Sometimes, there’s not enough to report for a full blown story, but the info is too good not to pass on. So, to get you these tiny gems of political intrigue, Ladra introduces you to a new sometimes feature: Political Cortaditos — a collection of briefs, updates and small developments.
Fatima Perez dumps Beach for Atlanta, Koch bros
Fatima Perez, who up until last month was chief of staff for Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, has taken a 
new job — again — as state government affairs regional manager for Koch Companies.
Perez touts more than 15 years’ experience in state government — senior adviser to former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, senior legislative aide for Florida State Rep. Annie Betancourt and Sen. Walter “Skip” Campbell, lobbyist for AT&T, lobbyist with Akerman Senterfitt and then became a partner with Southern Strategy Group in Tallahassee.
Either she is really good at climbing the political corporate ladder or she can’t keep a job. And it depends on who you ask.
Perez will move to Atlanta for the position (not Tallahassee?) and told FloridaPolitics.com she will be responsible for all state and governmental affairs for Koch Industries and its affiliates in Florida, and North and South Carolina.
Michael Gongora swears in Beach commissioner
Not only did Kristen Rosen Gonzalez beat the better
financed Betsy Perez, who was backed by Mayor Philip Levine, in the Miami Beach commission race last week. On Monday, she threw salt in the wound by having former Commissioner Michael Gongora swear her in.
Gongora, as you may recall, almost forced Levine into a runoff in the 2013 election that the mayor bought. It must have been especially fun for Levine to watch Rosen Gonzalez be ushered onto the dais by Gongora. I know that her supporters thought it was fun.
Rosen Gonzalez, who campaigned as an independent voice and often against Levine and his cadre of pocket commissioners, didn’t post a bunch of pictures with her new colleagues on Facebook. Just one of her with her family.
Her first commission meeting is Dec. 9.
New Miami Commissioner to swear in Wednesday
Miami Commissioner Elect Ken Russell, who took the city by surprise earlier this month when he won the first round election with an 18-point lead — causing 
perceived frontrunner Teresa Sarnoff to drop out of the runoff — will be sworn into office at noon Wednesday.
Russell told Ladra last week that his priorities would be traffic and overdevelopment, homlessness and green spaces, ethics and quality of life, por supuesto.
“I can affect a palpable change that people will feel,” he said, being way optimistic like first-time candidates often are. Ladra likes that.
His first commission meeting is Dec. 10.
Marc Sarnoff opens firm for … lobbying?
Outgoing Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff might have political
aspirations beyond the city but it seems that those will have to wait for now.Not just because his wife’s terrible 23% showing in the first round Miami election and subsequent withdrawal has hurt him politically a little, but also because we still don’t know yet if Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez is going anywhere (and it looks increasingly like he’s not).
So, instead, Sarnoff’s opened a new company called Sarnoff Solutions.
“Our organization provides an exclusive service that finds opportunities to maximize corporate potential,” said the website. “Think of us as a ‘corporate matchmaker.’ We provide mutually beneficial synergistic relationships that deliver results. Our connections produce increased revenue and create ‘win-win’ scenarios. We capture hidden value and turn waste into profits.”
Well, well. Everything ‘cept that last line screams lobbying, don’t it? The matchmaking could be with government grants and contracts.
Just watch.
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