Cuter Bay Mayor Ed “Mac” MacDougall has no hard feelings after losing the Republican primary for the congressional district 26 race last month. Really. And considering he was the old gringo who was supposed to get single digit dust, he sorta made history by coming in second in a predominantly Hispanic district.
But “Big Mac Daddy” does have a post election challenge for his partymate and the ultimate victor in the Aug. 26 election, Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos “Crybaby” Curbelo:
Come clean with your client list from your lobbying firm, Capitol Gains (because we all know it’s yours even if it’s in your wife’s name, wink, wink), and you will get Mac’s endorsement in what looks like a heated anyone-takes-it race against Democrat Congressman Joe Garcia.
Well, that is, as long as said client list doesn’t show what Ladra and others fear is going to be a clear conflict of interest with clients who may have benefited or stand to benefit from Curbelo’s position on the school board or stand to benefit from his potential election to Congress.
Don’t disclose the list and the longtime Republican’s nod will go to the Dem incumbent.
That’s right. And you heard it here first: Mac will back Joe Garcia if Curbelo doesn’t come clean.
Them there are some fightin’ words. Ladra always expected Mac to abstain, you know, being the good Republican that he is. But this is more his John Wayne style: Holding Curbelo’s feet to the fire.
Read related story: Carlos Curbelo hides client list under wife’s skirt
Mac told Ladra he didn’t know how else to respond to Curbelo’s unapologetic and arrogant (my words, not his) refusal to disclose the list of clients that bring him a six figure salary, as is the intent of state and federal disclosure laws for all elected officials and candidates. As Political Cortadito pointed out 
in June, Curbelo gets around that requirement by conveniently listing his lobbying firm in his wife’s name, even though she does not work there at all.
“I don’t know what else I can do to make people come clean,” said MacDougall, who is staying active and has been approached about starting a political radio program. He says he wants to take the fight to what he says is a tainted Republican Party establishment (more on that later), which endorsed Curbelo in a five-man primary without so much as a how-do-you-do to the other hopefuls.
“I hate to do it, but if Carlos Curbelo continues to intentionally dodge this question now that it’s out in the open, I will endorse Garcia,” Mac told Ladra.
But, and here is the challenge, if Curbelo just lists his clients and proves that there is no there there — how difficult can that be? — Mac will throw his support behind the GOP challenger and enlist his supporters as well. “Because good Republicans only support honest people,” he said.
“I dislike both of them,” MacDougall said about the congressional choices. “They’re both bad apples. But at least with Garcia, you know what you are getting. Garcia is the evil you know.”
So there you have it, Carlitos. Can you rise up to the challenge? It would be the statesmanlike thing to do. Show that you are congressman material.
Read related story: Who are some of Carlos Curbelo’s business partners?
And it would only be fair for you to give the client list to Ladra first. After all, she was the first to break this story and expose your convenient little loophole. But I know you’re still kinda peeved and you don’t talk to me anymore at all, especially since you cannot face me after making those false allegations about Ladra’s professionalism.
So go to anybody else. The real mission here is public disclosure, and Ladra is certain Mac doesn’t care how you come out with it. Neither do I. Go to Michael Putney or Glenna Milberg at WPLG Local10. You told Putney once — before you did a double take and about face and said it was 
“arbitrary” — that you would give him the list. Give it to him. Or to Jim DeFede at CBS4. Or to Roberto Rodriguez-Tejera at Mira TV.
Pay for a full page ad in The Miami Herald if you want to.
Pick your press.
It really makes no sense that Curbelo wouldn’t do this. Not just because MacDougall might help him cross that finish line, but also because just imagine the earned media. He would get millions of dollars worth of free publicity right as absentee ballots drop! My free media advice to you, because I hold no hard feelings either, is that you list your clients — if, of course, you have nothing to hide.
And while Mac has a challenge to his former colleague in the primary, Ladra similarly challenges her colleagues in the media: Do not let up on this.
