After nearly two years of legal battles following his arrest on bribery charges, Michael Pizzi returned to his seat as the mayor of Miami Lakes Wednesday.
"I made it back!" Pizzi said to a group of supporters and reporters outside city hall. "This long and difficult journey has finally after almost two years come to a successful conclusion."
Pizzi vowed to build more parks and infrastructure, lower taxes and add more police. He couldn't say what would happen to the town attorney who handled the court battle against him.
"As far as I'm concerned, there's no grudges," he said.
Former mayor Wayne Slaton announced Monday he would not fight the appeals court ruling upholding a Miami-Dade judge's decision to allow Pizzi back in office.
"After two years of fighting, today my exoneration is complete, I've come full circle," Pizzi said. "I'm back with my sleeves rolled up, I'm back to resume my duties right this second as mayor of the great Town of Miami Lakes."
Pizzi was suspended from office by Gov. Rick Scott in August 2013 following his arrest. He was later acquitted by a federal jury.
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The legal battle to put Pizzi back in office cost taxpayers more than $370,000.
"We are so happy with all the situation is over because now the community is going to do a lot of projects that were started before and now it's going to be finished," resident Marta Martuinez said.
"The worst day of my life was when I left here in handcuffs but I knew with faith in God and faith in my principles, I knew this day would come," Pizzi said.
