Miami City commissioners could decide on Wednesday who to appoint to the District 5 seat to replace Keon Hardemon — who was elected to the county commission last week — from the 12 candidates who applied as of Monday afternoon.
Or they could be split 2-2 and come back later. But they have ten days from the day of Hardemon’s resignation, which is Tuesday, to make a decision. If they can’t, they have to call a special election within 45 days.
An election is what many residents and a few of the hopefuls are asking for. The appointment has been presented as a way to save $250,000, which is what Mayor Francis Suarez says a special election would cost. But, really, what they want is to crown a crony.
Everyone, and Ladra means everyone, thinks that attorney Christine King, president of the Martin Luther King Jr. Economic Development Corporation — which has gotten taxpayer money — and personal friend of the Hardemon family, has a lock on it.
King is Keon’s protege and the longtime heir apparent to the seat. She is reportedly the candidate for Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who runs the show and really wants to control the Overtown Community Redevelopment Agency. And from what everyone says, King is capable and smart and would make a good commissioner — if she wasn’t beholden to the Hardemons.
It’s not set in stone. The city suddenly found millions in unexpected revenue and savings that had not been budgeted and some could be used for this. Commissioner Manolo Reyes has said publicly that he doesn’t want to appoint King or anyone who is going to run for the seat next year. And it’s unlikely that King — who has raised more than $100,000 since April — would give up a four-year term she’s been waiting a long time for, to serve a temporary 12-month gig.
That gives the other 11 wannabes hope. They are listed on the city’s website:
- Former Department of Children and Families Director in Miami-Dade Jacquetta “Jacqui” Colyer, who lost to Hardemon in 2013 and last year was a social services consultant with the U.S. State Department.
- Zico Fremont, an FIU alum and auto paint and body guy who runs a nonprofit called Family of Excellence Community Alliance
- Grady Eugene Howard, some guy in his 50s in Overtown is all I got.
- Andre D. Joyce, who ran against Rev. Richard Dunn in 2010 (and lost)
- Overtown commercial property owner and CRA gadfly Revran Shoshana Lincoln, who operates the People Helping People nonprofit
- Robert Malone Jr., a public school teacher who ran against Hardemon in 2013 and then endorsed him in the runoff against Dunn
- Patrick Owens, a member of the city of Miami Community Relations Board (appointed by former Mayor Tomas Regalado)
- Ronald Page, whose brother was shot at a Checker’s drive-thru in Miami Gardens in 2005 and who graduated from the police academy in his honor three years later.
- Mark L. Pitts, who may or may not be a courtroom clerk in Miami-Dade. That’s all I got.
- Stephanie S. Thomas, a Haitian-American artist and community activist and former deputy city clerk for the city of North Miami.
- Francois Alexandre, a Miami Heat fan who has a lawsuit against the city and the Miami Police officers who reportedly beat him after a game in 2013.
Lincoln and Thomas have both opened campaign accounts for the 2021 election. So has King, who has long been the perceived heir apparent to Hardemon, and has been fundraising since April of last year for the open seat in 2021. None of the others have filed any paperwork, but there are months and months for someone to do that. There are two others who have opened bank accounts, but neither of them applied for the appointment.
Read related: Keon Hardemon’s PAC collects mucho money from Mas and soccer partners
But the rumors about King having the seat are so rampant, there was a robocall to voters Monday trashing her — like voters even have a say. The nasty recording — and Ladra has never heard anything like this in any campaign ever before — says that King does not live in District 5 and that she had an inappropriate relationship with someone in Hardemon’s family.
“Christine King cannot be trusted. She has been paying Billy Hardemon cash money under the table for years with funds from the foundation,” the woman’s voice says on the robocall. “Christine King is a liar and a cheater. District 5 deserves better.”
The robocall is reportedly paid for by Liberty City’s People political action committee. But no such committee exists and Ladra has a suspicion that the address — at 6969 Biscayne Boulevard — is a bad, 14-year-old boy’s joke.
But somebody paid for that robocall, which could have cost a thousand or two. The voters don’t make the decision so it’s obviously not for the vote. It’s psychological warfare, obviously to color the commissioners with public opinion and to cause King — who did not return a call and text late Monday — some embarrassment.
Who would benefit from that? Who would have the money and know-how to do something like that? Would it be past ADLP to have done it? That way, he can tank King’s chances while still quedando bien with the Hardemons. “Bro, I did what I could.“
Read related: Miami-Dade’s three new commissioners: Hardemon, Regalado and McGhee
Commissioner Ken Russell told Ladra he was undecided. But he also said that there was no way the commission could enforce a promise not to run for office in November and, anyway, the experience could just as much work against an appointed commissioner as be favorable.
And las malas lenguas say that Russell — who has been trying to make up for supporting ADLP’s opponent last year — might support Diaz de la Portilla’s desires, whatever they are, just to get back the DDA next month, when The Dean is expected to be named the chairman and the city committees and boards are redistributed. Alex already wants to take the DDA and whatever he can from Reyes, the ungrateful amigo. And Russell wants the DDA back for the profile and fundraising bump since he will likely run for congress in District 27 or state senate District 37 in 2022, now that Sen. Ileana Garcia took out Jose Javier Rodriguez with the help of a plantidate NPA.
Michael Hepburn, a onetime congressional candidate and city of Miami Parks and Recreation Advisory Board member who has opened an account to run for the seat, said the city should have an election in light of the historic turnout we’ve just seen. He did not apply for the appointment.
“This contentious presidential election just showcased how vital it is in our Democracy for the will of the people to be heard,” Hepburn said. “One of the most important tools that our citizens have access to is the power of their vote and advocating that our fellow man uses that tool should always be at the forefront – if you are a leader.”
Hepburn, 38, said he has knocked on 4,000 doors over the last four months — which is pretty hard to believe he could do during this pandemic or would do so early — and that the feedback was clear.
“People want to vote,” he said.
A dozen apply for Miami Commission appointment, but some say the fix is in added by Ladra on
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