Please do not let Carlos Curbelo shrug his shoulders and thumb his nose at us, saying that it’s “arbitrary” for to ask who his clients are. That’s ludicrous. He is not like any other private individual. It would not be like asking any one of us or Joe Blow from the street who signs his paycheck. Curbelo is a school board member and, by God, a congressional candidate. Elected officials and candidates must be held accountable. Those disclosure laws are there for a reason. He knows this. At the very least, he knows this now.
So, Michael, Glenna, Jim, Roberto — I’m even going to beseech Patricia Mazzei and Marc Caputo at the Herald — please don’t let Curbelo get away with this blatant disregard for the law.
Is he breaking the law? No.
He’s just totally disrespecting it and, if nobody stops him, laughing all the way to Washington, D.C.
Ed MacDougall to Carlos Curbelo: ‘Come clean’ or I back Joe added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
Letter to Editor never published:
Candidate for Congress, Carlos Curbelo, has “hidden behind his wife’s skirts” by taking advantage of an ethics loophole and turned over his lobbying business, Capital Gains, to his wife’s name. Now he does not have to disclose the names of his clients. But he also hid behind the skirts of two other women. He had them write letters to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools in February and September 2013, requesting that the long established school in my neighborhood, known as Kendale Elementary, be renamed “Lincoln Diaz-Balart Elementary.” Curbelo formerly worked for Diaz-Balart.
Approximately 200 neighbors of the school, parents of former students, former students, present students, and teachers, attended a public hearing in October 2013 in the school cafeteria regarding the name change. Many of them stated that they did not want their school renamed anything. Curbelo formerly worked for Lincoln Diaz-Balart and spoke at the hearing. The two women letter writers were nowhere to be found at the hearing.
Diane Lawrence
Thank you for your service MValdes and “Welcome Home”
Carlos Curbelo claims to be a patriot. When did he go to war? What enemy did he face? What territory did he defend? Is he a patriot because of his relationship with convicted felon Demetrio Perez, after all he voted to award him a charter school, and Dexter represented him before the School Board on a 24 million personal loan guarantee by the charter school to Regions Bank that Curbelo voted to grant him. Or is he a Patriot because of his relationship with DUI Al Cardenas? Or if he a Patriot for his relationship with the dynasty of the Party? Is a Patriot because he supports Commoncore for Jeb’s crew? Is he a Patriot because disbarred Pedro Munilla and MCM (school board vendors] support his candidacy?
Socialist and communists revolve around a small group of clan members. Joe Garcia is an admitted communist, at least on tape. What is the difference for the so call Patriot?
Did I go to war to fabricate such clowns? Or to defend democracy and our Constitution?
The Democrats are running ads in which Carlos is a “tea party” candidate, when in fact, there is almost nothing conservative about Curbelo and he got the early endorsements of Republicans like Mario, Illeana and Jeb, who act and vote like leftist Democrats. It’s also amazing that the Miami-Dade REC is still in an era or pretend/make-believe in thinking that areas South Dade and the Keys are like Hialeah, Miami Lakes or Little Havana in thinking that if they chose a candidate, all Republicans will magically vote for Carlos Curbelo. What they did was bring the GOP Civil War to our backdoor and divide Republicans. As far as Capital Gains and Curbelo’s shady past, I think it was Samuel Adams who said that if we are to face an enemy, let it be one who we know and are aware of instead of one who will likely stab us in the back.
I would back the devil over Carlos Curbelo!
[…] Read related story: Ed MacDougall to Carlos Curbelo — ‘come clean or I back Joe’ […]
Mimi, MacDougall came in second in the entire Disrict, which also includes Monroe County, where he killed it.
That brought him over Joe in Dade.
Thanks for playing, though.
