Last month, Broward School Board member Phyllis Hope admitted she was the board official invited by suspended Board member Beverly Gallagher to a December Christmas party mentioned by federal officials in a fraud investigation against Gallagher.
A few days after reporters quizzed Hope about the party, she filed a gift disclosure form with the state declaring the Christmas party as a gift with a $500 value from Gallagher.
Now Hope has amended the form — still listing the party at the same value, but adding below, "(I thought I was an invited guest and it turns out I am not sure who paid for the party)".
The criminal complaint against Gallagher, who has been charged with
taking kickbacks, says an undercover federal agent asked Gallagher to
invite influential people who could help a construction company client
get work.
Hope is not named in the complaint and has not been charged with any wrongdoing. She told reporters former Miramar City Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman, charged separately by the feds the same day as Gallagher, was also at the party — along with Sunrise City Commissioner Sheila Alu. That prompted Alu to reveal that she has worked alongside the FBI in their corruption probe.
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