Now challenged, Philip Levine also sheds shady PAC

Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine officially launched his re-election campaign last week with an email to his supporters, bragging about all he has done, boasting that he’s cleaned up City Hall, and saying that he will again fund his own campaign.

I guess he forgot that the now defunct and still shady Relentless for Progress PAC already paid to produce and air at least two TV ads in recent weeks that prominently feature him walking about and talking about all the great things he’s done.

Oh, he probably means from now on he won’t take anybody’s money. Or any contributions over $100, anyway.

Just a few weeks ago, he was on Michael Putney’s This Week in South Florida show, defending the PAC that got several $100,000 checks from contractors, vendors and developers with interests in city business and/or zoning because, hey, ‘everybody else does it’ and it was not illegal. He admitted to making calls himself to donors.

In Friday’s email, Levine — who loaned himself $250,000 and had no other contributions in his first campaign finance report — said “I will not accept PAC money, and I will not accept money from lobbyists, because the only actions I intend to take, the only decisions I intend to make, are going to be based on the magnitude of their impact on helping Miami Beach, not on the size of a check.”

He would have to return every single penny of the PAC money that has already been spent for that to be remotely true.

What changed? Public opinion, that’s what. Levine knows he hurt his credibility and his image with that shady PAC and his consorting with Commissioner Jonah “Potty Mouth” Wolfson. In fact, Ladra believes he may have done permanent damage to his political future — any opponent can raise the dirty money attack in the future — and that he will try desperately to distance himself from Wolfson in the lame duck commissioner’s final months.

We’ve also heard that David Wieder, the attorney who filed to run against Levine and who has served on the city’s historic preservation board, is an eloquent speaker who knows how to get to the truth of the matter. I can’t wait for the debates between the two.

Especially on what Levine called “huge advances on the five major goals we set out to accomplish at the end of 2013.” I fully expect Wieder to call the mayor’s bluff. Should be easy to show that his messages mean nada.

On street flooding, Levine said “we have a short term and long term plan to keep our streets dry.” What he didn’t say is that he short term plan was to do the street in front of his property first. Or that the new pumps may be polluting the waters.

On corruption, the mayor said “we’ve led by example, not government scandal.” Really? The shady PAC is a great example. So much so that your partner in crime had to shut it down.

On reforming city finances: “We’ve invested in excellence, not mediocrity.” Yeah, like one excellent birthday party that is said to have cost the city hundreds of thousands, if not millions. Ladra is still getting all the details (more on that later).

On customer service: “Now at City Hall, the people come first.” That is not what Ladra hears. People who supported the mayor can’t get a meeting or a returned phone call.

He also boasts of having united North Beach, Middle Beach and South Beach into one Miami Beach. Is he crazy? Those neighborhoods have branded themselves individually for years — like New York’s upper East and lower East sides — and he’s now going to just jam them all together in a blender like a margarita? Who said the people want that?

Ah, in the final graph you see it’s all part of his own master plan.

“Over the coming weeks and months, I will share with you my plans and vision for keeping us heading in the right direction, by offering solutions to our transportation system, our traffic, and our preservation of neighborhoods, while showing that as Miami Beach grows, we will grow smart.”

Maybe the Beach has grown smart about him.

David Wieder, Philip Levine

Now challenged, Philip Levine also sheds shady PAC added by Ladra on September 10, 2015
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