31:
247:
In 1982, Durante and
Scheifley were defeated by large margins, and her former opponent Willard Young became mayor. Young attributed the result to voter unhappiness with alleged mismanagement of the city government and finances. Durante attributed her loss to negative campaigning and the effect of a
243:
Although the city commission was elected at large, Durante's seat was known as the "black seat". The name reflected the fact that the commission had always had exactly one Black member since the election of Ozie
Youngblood, the first Black commissioner in the city's history, in 1968. A campaign to
266:
Eve Lyon, jury forewoman, said the panel had no choice but to convict. Montgomery and
Durante insisted they had evidence that would prove investors knew what they were getting into, but "t was mainly lack of contrary information from the defense side" that led to the conviction, Lyon said.
262:
The presiding judge was
Charles E. Burton. Durante’s attorney, Thomas Montgomery, insisted his client did nothing wrong. She planned to get donations and government grants for the museum. That money would be used to repay investors, he said."
893:
221:
described her as a "leader of the black community". Although accused of being close to former mayor James
Scheifley, who was also running, she noted that Scheifley had opposed her nomination to the zoning board. The race went to a
765:
867:
901:
1025:
1005:
775:
270:
Montgomery later sought a new trial, arguing that the judge erred by forcing him to represent
Durante, and by failing to grant a trial delay because of Durante's medical condition.
226:
with 33.6% turnout, in which
Durante defeated her opponent Willard Young by 53% to 47%. Durante thus became the only Black person and the only woman among the city commissioners.
193:
in south Palm Beach County in 1975. After the board fired the Center's director in
December 1975, he and his executive assistant claimed he had been fired for opposing Durante's
197:, including attempting to have the Center use her properties for housing. The director and assistant subsequently sued the Durante and the rest of the Center's board for
240:
by the United States. In 1981 Durante's work remodeling a former kindergarten in Delray Beach was opposed by neighbors who feared she would provide housing to
Haitians.
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On May 26, 2010, the Police
Department of the City of Delray Beach arrested Durante on fraud charges carrying a sentence of up to 90 years in prison.
139:
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798:
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Durante won reelection by a comfortable margin in March 1980. She led the field of City Commission candidates in fundraising.
89:
215:
In the March 1978 election, Durante ran as one of five candidates for three seats the Delray Beach city commission. The
142:, which her daughter ran. Convicted on a portion of the original charges in 2013, she completed her sentence in 2016.
251:
After leaving the city commission, Durante continued to advocate for city investment in Black areas of Delray Beach.
713:
684:
632:
384:
658:
613:
490:
130:. She served until 1982. In 2010, she was arrested on charges of defrauding Haitian immigrants out of 1.8 million
739:
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94:
30:
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277:. The judge noted that Durante had been "a beacon for the community" and had lived a "remarkable life".
194:
119:
868:"Ex-Delray Beach official Durante convicted of money laundering, fraud for running $ 1.8M Ponzi scheme"
518:
990:
202:
927:
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151:
84:
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123:
115:
357:"Convicted ex-Delray commissioner weeks away from finishing prison sentence; seeks new trial"
189:
Durante was the first chair of the South County Mental Health Center, which opened the first
842:"Ex-Delray Beach commissioner 'used god's name' in alleged $ 1.8M Ponzi scheme, victims say"
273:
On June 13, 2013, the judge sentenced Durante to seven years, with three years credit for
223:
212:
Durante also served on the Delray Beach planning and zoning board, an appointed position.
237:
984:
205:. The matter was investigated by the local mental health district and by the federal
198:
155:
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280:
Near the end of her sentence in 2016, Durante filed an appeal for a new trial. The
217:
178:
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47:
955:
799:"Former Delray Beach commissioner, Realtor accused of $ 1.8 million Ponzi scheme"
274:
308:
Mike Capuzzo (1982-03-04). "'Mismanagement' issue called key to Delray vote".
