Miami commissioner loses free-speech lawsuit, ordered to pay $63M

Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo was ordered to pay $63.5 million by a Broward County jury in a lawsuit brought by the owners of Little Havana nightclub Ball & Chain, who alleged Carollo harassed them for supporting his political rival.

Why it matters: Taxpayers could be on the hook for the bill.

• Business owners William Fuller and Martin Pinilla said their case can have "national significance" for others defending themselves from government retaliation, WLRN reported.

Catch up fast: Fuller and Pinilla, who own several popular clubs and restaurants, argued that Carollo "weaponized" city resources to try shutting down their businesses, the Miami Herald reports.

• They said it was retaliation for organizing a rally for Carollo's opponent during the commissioner's 2017 re-election campaign.

The other side: Carollo's attorneys have argued Fuller and Pinilla did unpermitted work and that the commissioner never directed anyone to target them.

What we're watching: Will Carollo appeal the verdict?

• City attorney Victoria Méndez told WLRN that he "should exercise" his appellate rights. She declined to say whether the city would cover the damages.