Bay Harbor Islands cop cleared after investigation into Facebook ‘likes’

A Bay Harbor Islands police officer who is vying for the department’s chief position did not violate policy by “liking” social media posts in support of his wife’s controversial comments about a Muslim congresswoman last year, the department said Thursday after completing an internal affairs investigation.

Corporal Pablo Lima had been placed on paid administrative leave on Jan. 16, with town manager J.C. Jimenez saying in a statement that his social media activity was “not consistent with our town’s values and policies.”

But on Thursday, Jimenez said the investigation had concluded that “none of the posts that were ‘liked’ by Corporal Lima on his social media demonstrated he has any bias or prejudice against any religious or protected group.”

Lt. Curtis Johnson, who conducted the investigation, interviewed Lima and asked him why he “liked” several Facebook comments reacting to his wife, Hallandale Beach Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub, being formally condemned by her fellow commissioners for saying Rep. Rashida Tlaib might become a martyr and “blow up Capitol Hill.”

Shortly after that vote in January 2019, Lima posted a link on Facebook to a story about his wife being condemned. He proceeded to “like” several comments below the post, including: “I applaud her”; “Complete BS....”; and “free speach fk them.”

Another comment Lima “liked” began: “Screw these liberal commisioners and mayor.”

The comment added of Tlaib: “This [piece of s---] took her oath on the Koran. She openly hates Jews and talks about how they should all die or be killed. Remind me again why you would not support Lima-Talib [Lima-Taub]?”

The Miami Herald reached out to Jimenez, the town manager, seeking comment about Lima’s social media activity before he announced Lima had been placed on leave.

In his interview with Johnson, Lima said he “liked” the comments because “they show support for his wife and her political views,” according to Johnson’s close-out memo summarizing the investigation.

Johnson found that Lima did not violate department policy.

“I find no evidence that by him ‘Liking’ the posts in question, a violation of policy,” he wrote. “I further find that Corporal Lima was expressing his First Amendment rights showing support for his wife.”

Quoting from the department’s social media policy, Johnson said it was “unfounded” to say that Lima’s actions constituted “speech that ridicules, maligns, disparages, or otherwise expresses bias against any gender, race, religion, or any protected class of individuals.”

The decision comes five days after Lima-Taub held a rally in Bay Harbor Islands to protest her husband being placed on administrative leave.

“We stand with Corporal Pablo Lima!” Lima-Taub chanted Saturday evening at the intersection of 96th Street and Bay Harbor Terrace. “Back the blue!”

More than 30 people attended the rally, including far-right activist Laura Loomer and Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio, both of whom are running for Congress.

The Israeli-born Lima-Taub was first elected to the Hallandale Beach commission in 2016. She was a registered Democrat at the time but has since left the party and registered as a Republican, becoming increasingly outspoken on issues related to Israel.

After Lima was suspended, Lima-Taub wrote on Facebook: “Let’s be clear: My husband only liked comments that were in defense of me not being a Xenophobe, Racist, or Islamaphobe. He never posted anything of any nature related to race, religion, or the like.”

Last year, Lima-Taub’s post about Tlaib possibly becoming a martyr was denounced as hate speech by numerous Muslim and Jewish human rights organizations. Lima-Taub responded by arguing that support for boycotting Israel equated Tlaib, one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress, with terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

The day of the commission vote, dozens of supporters of Lima-Taub held Israeli flags and signs calling Tlaib a terrorist outside Hallandale Beach City Hall.

Lima spent over 30 years with the Miami-Dade Police Department before retiring as a lieutenant in 2017. He was also the vice president of the Dade County Police Benevolent Association from 2006 to 2018.

He has worked as an officer and corporal in Bay Harbor Islands for a year, according to a cover letter he submitted in his application for the chief position last week.

Lima is one of 35 candidates for the post. A spokesman for the town said Thursday that Lima is still in the running to become chief.

This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 5:25 PM.