159:
76:
131:
232:
In 1980 Durante advocated for Palm Beach County to establish a center for
233:
127:
236:
refugees, who were arriving in large numbers but were being denied
894:"New trial sought for ex-Delray commissioner convicted of fraud"
608:
Helen Hu (1980-03-05). "Delray's incumbents easily re-elected".
714:"Turning Point? Delray Could Send Second Black to City Council"
766:"Former Delray commissioner charged with running Ponzi scheme"
740:"Don't repeat failure to better black section, Delray is told"
177:, which led some of the city's white residents to claim
114:
was elected in 1978 as the first African American woman
332:"Former Florida commissioner arrested in Ponzi scheme"
267:"(Montgomery) didn't demonstrate anything concrete."
603:
601:
599:
138:, in order to purchase a permanent location for the
165:Prior to her political career, Durante worked as a
75:
70:
44:
21:
244:elect a second Black commissioner in 1979 failed.
835:
833:
831:
1026:African-American city council members in Florida
491:"Board Chairman: Health Center Charges All Lies"
1006:20th-century African-American women politicians
378:
376:
284:, however, summarily affirmed the trial court.
541:
539:
436:"1st Residential Crisis Center Opens Saturday"
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705:
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462:"Mental Health Official Blamed for 2 Firings"
8:
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248:second Black candidate splitting the vote.
207:Department of Health, Education and Welfare
29:
18:
633:"1 City Picks woman; 2nd Elects Newcomer"
140:Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History
685:"Remodeling Project of Durantes Opposed"
385:"Multi-Career Woman Blends Family, Jobs"
154:and later obtained a master's degree in
1041:Florida politicians convicted of crimes
1036:American politicians convicted of fraud
293:
282:Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal
934:. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. p. B3
659:"County backs Haitian center proposal"
411:"Gregory 'Just Looking' at Palm Beach"
547:"Five to Campaign In Delray Election"
7:
1021:Pennsylvania State University alumni
579:"Durante a Winner in Delray Runoff"
562:Five to Campaign In Delray Election
1001:People from Greene County, Alabama
334:. The Associated Press. 2010-05-27
14:
1011:People from Delray Beach, Florida
866:Musgrave, Jane (April 15, 2013).
840:Musgrave, Jane (April 10, 2013).
1031:20th-century Florida politicians
892:Freeman, Marc (April 26, 2013).
797:Pesantes, Erika (May 27, 2010).
764:Pesantes, Erika (May 26, 2010).
691:. The Palm Beach Post. p. 1
341:– via The Gainesville Sun.
16:American woman city commissioner
738:Michael Connelly (1982-07-30).
1:
577:Barbara Ludman (1978-03-22).
409:Charles Keefer (1977-05-29).
201:, alleging violations of the
90:Pennsylvania State University
683:Larry Meltzer (1981-12-01).
519:"Durante: Running On My Own"
489:Lynda Burgiss (1976-01-10).
926:Marc Freeman (2013-06-14).
631:Lucy Emerson (1978-03-22).
383:Susan Giller (1976-08-08).
355:Marc Freeman (2016-05-30).
320:– via Newspapers.com.
1057:
932:South Florida Sun Sentinel
744:South Florida Sun Sentinel
657:Mary Hladky (1980-02-15).
361:South Florida Sun-Sentinel
191:crisis intervention center
1016:Tuskegee Institute alumni
112:Charlotte Gilmore Durante
105:
66:
55:
40:
28:
553:. 1978-02-02. p. 2C
525:. 1978-02-25. p. 2B
460:Bob Brink (1976-01-08).
442:. 1975-06-19. p. C2
169:. In 1977, she showed a
146:Early life and education
928:"Seven years for fraud"
712:Ken Kaye (1979-02-18).
