David T. Kennedy

David Thomas Kennedy (April 7, 1934 – September 4, 2014) was an American attorney and politician. Kennedy served as the Mayor of Miami from 1970 until 1973. Background Kennedy received his B.A. and M.A. from Florida State University and graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 1958. Political career Kennedy was elected to the City of Miami Commission in 1961. Kennedy used this position as a springboard to launch a successful campaign for Mayor of Miami in 1970. As mayor, Kennedy sought to transform Miami into an eco-friendly city. With inspiration from renowned 19th century architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Kennedy drafted the plans for the creation of Miami's Bicentennial Park, which would open in 1976. While mayor, Kennedy also served as campaign manager for Indiana Senator Birch Bayh's potential run for President in the 1972 Democratic primary, but when Bayh declined to run, Kennedy joined Democrats for Nixon, becoming its vice president. After Nixon's reelection, it was also rumored that Kennedy would be offered an ambassadorship in Latin America, but nothing came to fruition. Bribery controversy In 1973, Kennedy became engulfed in a bribery controversy, alongside political insider Frank Martin, Mina Davidson, Temperance Wright, and judges Jack Turner and Murray Goodman. As early as 1971, the Dade County Sheriff's Office and the Miami Police Department secretly began investigating Martin, who was known to have influence with local officials. Kennedy, a friend of Davidson, arranged a meeting with Martin to get Judge Turner to reduce the drug-related sentence of Davidson's son. Additionally, Martin and Wright convinced Judge Goodman to reduce the sentence of a man convicted of sexual offenses. Caught on tape by police wiretaps at a Miami truck stop, Kennedy and the others were all arrested for conspiracy to commit bribery.