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We don’t know, for instance, if he worked on that Areas Miami contract with the state for concession stands at eight Florida Turnpike service plazas, like the malas lenguas say. The firm is a subsidiary of a Spanish parent company that may be doing business in Cuba. And that’s only a problem for his Congressional campaign, not a potential conflict of interest with his elected office. More importantly, we don’t know, for instance, if Curbelo worked for any of the vendors or contractors he’s awarded millions of dollars to through the School Board taxes over the course of the last four years. We don’t know, for instance, if he’s done any work for Academica, the charter school company owned by the family of his friend, State Rep. Erik Fresen, who at one point had and may still have an office within the Capitol Gains office on Alhambra Plaza.
Curbelo hasn’t called Ladra back since we last spoke about these disclosure issues almost two weeks ago. But it’s not like he hasn’t blurred the lines before.
Remember Genting? That’s the one client we know Curbelo has had, since he was their public spokesman and cheerleader when the Malaysian-New York group of investors wanted to build a casino resort on the former Miami Herald property site that now sits vacant and in limbo (more on that later). When Genting wanted to buy land the School Board owns to build a ramp directly from I-95 to the site, lo and behold, the Superintendent puts out a request for interest on the property. Alberto Carvalho told reporters back then that he didn’t speak to the Genting people directly but “indirectly.” Wonder what that means. La malas lenguas say Curbelo was the one pushing to get a property appraisal and getting colleagues to consider moving their offices elsewhere.
Disclosure laws make sense and exist for a reason. We should know if a particular special interest is signing a politician’s paycheck. There could be overlap or connections to government contracts. It’s not like it’s never happened before around here.
Former Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez is looking stronger and stronger every day.
Because, at the end of the day, we just don’t know where Curbelo’s income — and his net worth has more than doubled to $535,000, as of 2012 — is coming from. We just don’t know who he’s really working for.
And he’s okay with that.
But I’m not so sure voters would be.
Carlos Curbelo hides lobbying client list under wife’s skirt added by Ladra on
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