A Florida activist filed a lawsuit this week challenging plans to build President Donald Trump’s presidential library in downtown Miami, citing concerns over a lack of transparency in the approval process.
Historian Dr. Marvin Dunn alleged Miami Dade College’s Board of Trustees violated Florida law when it gifted roughly two-and-a-half acres of land to the state to use for the library. He wants to void the land transfer until the college’s board takes a new, publicly noticed vote.
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“I want Miami Dade College trustees to rescind that offer,” Dunn told Local 10 News. “They took land from our kids without the decency of asking us, the public, what we thought about that.”
The college voted on Sept. 23 to cede the land to Florida. The same day, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) announced the proposal to gift the land to Trump’s library. Roughly a week later, the governor held a meeting with his Cabinet and finalized the transfer of the property to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation.
Dunn alleged the college’s board of trustees violated Florida’s 1967 “Sunshine Law” by giving the public “inadequate” notice and not livestreaming the Sept. 30 meeting ceding land control. The law requires public boards and commission meetings to be open to the public, provide reasonable notice of such meetings, and include recorded minutes.
“This action does not have to do with whether the District Board of Trustees made a wise decision. It is not brought to lodge a political protest. Rather, it deals with the fact that, in making its decision, the District Board of Trustees unquestionably violated [the Sunshine law],” the lawsuit states.
The college’s Board of Trustees issued a public notice a week before its meeting, writing that the purpose was to “discuss potential real estate transactions.”
Dunn accused the governor’s Cabinet of giving final approval to the development without holding proper discussions. The property on the university campus is valued at $67 million and was previously used as a college parking lot.
“Presumably, they did not meet beforehand. That would be a violation of the law,” the Miami activist said. “They had a meeting, they did not discuss the item. Not on an agenda. They passed it without discussion. How does that happen?”
The former history professor laid the brunt of the blame at the governor’s feet, claiming he led the “underhanded behind-the-scenes scheming.”
“People were following his orders, and I take this straight to his doorstep. Ron DeSantis orchestrated to steal land that belongs to our kids for Donald Trump, the person he apparently idolizes,” Dunn said.
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Leading Florida officials, including DeSantis and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, have praised the presidential development.
The governor said he was “honored to house [Trump’s] presidential library here in his home state” last month. Suarez previously told the Washington Examiner that he believed the library announcement marked “a watershed moment for Miami’s position in the world.”