Michael Grieco to pay $1,000 to cover costs of Miami-Dade ethics probe

Democratic Rep. Michael Grieco will pay $1,000 after the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics & Public Trust found Grieco committed two violations of the county’s Citizens’ Bill of Rights.

That’s according to a report by the Miami Herald’s Christina Saint Louis.

The infractions relate to Grieco’s time in local Miami Beach politics before his 2018 run for the House. Grieco represents House District 113 and earned a second term in 2020 without opposition.

Last December, the Miami-Dade ethics commission found Grieco had twice violated ethics rules when he denied involvement with People for Better Leaders, a political action committee. Grieco gave two separate statements to the Herald stating he does not have a PAC. The commission reviewed evidence disputing those claims but dismissed a third claim that Grieco improperly courted a contribution from a Miami Beach vendor.

The commission decided not to fine Grieco over the infractions, however. Instead, the $1,000 charge was levied to help cover costs related to the investigation.

The PAC had already caused Grieco trouble in years past. Grieco was placed on a six-month probation, which barred him from running for office. That punishment stemmed from a criminal case where prosecutors accused Grieco of soliciting donations to the PAC from foreign nationals. But Grieco was able to cut a deal after prosecutors worried they would not win at trial. Grieco agreed to the probation terms but denied wrongdoing.

He was forced to resign from the Miami Beach Commission. But once his probation period ended, Grieco ran for and won the HD 113 seat, emerging from a contested Democratic primary.

Grieco told the Herald he’s ready to move on after the Miami-Dade ethics commission’s latest decision.

“It’s 2021, and we are apparently still grasping to talk about events in 2017, before my 2018 election to the Florida House and unopposed return in 2020,” Grieco said.

“While some are bent on rehashing or retelling misleading and false narratives, I am laser-focused on how to best serve my 160,000+ constituents.”