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He has also served as the chair of the Citizens’ Oversight Committee watching over government interlocal agreements with the Miami-Dade County School Board (hey, isn’t that a little like the fox watching the hen house?) in addition to being a Diamond Society Member of Miami Children’s Hospital.
He is sooooo philanthropic, in fact, that last year he and his wife Maritere were awarded the James W. McLamore Outstanding Volunteer award by the Association of Fundraising’s Miami-Dade chapter.
Lopez has also written editorials and op-ed pieces and is a frequent commentator on television and radio shows — usually where he goes to defend the interests of his clients, whether its the Miami Heat or the contractor who hopes to get a piece of the $16 billion water and sewer pie (more on that later).
But, still, Lopez obviously considers himself a civic leader — one who has recently taken it upon himself to conduct email polls on important county issues — and Ladra thinks he’s got political aspirations deep down inside.
So how can he just thumb his nose at the law? Is Ladra the only one who sees the contradiction?
While there are good arguments to be made for the ride sharing service, it is still illegal. Cab and limo companies paid $400,000 a piece for medallions so they could operate — that’s money that goes into Miami-Dade coffers for, one would hope, firefighters and libraries and parks and seniors’ meals, and not, one would hope, sports stadiums owned by millionaires. Why does Lyft think it can do it for nothing? How can Lopez defend that?
The lobbyist won’t call Ladra back. I have contacted his office repeatedly for comment on a number of things, but have not been able to reach him or reschedule a meeting he gave me in May but which I had to cancel because of a family illness. Then, when I sent an email to his assistant Mayra del Rio this morning to get a comment about this specifically — and also ask about the recent Bendixen & Amandi poll results that show an overwhelming number of voters did not like the agreement that the county signed off on with the owner of the Miami Heat — Ladra got a veiled threat.
“I spoke to Mr. Lopez and he stands by all previous media statements regarding Lyft,” she wrote. “If anything that is published is inaccurate, he reserves the right to contest it under Florida law.”
Ooooooh. I’m so scaaaaared.
Not really. But maybe I should then address his clients directly, and ask them how they can put up with this illegal promotion.
Ladra is quite certain that Carnival Cruise Lines owner Micky Arison — the richest man in Florida for whom Lopez just 
secured a sweetheart extension deal on the arena — would not put up with stowaways on any of his ships. And I don’t think that Florida Power & Light, another one of Lopez’s customers, would let anyone connect to their neighbor’s electricity. And I’m pretty sure that NASCAR founder Bill France and his family, who own the Homestead Miami Speedway and also pay JLL as their lobbyist, would not tolerate people selling counterfeit NASCAR merchandise on U.S. 1 — no matter how much the public really wants and deserves cheaper Dale Earnhardt Jr. t-shirts.
So, if you wouldn’t want it done to you… Ladra challenges these clients of Lopez to give him an ultimatum, otherwise you might be seen as being as guilty as he is: Stop working for scofflaws, Jorgito, or stop working for us.
What are we going to tolerate next? Prostitution? Many people think that’s a victimless crime. Or the Mexican cartel? I mean, if marijuana is going to be legalized anyway.
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Lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez: Civic leader? Or rogue scofflaw? added by Ladra on
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