WMG Volume 7 • Issue 12 June 18, 2020
Wilton Manors Gazette FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WMGAZETTE
COMMUNITY
WILTON MANORS COMMISSIONER GARY RESNICK ACCUSED OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT By Sallie James The owner of Johnsons, a strip club in Wilton Manors, has accused City Commissioner Gary Resnick of using his position to get away with inappropriate sexual conduct during a June 28, 2017 business meeting at Resnick’s home. At the time, Resnick was the Mayor of Wilton Manors. According to a police report, Resnick offered to massage club owner Matt Colunga during the meeting, saying the businessman looked stressed. Resnick then directed Colunga from an outdoor patio to his bedroom, where he pleasured himself on Colunga’s back, exclaiming, “I love my job” as he “blew his load,” according to the police report. Resnick, who is the longest-serving member of the City Commission and the longest-serving mayor, said in a written reply that the allegations are “politically motivated and false.” Resnick was first elected in 1998. “The police looked into this and noted there was nothing to pursue and closed the case,” Resnick wrote in a text. “Mr. Colunga has supported me through my political career. He even hosted a fundraiser for me and asked me to be in a movie about his club. I am truly disheartened by this false allegation, that is rooted in political malice, from someone who supported me in the past.” Colunga confirmed that he did host a fundraiser for Resnick because Resnick portrayed that all the other commissioners
wanted to shut Colunga’s business down. The 60-year-old told police he couldn’t remember if Colunga ever came to his house, could not recall if the two went into his bedroom, said he never forced Colunga to do anything and denied massaging Colunga or touching him, saying “it did not happen.” When police asked Resnick if he had any sexual interaction with Colunga, Resnick stated “he did not recall/couldn’t remember, then said no,” the report said. Colunga has said he felt he was in an “uncomfortable position” given that Resnick was the Mayor. Colunga is not pressing charges but wants Resnick to resign, and is worried that he has done the same thing to others. Colunga said Resnick reached out to him on Facebook in 2017 and the two exchanged several messages online before agreeing to meet. Colunga said he wanted to find out what he needed to do to get his business opened. He saved the message thread and shared screen shots of the exchange with the Gazette. “We should discuss what you have in mind,” Resnick wrote in a June 22, 2017 post. Colunga replied, “That would be great. Thought it would be easier if I asked lots of questions and followed all the rules. But the club I used to run put a shadow on me.” On June 28, Resnick wrote, “Was going to reach out but stuck putting together a new bed today. Ug.”
“Need help? Lol. Just let me know and I’m there,” Colunga answered. The two met on Resnick’s back patio but Colunga saw no evidence of any furniture in need of assembly. When Resnick began massaging him, Colunga said he felt trapped and didn’t know how to react. He never confronted Resnick about the 2017 incident for “fear of retaliation with his business” and the “embarrassing nature of the incident.” Colunga said he left Resnick’s home immediately after the incident. Colunga told police he filed the May 21 police report after becoming upset when he watched Resnick publicly berate Commissioner Julie Carson at two recent City Commission meetings. Colunga told police that Resnick should not be a commissioner and should resign. In late April, Colunga shared details of the incident with his friend Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, hoping Trantalis would put political pressure on Resnick to resign, but nothing happened so he filed the police report in late May. Trantalis did not return a phone message on Thursday before press time. “I felt intimidated. Of course he [was] the mayor, he [was] the man in charge of the town where I want to open up my business,” Colunga said of the incident with Resnick. “And he wanted to massage me. What do you do? If you say ‘No, I’m sorry, this isn’t my thing,’ is your business going to open up? Gary didn’t stop at the massage. Gary decided to go further with it.” Colunga, who is married, added, “He must
Gary Resnick. SFGN file photo.
have done it to other people. I can’t be the only one.” Commissioner Julie Carson declined to discuss the matter. “I really don’t have a comment. Matt is a friend of mine and this is a tragic event for anyone. It’s certainly a sad time,” she said. The police report notes that the State Attorney’s Office indicated that simple battery would be the only crime possible, if there was evidence such as witnesses or photographs, of which there were none. The statute of limitations for simple battery is two years from the time of occurrence, and that has expired, the police report notes. “[Colunga] believes he currently has nothing to lose as for him coming forward right now,” the police report states. “The police told me to delete my Facebook,” Colunga said in relation to the ordeal. “I unfriended [Resnick].” WMG
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OPINION
HE WHO LIETH DOWN WITH DOGS … Wilton Manors City Hall. Photo edited by Brendon Lies.
