davie home, bought in 2010 by Kim Daniels with a G.I. Bill loan, was quitclaimed to Spoken Word Ministries in October 2010. In April 2011 it was quitclaimed back to Kim and Ardell Daniels, the same time she was running for office in Jacksonville. In November 2011 it was quitclaimed back to Spoken Word Ministries. All the while, the home carried the same G.I. Bill mortgage. Typically, a mortgaged property can’t be quitclaimed.
The filing from Ardell Daniels contends that the quitclaim on the shared property was an “attempt to keep the interest of the property from the husband” and “avoid paying taxes to the IRS.”
The “parsonage” in Davie was just part of the vast portfolio obtained by the couple and Spoken Word Ministries, an apparently quite lucrative nonprofit.
Beyond that home, the couple acquired other properties, including three Jacksonville homes, a Jacksonville commercial property, and three Central Florida timeshares. The Jacksonville home where Kim Daniels claims residency is appraised at $386,940.
Additionally, Spoken Word Ministries has 13 vehicles, either in the name of the corporation or the husband. Ardell Daniels drives a 1983 Porsche. Other vehicles include a 2007 Escalade, a Lexus, several vans, and a 2013 Chevy Silverado pickup that was used as a campaign vehicle for the Daniels re-election effort.
This hearing will be complete before the Aug. 30 primary election in HD 14, in which Daniels battles former state legislator Terry Fields and first-time candidate Leslie Jean-Bart.
Daniels’ cash position, despite the foreclosure hearing, appears to be secure. She contributed $20,000 to her current campaign in April.