Love, Ladra
Ladra, one correction. MacDougall came in third. Joe Martinez came in second. Please check the Miami-Dade Elections Dept. results to verify. Here’s the grid:
2,607
REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, DISTRICT 26
Vote type summary
Precincts Reporting
192 of 192 Precincts Reporting
Percent Votes
Carlos Curbelo (REP)
Percent of total votes
51.94% 12,349
Ed MacDougall (REP)
Percent of total votes
17.40% 4,137
Joe A. Martinez (REP)
Percent of total votes
19.69% 4,681
David Rivera (REP)
Percent of total votes
8.02% 1,907
Lorenzo Palomares Starbuck (REP)
Percent of total votes
2.95% 702
23,776
Our country is going to hell in a hand basket because of the democratic party’s actions and what does “Mac” say? If Carlos doesn’t do what he wants he’ll back Garcia? You didn’t deserve to win Ed. Its people like you that are destroying the Republican Party and our country. I wasn’t a fan of Carlos but your actions changed me. Carlos you got my vote!
I agree with your first comment but have remained Independent after leaving the Democratic Party 4 years ago. I am sick and tired of seeing politics trump personal ethics and responsibility. If you want to vote R because it is an R and not a D, please do so. However, I would rather have as clean a politician as possible and unfortunately both Garcia and Curbelo do not pass the smell test. I applaud MacDougall for forcing this issue into the open. Too many political IOUs and ethics garbage on both sides. At least this guy sticks his neck out for the people rather than party politics as usual.
BTW, I am proud native of the Florida Keys (Key Largo) and am sick and tired of Miami-Dade politicians telling me we have to fall in line behind this candidate and that candidate from Dade. Only thing I see down here on the part of Curbelo is his face with that of Ileana’s. Word of note she did nothing for us in the Keys and as I understand it she was delighted when they finally uncoupled her from the Keys, so were we.
Dear Ladra:
I love our democracy and love that we can agree to disagree on this one. Your final quote is one of my all-time favorites. As for Garcia not wanting to hide anything, I think you are flat-out wrong. He has been and he is hiding something – and that is why I don’t trust him and would not vote for him – even if he was the last Coca-Cola in the desert – not because he is a Republican or a Democrat or an independent. Just because he is lying Joe.
Love,
M
I can’t believe he would back Garcia ,that guy is in favor of communism
I usually don’t opine but, all of this division in our Republican party has to do with, Ileana, Mario, Lincoln and Jeb financial Capitol Gains. Everyone knows the names of the donors and list of so call clients of Capitol Gains, a corporation led by a homemaker, advised by a lobbyist with a conflict. These so call clients are, in relevant part, school board vendors.
The Republican candidate received 48% votes in a jurisdiction that people absent vote more frequent that people present. That percentage equates to a failing percentage if Republicans that voted [52%] voted for the other candidates do not support the candidate because of his clear conflicts of interest.
For the Republican party to go forward we must clear the path and terminate the so call dynasty and its conflicts of interest returning to the principles of the Republican party
As a Cutler Bay resident, I have been proud to have MacDougall as my Mayor. He is one of the few and hopefully not the last of good government leaders who put honesty and integrity above politics, something especially lacking in this county.
I am a Republican, but I will not vote for “Crybaby” Curbelo and the cabal of characters that he (she) represents. Crybaby speaks with a fork tongue….
Some how the Kendall group has been able to survive by word alone, frankly you have a little distorted view of yourself. As far as BIG MAC supporting a Democrat only lets us know the did the right thing in not electing him. If you change your loyalty at a drop the hat, and become a bully about it ( and as a mayor he was known for his rudeness ) then who wants you?
I wonder if you are Carlos Curbelo’s mother, Teresita. We actually met once in Kendall if that is indeed you. Your husband was very polite and humble and I thought much the same of you, but you are entitled to your opinion.
However, as a Florida Keys resident, I did vote for Ed MacDougall and hoped to back Carlos assuming he kept his word about disclosure about his business Capitol Gains, but almost a month after the primaries, I, my neighbors and friends are still waiting for him to come clean.
The only thing Carlos Curbelo should have to fear is fear himself.
