The scandal about a pay-to-play secret job with a developer seeking permits in the city hasn’t really slowed Miami Mayor Francis Suarez down or changed his mind about seeking even a higher power to abuse. Baby X could announce his long-rumored and delusional run for president next week.
Five of his staffers have taken unpaid leave through at least August, according to The Miami Herald, indicating they could be about to transition to a campaign team. That includes his spokeswoman, Soledad Cedro, as well as Ricardo Seara, Jeremiah Schwartz, Rosa Roig-Kuper and Moises Hernandez. Unpaid leave allows them to keep their jobs and their healthcare coverage.
He’s been to all the primary states and has talked about being a “next generation” candidate on national news shows. And on Wednesday, Suarez had a big fundraiser at the Epic Hotel for a Super PAC called America For Everyone. Minimum suggested contribution: $10,000. Big wheels give $100K.
The mayor’s personal political action committee is called Miami For Everyone.
Read related: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez offers cell phone number, but will he answer?
Suarez is scheduled to speak next week at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Los Angeles — where many expect him to officially announce his White House aspirations. He’s been hinting about it for months, if not years, since he became the celebrity first COVID elected on TV screens everywhere. He bounced from that to a technobro alliance that he has somehow survived while cryptocurrency melts.
Last month, even his wife started to raise her public profile when the mayor tweeted about “Miami’s first lady” touring the Chapman homeless facilities.
Suarez tweeted that he wants Miami to be the first major city in the U.S. with zero homelessness. Does he know that his commission is known for criminalizing homelessness? Where was he when they were talking about tiny homes on Virginia Key for a homeless concentration camp? Where was he when they were redrawing Miami’s district maps on racial quotas that a court has since said are invalid? Where has he been while employees cry about blatant racism, favoritism and abuse at the police department?
Absent. He has been absent since 2020 — even through a 2021 election where he had no real opposition. The most he’s done since he was first elected mayor is champion Miami Freedom Park, the real estate deal disguised as a soccer stadium that will redevelop Miami’s only public golf course.
Read related: Francis Suarez is the absent Mayor VIP of Miami — MIA at the worst time
While Suarez offered to help internet millionaires move to Miami, residents were being evicted, priced out of their homes at record rates because of skyrocketing rents. While he sold the sunny business happy city, his commissioners were abusing their power, targeting certain business owners for political retaliation.
Is this the kind of absent leader we want as president? Baby X knows nothing about Middle East or Asian conflicts and will worry more about his next interview on FOX or MSNBC than his ability to move the needle on national debt, immigration, inflation, crime or climate change.
He doesn’t want to be president. He wants to be king. So he can be absent until there is something to decree. He wants his face on a stamp. Then he can be a real postalita.
Some critics wonder why Suarez even thinks he can do this. He lost his bid to become a strong mayor, spending millions to get spanked at the polls when more than 60% of the voters rejected the notion. He was also spanked by Commissioner Joe Carollo on the dais, at one point literally begging to be respected. Baby X almost cried. And Suarez stood by and let the celebrated police chief he brought to Miami under great fanfare get chased away to silence him on political corruption, then left his carefully scripted press notes about it on a podium for all to find.
He’s not ready for primetime.
Read related: Developer who paid Miami mayor also rents from Gables Mayor Vince Lago
Worse yet are the recent allegations. He won’t say who gifted him the $30,000 in tickets and events related to the Formula 1 races last month. And then there are the bribes The Miami Herald uncovered recently. Suarez was paid $10,000 a month — a total of $170,000 — by Location Ventures, which was seeking permits and approvals from the city. An email has shown that Location Ventures developer Rishi Kapoor thanked Suarez for his intervention.
One has to wonder what type of favors Suarez will dole out as POTUS. And will folks like Carollo and Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla have access to the Oval Office? Shudder.
At the very least, Ladra thinks Kapoor will get to sleep in the Lincoln bedroom.
Under scrutiny, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez still has silly POTUS plans added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