“….Mayor Resnick made such a big deal about a local business owner making a $5,000 donation to our city’s Leisure Services Department. Yes, that’s a good amount of money, and such a donor should be recognized and thanked by the community. However, the Mayor went out of his way on this one. What makes this whole scene a bit unusual is that this owner operates Johnson’s, the questionable nightclub right on Wilton Drive. He is also a very large donor to Mayor Resnick’s campaign for City Commissioner and has hosted a campaign event at his home. So, if you operate a questionable business in our community, have outstanding code violations, and want to send a message to city staff about how well you are connected to the elected officials, what better way to do it than appear in front of everyone at a City Commission meeting with a large check in hand. None of this might be the case, but appearances do matter, and this one is just a bit too much, even for Gary Resnick. “
The recent allegations by Johnsons’ nightclub owner against Commissioner Resnick might appear credible to many in our community. The tale that Matt Colunga weaves could very well have happened; could be exaggerated; could be
June 18, 2020 • Volume 7 • Issue 12 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
By Sal Torre There are numerous metaphors one can use to use in an attempt to portray cautionary advice upon our elected officials here in Wilton Manors. “For they who lay down with dogs, shall rise with fleas,” is one that comes to mind. The message here is that one should be cautionary of the company one keeps. I did not sit down to write this article seeking to judge, or throw stones concerning the recent salacious headlines this past week in SFGN. The “glasshouse” I call home is certainly no temple of moral authority. However, when you choose to serve as an elected official and position yourself as a leader of the community, you better be ready to handle the wrath of public opinion and scrutiny. The reality is appearances do matter, as I pointed out back in 2018 in a Wilton Manors Gazette piece, when certain individuals appeared to be too close for comfort in the public arena of local politics:
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imaginary; or could be a tad of vengeance from a soured relationship between business owner and city official. However, looking at the timeline and recent events, I find much to question. In a post MeToo world, we are all more aware and educated when it comes to accounts of sexual misconduct by those in a position of power and privilege. If Commissioner Resnick used his position in our community to take advantage of anyone, such behavior is unjustifiable and inexcusable on any level. However, Matt Colunga seems more like someone who would have slammed Gary against the wall with just one hand, walked out of the bedroom and moved his business down the road to Fort Lauderdale’s NE 4th Avenue if he truly felt what he is currently stating to the news and in a police report. Instead, he hosted a fundraiser for Gary’s election, gave Gary a cameo appearance in his movie, and donated money to Gary’s campaign. Mutual benefaction or victimization, fellow Islanders, I leave it to you to draw your own conclusions. Now on to Julie Carson’s part in all this. Matt stated that he’s coming forward now with his allegations because of the way Gary has been treating Julie in recent commission meetings. He feels a need to be Julie’s knight in shining armor, riding to her defense against the big bad Gary Resnick. Looking from a different angle one might view such
chivalry as cozying up to the possible new Mayor of Wilton Manors. My preference is for our Mayor to stand on their own two feet. Additionally, while local businesses and non-profits were barred from holding events due to the COVID-19 restrictions, Julie posted pictures with Matt and the boys from Johnsons holding a car wash fundraiser, which was not permitted by the city she represents. That might be something to consider before posting on Facebook. Looking to other news here in our Island City, recent Black Lives Matter protests took place in our city this past Saturday and Sunday. These peaceful demonstrations highlighted the work that still needs to be done in many communities throughout South Florida as we strive to be better human beings. COVID-19 numbers are still climbing in the region and should still be a major concern for everyone. Even though Pride month celebrations are not taking place due to the restrictions, we have much to be proud about especially with our recent Supreme Court victory! Candidates for local municipal elections are now final, with qualifying dates closed this past week. Three candidates for Mayor and six candidates for the two City Commission seats. As we move ahead, hold on to your hats fellow Islanders, ‘cause the next few months leading up to our municipal elections are shaping up to be one hell of a show. Such is what makes life just better here. WMG
HE FEELS A NEED TO BE JULIE’S KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR, RIDING TO HER DEFENSE AGAINST THE BIG BAD GARY RESNICK.
