Charges against Fort Lauderdale mayoral campaign worker dropped

FORT LAUDERDALE — A campaign worker for now-Mayor Dean Trantalis has been cleared of charges that he tampered with an opponent’s election signs.

The Broward State Attorney’s Office dropped charges against Elijah Manley, 19. He was arrested on Jan. 12 for resisting arrest without violence.

According to the State Attorney’s Office, Fort Lauderdale police officers received a call “about an individual matching the defendant’s description” vandalizing campaign signs for mayoral candidate Bruce Roberts.

When officers approached the person, “the defendant ran.”

There was no recorded video of the vandalism. Manley said he was at home and has video proving he was not near the signs at the time.

Vandalizing of campaign signs is “a non criminal offense,” the State Attorney’s Office case-closing memo says. “In light of these facts, there is little reasonable likelihood of conviction and therefore the state declines to file this charge.”

“I was targeted unjustly by the FLPD for campaigning against Bruce Roberts in Sistrunk,” Manley said in an email.

Roberts, the former police chief, was endorsed in the race by the police union.

Two days after Manley’s arrest, a political robocall repeatedly referenced Trantalis having a “criminal” on his campaign team.

The primary was Jan. 16. Trantalis won the general election in March.

“One of our strongest freedoms is the freedom to self-expression and to support any candidate whom we wish to,” Manley said. “But FLPD and some political operatives have their own agendas which is not representative of the public’s vision. I hope that this behavior is denounced by all who wish for police and government reform,” Manley said.

Mike Tucker, president of the Fraternal Order of Police local union, said the state attorney’s decision to drop the case doesn’t alter the facts, and the union “fully supports our officers who remain dedicated to protecting our community.”

“Mr. Manley alone can choose to accept personal responsibility for his unlawful actions,” Tucker said in a written statement, “or make excuses and conjure conspiracy theories, and it appears he has chosen the latter.”