Miami Lakes Interim Mayor Ceasar Mestre — who was vice mayor until the arrest last week of Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi on bribery and extortion charges after an FBI sting operation — has dropped out of the race to replace Pizzi permanently.
In a text message to his friends and other council members, Mestre said that he was not going to run for mayor in order to focus on his family and his career.
Mestre called me back from a family event before his phone battery died and confirmed to me he was not running.
“The timing is not right for me and my family,” Mestre told Ladra. “And I don’s think putting my family in jeopardy makes too much sense at this time.”
Jeopardy? Hmmmm. Ladra has to wonder if his role in the kick-back scheme that was really an FBI undercover sting operation had anything to do with it. Running for mayor would certainly put more attention on his part in the whole corrupt mess. I also think that he may have realized that people would see him the same as they see Pizzi, since they have been allies for so long, and the campaign against him would tie him to Pizzi’s schemes.
Remember, Mestre was the one who — at Pizzi’s behest — presented the resolution to have the bogus Sunshine Universal company apply for grants on the town’s behalf. While the affidavit that was used for Pizzi’s arrest warrant was short on details on the how — it seems he never met with the undercover officers — there could be more to come and he has been requested to provide testimony on Thursday.
Anyway, that leaves a threeway race between Councilman Nelson Hernandez, dentist David “Doc” Bennett and founding town Mayor Wayne Slaton. Some other guy is supposed to be in it, too, but nobody has ever heard of him. We will know the full ballot by Friday, which is the deadline to qualify.
Hernandez confirmed he got Mestre’s text a little before 3 p.m. Sunday and that he was moving ahead with his plans to run himself. In fact, he will have a short press conference Monday when Hernandez will announce his candidacy and resignation from the council.
“This is a great opportunity to elect future leaders in a city that needs leadership now,” Hernandez told me over the telephone. “We need new ideas and a fresh mindset and the will and determination that a new generation of leaders can bring.”
That might be a dig at Bennett and Slaton, who were Hernandez allies and are still running for mayor, but are a bit older than the councilman.
“I consider both gentlemen my friends, but whatever their decision is, I’m going ahead with my plan and I hope I can get their support,” Hernandez said.
He said he also respected Mestre and his decision not to run.
“He has to do right by his family,” Hernandez told me.
Anyway, this means there will be another seat open when Hernandez resigns. Already, Ladra is hearing someone named Frank Mingo is going to run for that, with the full support of his friend, State Rep. Jose Oliva (R-Miami Lakes).
Bennett told Ladra that he would run for council if Mingo does not file by the deadline, which is Friday, but that he would not run against him because he would likely be well-funded if Oliva is going to back him.
He is encouraged by the fallout from Pizzi’s arrest: Bennett — who has long railed against the mayor and said he was corrupt — got about 150 phone calls in the hours that followed when news first got out Tuesday and a standing ovation at Einstein Bagels.
“If I’m going to lose, I’d rather lose against Hernandez than against Mingo,” Bennett told me, knowing that Oliva is likely to support Hernandez, too. So are the other local representatives, who include State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez and Sen. Rene Garcia. And Ladra can’t help but wonder if they discouraged Mestre from running.
“But no matter what, it’s all good,” he added, still giddy with the turn of events five days later and satisfied with anybody but Pizzi.
“No matter what happens, I have the next mayor’s number on my cell phone.”
Ceasar Mestre drops from Miami Lakes mayoral race added by Ladra on
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