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June 18, 2020
LET TER TO THE EDITOR
I BELIEVE MATT COLUNGA. GARY RESNICK IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. THESE THINGS CAN COEXIST. By Bryan Wilson SFGN posted an article online last week titled “Wilton Manors Commissioner Gary Resnick Accused of Sexual Misconduct.” It revealed that “the owner of Johnsons, a strip club in Wilton Manors, has accused City Commissioner Gary Resnick of using his position to get away with inappropriate sexual conduct during a June 28, 2017 business meeting at Resnick’s home. At the time, Resnick was the Mayor of Wilton Manors.” Area residents and neighbors started commenting on this online article. These comments are important. They reveal some very toxic tenants within the culture of our community. People lost no time in victim shaming and judging Matt for his career in adult entertainment and even jumped to allege that Matt himself is a sex worker; whether or not Mr. Colunga engages in sex work, I neither know, nor care. It’s irrelevant to him coming forward with his experience of sexual abuse. Commenters on the story all but said that Matt was asking for it by wearing a short skirt and being such a loose woman of the night... Look, it’s no secret to any LGBTQN+ community member in South Florida that sex, slut, and body shaming thrives within our supposedly progressive and sexuallyliberated rainbow family. In addition, most of us are painfully aware that classism runs deep in our community as we watch folks go into debt (or jail) as they struggle to live in the reality that wealth is necessary to be all that you can be in the LGBTQN+ community; it’s particularly necessary for the success and well-being of gay men. We can do better, y’all. We can also do more than one thing
at a time. We can believe Matt and not pass a guilty sentence on Commissioner Resnick. In response to these comments, I’d like to set the record straight (definitely no pun intended). Sex workers can be sexually assaulted, especially when their ability to consent is taken away by people with the power to hurt or support their business. What you wear (or don’t wear) does NOT give people the right to sexually harass or assault you — even strip clubs have rules that exist to protect the health and safety of their workers. Just because Matt appears to be a strong, fit guy with the ability to “stop” his attacker, that does not shift responsibility for the sexual assault from the attacker onto the victim/ survivor. The decision to outright DISBELIEVE someone coming forward to say they were sexually assaulted flies in the face of everything we supposedly learned from the #MeToo Movement and #Ibelieveyou efforts. Remember that whole Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh thing? Believing sexual assault survivors does not mean passing a guilty sentence on Resnick. It means creating a place where people feel safe to come forward about sexual assault/harassment and know they will NOT be told they are not believed because of the clothes they wear, work they do, or the privilege they have/don’t have. It’s creating a community where one’s position of power and authority does not make them immune from the consequences of their action, nor gives them a license to harm others as they do whatever gets their rocks off. Stop telling survivors of sexual assault
STOP TELLING SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OR HARASSMENT HOW THEY SHOULD REACT AND START TELLING PEOPLE IN POWER HOW TO ACT.
Matt Colunga (left, courtesy of Matt Colunga) and Gary Resnick (photo via Facebook).
or harassment how they should react and start telling people in power how to act. Matt doesn’t have to press charges or call for anyone’s resignation to legitimize his story. Perhaps his goal is just to create a safer climate in which survivors of sexual misconduct may come forward to tell their stories. Maybe he just wants us to acknowledge the sexual abuse going on in our own gay community and do something about it. If you’re someone’s boss, don’t hit on them or try to engage in sexual activity with them. Full stop. If you’re someone’s elected representative, don’t offer them massages or even attempt to get consent for sexual activity with them. Full stop. If you are someone’s professor, don’t ask a student out on a date. Full Stop. When you are in a position of power over someone, you can never remove that power dynamic from the situation. Your power to shape their economic future, fire them, or fail them… well, it makes it almost impossible to tell your boss to stop
propositioning you, say no to a date with your professor, or refuse a massage from your Commissioner as a business owner. Your power takes away another’s full ability to consent. Matt didn’t have to share his story. He was/is brave to do so. It says a lot about him. You don’t have to believe sexual assault and harassment survivors when they come forward. But whether you do or not — it says a lot about you. If you’re feeling convicted, don’t feel bad. Do something about it. Honor survivors with action. Seek conversations with leaders in the movements aiming to make this world a better place and society more egalitarian. Together we can do this. We can be better. WMG Sincerely,
Bryan CA Wilson Executive Director,
Pride Center West Texas Entrepreneur Consultant, 4 A New Dawn
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BUSINESS
NEW OWNERS TAKE OVER RON’S BARBERSHOP By Jason Parsley Shane Macha and Al Craig have purchased Ron’s Barbershop located at 1220 NE 4th Ave in Fort Lauderdale. “We are very excited for a new beginning for a barbershop that has a great brand,” Macha said. “We are going to keep the same great price structure.” The shop’s tagline is “home of the $10 haircut.” Macha said they’re keeping all of the barbers on staff as well. The barbershop was engulfed in controversy in March when Wilton Manors City Commission candidate Chris Caputo led a protest against Ron Cerreta, the owner at the time. An argument between Cerreta and a trans employee had turned physical and the police were called. Caputo took to the streets to bring awareness to violence against trans people. “We’re excited to invite clients back home,” Macha said. “And lots of new ones.” WMG
Visit RonsBarber.com for more information about the business.
Shane Macha (right) and Al Craig. Photo via Shane Macha, Facebook.
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June 18, 2020