Rod Velez sues in bid to get Broward School Board seat he won

Rod Velez has filed a lawsuit to try to get back a School Board seat that Gov. Ron DeSantis filled the same day he had hoped to be sworn in.

In a suit filed Monday in Broward County Circuit Court, Velez is challenging both DeSantis and Daniel Foganholi, who the governor appointed on Dec. 22, shortly after declaring the seat vacant.

Velez defeated challenger Marie Murray Martin in Nov. 8 runoff for a District 1 seat in the Hollywood area but decided not to get sworn in on Nov. 22 with elected members, due to questions about his eligibility. Martin has said Velez is not eligible to serve because he hadn’t gotten his full rights restored by a state Clemency Board.

After winning two legal victories, Velez announced the morning of Dec. 22 he was going to get sworn in that day. But before he could do that, DeSantis declared the seat vacant and appointed Foganholi.

“I am continuing this fight for all of our children and returning citizens,” Velez said in a statement. “I am looking forward to having the court affirm my legitimate right to represent the people of Broward County, as elected by the voters of District 1.”

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