Missed opportunity: Mayor Carlos Gimenez on the stand

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Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Cry Wolf” Gimenez took the stand last week in the public corruption case against former Homestead Mayor Steven Bateman, who is accused of using his elected position and office to benefit Community Health of South Florida, which had hired him as a consultant (read: lobbyist) to help get a clinic approved.

Gimenez testified that Bateman, who had come to see him about a pump station needed for the planned project, never said he was working on behalf of a third party.

The mayor’s visit to the courthouse was short. But, darned it! Ladra sees a missed opportunity here. Couldn’t we have taken advantage that he was under oath to ask Gimenez some other questions? Oh, I don’t know, questions like:

• What and when did you know about the absentee ballot fraud committed in Hialeah in 2012?
• How’s Al Lorenzo, your old buddy and campaign agent, who was implicated in the AB shenanigans?
• Was the dismantling of the Miami-Dade Police public corruption unit last year payback for their investigation of your campaign?
• Did you know when you gave the Adrienne Arscht Performing Arts Center $4 million for roof repairs that the trust would give the no-bid contract to a company that hired your son?
• Where do you keep finding all this money for the budget to save the day at the last minute?
• Why do you hate county employees?
• What are the insurance benefits that you and your wife receive as a retiree from the city of Miami?
• Why did you flip flop at the last minute on the courthouse referendum issue you were not willing to support the day before?
• What really happened between you and your former chief of staff, longtime confidant Genaro “Chip” Iglesias?
• Does your new chief of staff really deserve an 83% raise?
• What did Miami Dolphins’ owner Steve Ross promise you for your ramming through, finally, some taxpayer funded relief for this multi-millionaire?
• What does David Beckham smell like?
• What is it with the stadiums?
• How do you sleep at night?

Ladra could probably go on and on and on. I’m quite certain I’ve forgotten some good ones. But what’s the point? He’s off the stand and what are the chances he’ll be in that position again?

Oh, riiiiight. This is Miami-Dade, after all. Eeees pausible.

Maybe next time.

  Carlos Gimenez, Miami-Dade budget, Steven Bateman