150:Durante studied at the
195:conflicts of interest
718:Fort Lauderdale News
663:Fort Lauderdale News
610:Fort Lauderdale News
523:Fort Lauderdale News
389:Fort Lauderdale News
255:Trial and conviction
203:Florida Sunshine Law
872:The Palm Beach Post
846:The Palm Beach Post
803:The Palm Beach Post
583:The Palm Beach Post
495:The Palm Beach Post
466:The Palm Beach Post
440:The Palm Beach Post
415:The Palm Beach Post
152:Tuskegee Institute
85:Tuskegee Institute
167:real estate agent
124:Palm Beach County
116:City Commissioner
109:
108:
23:Charlotte Durante
1048:
977:
976:
974:Official website
959:
952:Durante v. State
949:
943:
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940:
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923:
914:
913:
911:
909:
900:. Archived from
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826:
823:The Sun-Sentinel
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774:. Archived from
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709:
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637:The Miami Herald
628:
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565:
564:
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551:The Miami Herald
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310:The Miami Herald
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185:Political career
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71:Personal details
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51:
33:
19:
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958:(June 9, 2016).
956:211 So. 3d 1052
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778:on May 31, 2010
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50:City Commission
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35:Durante in 1986
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966:External links
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904:on May 1, 2013
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825:, May 27, 2010
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689:The Post Extra
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238:refugee status
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45:Member of the
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996:Living people
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391:. p. 11H
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199:reinstatement
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156:public health
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32:
27:
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951:
947:
936:. Retrieved
931:
908:December 31,
906:. Retrieved
902:the original
898:Sun-Sentinel
897:
887:
877:December 31,
875:. Retrieved
871:
861:
851:December 31,
849:. Retrieved
845:
822:
818:
808:December 31,
806:. Retrieved
802:
792:
782:December 31,
780:. Retrieved
776:the original
771:Sun-Sentinel
769:
759:
748:. Retrieved
746:. p. 3B
743:
733:
722:. Retrieved
720:. p. B1
717:
693:. Retrieved
688:
678:
667:. Retrieved
665:. p. B1
662:
652:
641:. Retrieved
639:. p. B1
636:
626:
609:
587:. Retrieved
585:. p. 2C
582:
561:
555:. Retrieved
550:
527:. Retrieved
522:
499:. Retrieved
497:. p. B1
494:
470:. Retrieved
468:. p. C1
465:
455:
444:. Retrieved
439:
430:
419:. Retrieved
417:. p. B1
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404:
393:. Retrieved
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364:. Retrieved
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336:. Retrieved
326:
309:
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272:
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261:
258:
250:
246:
242:
231:
228:
218:Miami Herald
216:
214:
211:
188:
179:blockbusting
175:Dick Gregory
164:
149:
136:Ponzi scheme
122:, a city in
120:Delray Beach
111:
110:
57:
48:Delray Beach
991:1944 births
612:. pp.
275:time served
173:mansion to
985:Categories
938:2022-07-21
750:2022-07-21
724:2022-07-21
695:2022-07-21
669:2022-07-21
643:2022-07-21
589:2022-07-21
557:2022-07-21
529:2022-07-21
501:2022-07-21
472:2022-07-21
446:2022-07-21
421:2022-07-21
395:2022-07-21
366:2022-07-21
338:2022-07-21
312:. p.
288:References
171:Palm Beach
160:Penn State
77:Alma mater
62:1978–1982
58:In office
234:Haitian
132:dollars
128:Florida
224:runoff
158:from
134:in a
910:2014
879:2014
853:2014
810:2014
784:2014
118:in
95:MPH
987::
954:,
930:.
918:^
896:.
870:.
844:.
830:^
801:.
768:.
742:.
716:.
704:^
687:.
661:.
635:.
618:5B
616:,
614:1B
598:^
581:.
569:^
560:.
549:.
538:^
521:.
510:^
493:.
481:^
464:.
438:.
413:.
387:.
375:^
359:.
347:^
318:C2
316:,
314:C1
296:^
209:.
181:.
162:.
126:,
941:.
912:.
881:.
855:.
812:.
786:.
753:.
727:.
698:.
672:.
646:.
620:.
592:.
532:.
504:.
475:.
449:.
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398:.
369:.
97:)
93:(
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