Democrat activist Carlos Pereira, a candidate for Doral City Council, was suspended this week from the Miami-Dade 
Democratic Executive Committee (DEC) because he allegedly endorsed Republican State Rep. Carlos Trujillo.
Pereira says he has not endorsed anybody in the race for House District 105 and that he cannot control a photo that Trujillo posted on Facebook touting an endorsement. He also told Ladra that nobody in the DEC even contacted him to ask him about it and that there must be another reason why they are creating this controversy six weeks before the Doral election.
Miami-Dade Democrats Executive Director Juan Cuba says there is an investigation into it. Pereira is suspended until the committee meets to vote on it.
An endorsement would be a violation of his loyalty oath, a document signed by all members of the DEC that swears not to support any opponent of a Democratic nominee. Trujillo has a challenge from Democrat Patricio Moreno. It’s a throwaway challenge, sure. The Dems just tossed a bunch of token candidates into the state races at the last minute, again… but nobody expects them to actually compete. Even in District 105, which went to President Obama with the widest margin in 2012 and where the Dems apparently expect to win just because there’s a D next to Moreno’s name.
Maybe the DEC should have better supported Pereira, a DEC member since 2012, when he actually ran against Trujillo in 2014. None of the $13,000 or so he raised two years ago seems to have come directly from the party, although $2,500 comes from the SEIU, which many might think is an extension of the party.
Trujillo, who raised almost $265,000, easily beat Pereira 60 to 40 percent.
Read related story: Doral considers condemning Trump, taking back city key
But apparently, Pereira is over it.
Despite leading the charge to take away the Doral key to the city given to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump because of his anti-immigrant stance, Pereira has been MIA from multiple immigrant advocate protests against Trujillo, who wants to pass a law that would make illegal immigrants felons just for being in this country without permission. Cuba says Pereira had Trujillo on his webcast show.
Then in June, Pereira received a $1,000 donation from Conservative and Principled Leadership for Florida, a PAC 
controlled by Carlos Trujillo. It is more than a quarter of the $3,775 raised as of Aug. 31. Then Tuesday, via Facebook, Trujillo announced the endorsement of Carlos Pereira.
“Honored to receive the endorsement of my Democratic opponent from 2014, Carlos Pereira,” Trujillo posted with a photo of the two in front of Doral City Hall. “Thank you for your support!”
That caused Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Bullard, a Florida senator facing his own re-election challenge, to suspend Pereira just hours later.
Read related story: Rep. Carlos Trujillo draws protests over anti-immigrant bill
“It is unfortunate that Carlos Pereira would endorse a Republican who wants to further criminalize undocumented 
immigrants, privatize public education, eliminate the minimum wage, and end collective bargaining,” Bullard said, hinting that the contribution to his campaign bought the endorsement. “It’s also deeply troubling that Pereira would accept a $1,000 contribution from Trujillo’s PAC and create a perception of quid pro quo.”
“Carlos Pereira should no longer be considered a spokesperson for the Democratic Party on any media outlets,” a statement read.
Pereira said that he and Trujillo are friendly.
“He treated me with respect during the 2014 campaign and since. He was a gentleman. He is supporting me in the non partisan race in Doral,” Pereira said, adding that the photo was taken during an art exhibit opening at Doral City Hall. “I can’t control what he puts on his Facebook page.”
The Democrat activist also told Ladra that he has “a good relationship with Patricio, too,” and had not yet decided who to support in that race. “At no moment, have I declared that I am with one candidate or the other.”
Perhaps the Miami-Dade Dems should place more efforts on helping Moreno, who is hung out to dry just like Pereira was in 2014, with only $1,200 raised and a $2,000 loan to himself. Meanwhile, Trujillo — who, by the way, qualified via petition signatures — has outdone his bank from two years ago with $282,000 raised as of Sept. 16.
Democrat ousted from Miami-Dade DEC for GOP nod added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
