Let the political Hunger Games begin.
When the prize is a $1.6 billion sewer contract at Miami-Dade, the lobbyists and representatives of the companies vying for 
that chunk of ka-ching are like “tributes” fighting to the death. They are not just going to lay down and die if they don’t get it on the first try. Or even the second.
They’re going to fight.
Because even though Mayor Carlos Gimenez has recommended AECOM Technological Services for the fat, juicy job, the commissioners will make the final decision. Maybe as early as Tuesday. And they could go with the firm that the county had originally picked, CH2M Hill. Even though AECOM was ranked first by a selection committee, county staff recommended CH2M Hill after they provided supplemental information. That raised concerns that the cone of silence had been broken. AECOM complained. An investigation ensued.
And at the end of the day, the inspector general cleared the way for AECOM to get rewarded for protesting.
Read related content: Carlos Gimenez rewards family (again) in $1.6 billion deal
But it ain’t over til the fat cats on the commission dais sing. That’s why more than 15 lobbyists with both sides — because there are more lobbyists than the ones registered at the county — have been meeting with them Thursday, Friday and likely again Monday.
Even the mayor has a visit scheduled in just a couple of hours this afternoon from some of his pals with a stake in the project — former State Rep. Marcelo Llorente, his business partner Alex Heckler and Ralph Garcia-Toledo, who used to drive Gimenez around in his first mayoral campaign and is now in line to, well, line his pockets just because of the palanca.
While Llorente is one of 10 CH2M Hill reps registered at the county, Garcia-Toledo is not a registered lobbyist, as required — but his wife Vicky Gacia-Toledo is.
So what is Ralph doing there today? Shouldn’t she be the one at the meeting? Or does Ralph serve as her proxy because he has more of the mayor’s ear?
Ladra has calls in to the mayor’s office, his new spokesman Michael Hernandez, Llorente and Garcia-Toledo and will provide more details as soon as she’s got ’em.
But the mayor certainly has pressure on both sides pulling him in two directions. While Llorente endorsed him after he came in third in the 2011 recall mayoral race and Garcia-Toledo probably has breakfast every Saturday in the Gimenez kitchen, the mayor’s daughter, Barby Rodriguez Gimenez, works for one of the lobbyists for AECOM.
And you know what they say about blood being thicker than water and sewer.
Lobbyists hungry for that $1.6 billion job meet with mayor added by Ladra on
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The back door deals were done before the commision meeting. The management and oversite of the contract was awarded to one company but the other is still allowed to bid and steal, ehh eat, their piece of the pie. Rebeca Sosa commended both companies for their behavior throughput the process.
Rebeca, cuante se estan metiendo tu y Gimenez en el bolsillo? Ladrones!!!!!!
Mandaria you must be a Belen and Columbus alumni. How ironic that you refer to Domenic’s factual comments as communist when everybody knows that the Cuban exile community style of politics is a blueprint of a communist party running their agenda. Furthermore, 20 years ago Carlos Gimenez was a “Cuban repentido” or better yet walked around as a “so called Anglo” embarrassed to admit that his parents were Cubans. Funny enough he married a cubanita who loves the very same dirty politics which has been prominent in the island of Cuba. Carlos Gimenez is a chameleon. He will turn every color or compromise himself to get whatever he wants!
Domenic. Stop being such a communist!
There is a difference between pointing out the theft of our tax dollars by unscrupulous characters and being a communist. In years past, calling someone a communist meant the loss of jobs, friends and being ostracized by this community. Luckily,those days are behind us. If hearing the truth about the gang of thieves coming out of Belen and Columbus bothers you, I suggest you find a more suitable blog.
If you want to see “Humbleness and civic service for the sake of the community” talk to your local librarians. Unfortunately, they are coming late to this political mess that places them in the middle of a budget where billions are mismanaged and services to the public are crushed.
These Belen/Columbus type boys leave nothing to the imagination! How to fleece the system 101 and Networking to get ahead 102 seem to be required courses at those institutions. Humbleness and civic service for the sake of the community is not in play when the mighty dollar is at stake. How much money in the bank, how many mansions and yachts can they accumulate at the expense of others before they had their fill? Of course it all gets washed away on Sunday when they visit their church and get blessed by their favorite priest. Silk suits and fancy cars cannot hide your pestilence.