Former State Sen. and current Miami city commission candidate Alex Diaz de la Portilla had another stellar month for fundraising in February, more 
than doubling his total to almost $86,000.
But at least half of the $45,380 raised in February, according to the campaign financial reports filed last week, was through bundles, which generally indicate donors with more than just a passing interest.
That includes $2,250 in 11 contributions from real estate development companies tied to Sergio Pino, $5,000 in five maximum contributions from real estate development companies controlled by Henry Torres, $3,000 in three maximum gifts from property management companies held by Lewis Swezy, $3,000 from lobbyist Eric Zichella, another $5,000 from real estate and development companies controlled by Rolando Delgado, $2,500 from former State Rep. turned lobbyist Eddy Gonzalez and $2,500 from hotel developer Richard Meruelo.
Ladra can’t help but wonder if these folks want a piece of the Miami Freedom Park Pie, the mega shopping/office/retail complex disguised as a soccer stadium that is planned for Melreese Golf Course. It’s got room for a hotel, too. The Dean — whose first month was also marked by a bunch of bundles and lobbyist dinero — is running for the seat vacated by the termed out Commissioner Willy Gort, who opposes the mega complex as planned.
Read related: Alex DLP bolts out of Miami gate with a campaign cash advantage
The open seat has drawn a number of candidates.
The only one with more money than Diaz de la Portilla is Miguel Angel 
Gabela, who loaned himself $100K. He raised another $17,000 but has spent more than half of that so far. Horacio Aguirre has spent the same $8,575 or so, but he has raised a total of $42,425. Eleazar David Melendez, the former aide to Commissioner Ken Russell, raised $4,442 in February, but spent $3 more. He has a total bank of $22,165. The only other person to have raised any funds is Yanny Hidalgo with $12,087, and spent $2,561 of that.
Former congressional candidate Michael Hepburn has withdrawn from the race and none of the other three candidates have raised a dime.
But, wait, there’s more. Because Alex DLP’s political action committee — the one he used for the senate race and then the county commission race — has raised almost $22,000 since October. He’s also spent almost $10,000, including $3K to Absentee Ballot Queen Sasha Tirador.
Alex DLP keeps bunching bundles of special interest campaign money added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
[…] Read related: Alex DLP keeps bunching bundles of special interest campaign money […]
To bad you don’t give the same kind of scrunity to the campaign contributions that the present Mayor of Coral Gables is receiving. Real Estate Development Company after another Real Estate Development Company and the attorney’s and consulting firms they hire. I hope the residents of Coral Gables really look at the most recent campaign reports and who is supporting the Mayor before they cast their vote for the April 9th election.
Christopher Davis ,
I agree ” Greed ! Greed ! Greed ! Money ! Money ! Money ! With a bunch of liars & Cheats hooked up with Politicians ” but in Miami they are in a different category and they aren’t called ” Cuban Cosa Nostra ” for nothing .
My own Cuban opinion is ” Cuban politicos are predators ” . I guess there might be exceptions ( rolls eyes) and though born in Cuba , I lived outside Miami which politically is a banana republic .
Money is jot everything he has to eat for ehat he is raising , with that said he needs to raised ALOT more
Wonder What Homestead Exemption He will Show Since He is a room mate in the building to Qualify ? We had in the past people Qualifying from Efficiency and Aluminum Sheds and Our Election Dept. have look The Other Way ? WE WANT NOT A LOBBYIST PET but a Resident in Our District # 1 so he or She Could Make the right Decisions for Our District ! Please take Your Corruption and Your Corrupt Donors With You !
Greed ! Greed ! Greed ! Money ! Money ! Money ! With a bunch of liars & Cheats hooked up with Politicians !
Jorge Mas. Jorge Mas convincing Francis Suarez (son of County Commissioner Xavier Suarez) and Emilio Gonzalez to let him steal 73 acres of a public park opens the floodgates of sleazy lobbyists looking for handouts. It looks like Mas is backing Alex DLP and maybe funneling money to Melendez too. Now that Mas is building a stadium in Ft Lauderdale Francis Suarez looks like a bigger dope.
Worse than a venereal disease, once you catch Alex, you might not survive, not that you’ll want to.
Any sign of the Gimenez clan yet? Alex is their prodigal son after all.