I have noticed the FEW Curbelo or Republican PAC ads show an anti-Garcia tone as opposed to a SUPPORT CARLOS CURBELO and I have to wonder why is that. I figure someone supported by 47% in the primary would have a lot to show for it, but instead it has become Joe Garcia is this, Joe Garica is that, which makes me wonder, who is Carlos Curbelo? Curbelo got destroyed in the Keys and I fear he will get further hurt there and in South Dade by the many independents who are not swayed by the same attack ads against Joe Garcia. Your ads are downright boring. We have a right not to vote in the election and many of us intend to do so, because we are fed up with your son and Joe Garcia.
Teresita, if that is indeed you, I can guarantee you we will support your son 100% as opposed to not even voting in the election if your son just releases the files. Is he that weak or scared?
I think MacDougall gave you a very good olive branch that’s very easy to do if he is indeed clean.
I can’t take your son’s word alone, I and others need proof.
In addition, I know your son is in trouble, as he only has one campaign office, his signs are non-existent down here (and not welcome either at my door nor are Joe’s) and I have yet to receive a knock on the door from your group, but I have (much to my dislike) from Garcia’s camp.
Right now, I don’t want to vote at all on this contest, you both piss me off. Show me differently.
Way to Go Mac, I’m with you I am a republican , but I will default my vote into a “write-in” canidate
I would like to nail Crybaby publicly on his utter cheap nature of living in a beautiful community (hey, we’re not Pinecrest, but our common areas are maintained by a voluntary Kendale HOA) and not to have the character and decency to chip in a lousy $35 per year to join.
Diane Lawrence
Many years ago there was a county locksmith at the airport who moonlighted on the side. (as is the case with a lot of licensed tradesmen). As I recall he even had his private company under his wife’s name.
There developed some confusion about what tools and materials the guy was buying on the county dime and which he brought himself and used on both the county and private work.
As a result the the county decided this was too sketchy an arrangement
to separate public from private work so the create this no-conflict ethics law that stands to this day.
Every county employee with outside income must annually file a declaration the source and amount of their outside income and you are not allowed to work at an outside job which overlaps your work for county government.
Ironic we hold our county plumbers, electricians and locksmiths to a higher standard than our congressmen.
Let me get this right. MacDougall thinks his endorsement is so precious that Curbelo who has not done anything illegal according to your own words should “come clean” or Mac will vote for Garcia who is being investigated for the illegal fake candidate Arrojo?
Not to mention the voter fraud that sent Jeff “No Relation” Garcia to jail. Well, I say that Mac’s 15 minutes are over and I would not consider serious an endorsement from someone that would give such ultimatum. What a disappointment. As the saying goes it is easier to see the true character of a person when they lose rather than when they win.
Marili, with all due respect, the key difference here is that Joe Garcia plausibly — and I say plausibly — has nothing to do with either the AB fraud or the Arrojo fraud. This all stinks of Jeffrey Garcia and I know these campaign operatives well enough to know now that they don’t always tell the candidate what they are doing. The State Attorney’s Office, while no bastion of good judgement, has said the Congressman is not implicated. So while his staff is guilty of these crimes, he can say that he has done nothing wrong.
Can Curbelo? “Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it right.” You know who said that? He did. About MacDougall not living in the district. Just because he hasn’t broken the law by putting his business intentionally in his wife’s name and KEEPING IT THERE doesn’t make it right. In fact, the sheer arrogance of not making amends seems to indicate something wrong.
Ladra don’t like either candidate either. But Garcia is not trying to hide anything. He’s a nincompoop who picks his ear during national security meetings and talks shit about communism and has friends that I wouldn’t trust with a fork.
But we know who his friends are. That’s the difference.
And I am not so sure about your saying, which implies that all Republicans should just forget whatever doubts they have about Republican Candidate X, even if they think he’s a crook, and back him because, hey, he’s our party boy. That doesn’t sound like the Democracy that I love. And I do know that this lack of disclosure was an issue with Mayor MacDougall, as it was with the other candidates, during the primary and I think there is something to be said for sticking to the principle and standing your ground, even if it is going to be unpopular.
I don’t recognize that saying of yours, but there’s another saying that comes to mind. “All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Love, Ladra