Miami District 2 Commissioner Sabina Covo may have bit off more than she can chew. Many voters have expressed disappointment. It’s one reason why she faces no fewer than seven challengers in the Nov. 7 election, which feels more like a race for an open seat.
Covo has been in office since February, when she won a special election — with only 29% of the vote — among 12 candidates to fill the term left by Ken Russell when he resigned to run for Congress (and lost in the primary). During this time she shines more for what she hasn’t done than for what she has done.
What did she say or do when dozens of balloons were released last month during a wedding at Bayfront Park, which is in Covo’s district, littering the park and Biscayne Bay? Nada. Did she make any statement or demand any inquiry or changes after that 8-year-old boy plunged into an open cement pit at Maurice Ferre Park, which is also in her district? Nope.
Crickets.
Yet, Covo — who many suspect is being groomed for higher office — was sure to send a partisan mass text to express her disappointment with the Miami-Dade School Board’s vote against LGBTQ awareness month. And she was sure to show up at the inauguration of the Celia Cruz exhibit at the Tower Theater, now under control of Commissioner Joe Carollo.
It looks like she only voted against giving Carollo control of the theater because she knew it would pass. Or is she gunning for control of the Olympia Theater? Because Covo was all giddy at the microphone celebrating the event next to Carollo and his wife.
Didn’t Covo run on a platform that she was going to rally against the corruption at City Hall? Is this how she does it? There have been so many opportunities, even just to make a statement of support for these investigations into the mayor’s gifts and suspended Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla‘s bribery charges.
More crickets.
Maybe Covo is too busy drumming up dollars for her re-election. Another disappointment is all the lobbyist and special interest money in her campaign.
The most recent campaign finance records — which are only through June — show that she is raising money like an incumbent. Between her campaign account ($69,400) and her political action committee, Dream Miami ($238,150), she’s got more than $300K raised.
Read related: Sabina Covo leads Miami District 2 candidates in campaign fundraising
It includes $25,000 from attorney Jay Solowsky, vice president of the Brickell Homeowners Association, $12,500 from Jorge Mas, who is building Miami Freedom Park on the Melreese golf course, and $15,000 from Becker Boards, which was gunning for the billboard ordinance that was killed this week, $10,000 from real estate investor Gregory Freedman, co-founder and co CEO of BH3, and $8,000 from Event Entertainment Group. Aabad Melwani, who operates the Rickenbacker Marina and was shaken down by ADLP according to a lawsuit, gave Covo $5,000 from his different entities.
Three of the challengers are candidates who ran with Covo in February: James Torres, president of the Downtown Neighbors Alliance, Eddy Leal, the former general counsel for Mayor Francis Suarez, and Christi Reeves Tasker, a home decor and fashion jewelry designer who lives in Brickell.
Also running are local preservation and LGBTQ activist Damian Pardo; Alicia Susan Kossick, owner of the Polished Coconut in the Grove; Gabriela Ariana Chirinos and Michael Castro.
And, this time, Covo is going to need more than 29% of the vote.
Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo disappoints, faces seven challengers added by Ladra on
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[…] race could also be seen as a referendum on Covo, who many District 2 voters expressed had been a disappointment. The former TV journalist had run on a promise to bring light to the corruption of the city and […]
[…] Read related: Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo disappoints, faces seven challengers […]
[…] Read related: Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo disappoints, faces seven challengers […]
Damian Pardo has always been clear about standing out for corruption. See below link to video of him calling out Joe Corollo on his corruption and asking for his resignation.
https://damianpardo.vote/#media
It is clear that a candidate such as Damian Pardo will hold the corrupt accountable and completely change the dirty dynamic of our beautiful City.
Ladra – you really need to research actual qualified candidates for d2 – this blog is starting to look like pay to play. It looks like Christi Tasker has not paid you any money. She is more than a jewelry designer. Our parks could use a designers eye. But most importantly, Christy is already famous – she does not need Miami government. City of Miami needs Christi Tasker. Read this and remember Epoch times is the only paper the communist tried to burn down when they took over HOng Kong. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/special-report-employment-experts-discuss-disconnect-between-useful-skills-and-academic-degrees-5498021
Commissioner Sabina Covo has successfully accomplished a lot in the short window of time that she has held office, especially for quality of life issues, the health of Biscayne Bay, our environment, public safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, improving our parks, and addressing affordability issues. Commissioner Covo and her District 2 staff are amazingly responsive. She and her staff listen to residents and work relentlessly to help resolve their issues. Let’s not forget that she has been successful in spite of a commission that has been 3-2 against her, and with a city staff that is quite dysfunctional. If we’re going to blame anyone for the decades of ongoing, rampant corruption, we need to call out Kathy Fernandez Rundle and ask her why she has done nothing about the corruption at City Hall. Commissioner Covo brings a breath of fresh air to City Hall as she remains civil and respectful in her interactions. She works collaboratively with county and state officials, as well as community organizations and businesses, on common or shared issues. She holds open office hours, as well as conducts Mobile Office Hours in neighborhoods throughout District 2, giving residents an opportunity to meet with her and city staff to discuss issues and concerns.
Commissioner Covo courageously led the effort to defeat the proposal to install LED billboards downtown. She re-opened Allen Morris Park in Brickell so residents could enjoy green space. She has passed an item to direct the city manager to provide and implement a flood mitigation plan. She introduced an item to provide protections for a newly established and confirmed rookery in Biscayne Bay that passed unanimously. She brought public attention to the stormwater catch basins that were not being cleaned as required, causing litter from the streets to enter Biscayne Bay, and called for Public Works to clean them, as required, and provide regular street sweeping. She has established an EcoSquad that residents can call to clean up litter and illegally dumped trash piles, which is making our streets cleaner. I have called them four times and they had the trash picked up within a few days. Before criticizing, understand. If it is corruption, call up State Attorney Kathy Fernandez Rundle to do her job. If it is dysfunction with city departments or things not getting done, call upon the City Manager who is responsible for running the city. If you live in District 2 and have an issue, concern or suggestion, reach out to Commissioner Covo and talk to her. Her open office hours are Wednesdays from 3-5, or attend a Mobile Office Hour event in your neighborhood, or send her an email or a text. I have found her to be accessible, open to listening, genuinely concerned about residents’s issues, and willing to work hard. Commissioner Covo has my vote.
OH boy is that Joe Carollo with Covo….. didn’t she vote for him NOT to take control of the Tower Theater?
But ther she is front and center… that’s where my vote went in FEB. Never again
[…] Read related: Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo disappoints, faces seven challengers […]
[…] Read related: Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo disappoints, faces seven challengers […]
James Torres has my vote
https://www.votejamestorres.com/
He been front and center for US and the District and Community.
by calling him a pompous prick.. may be a good thing!
‘ I am honestly not voting in November.”
As you know politics is the lesser of the evils and in Miami King Arthur and his Knights are not coming so you vote on who you feel will do the least damage .
‘Glenn Frey – Smuggler’s Blues’
I have the entire song because in the community I live in Doral we have karaoke roughly every 2 months but I change the words of the songs I sing .
I could only post a few lines as lots of profanity and some might go ballistic with the other clean lines which is not my intention as simply calling out Miami politics for what it is but these lines work , define Miami .
‘ There’s corruption all over Miami tonight
No different than day before .
The Mayors and Commissioners, the City Council and the law.
The under the table pay-offs , the tax payer rip-offs are just some of the daily things the City Attorney and local DA refuse to see.
No matter if it’s Developers, Other Special interest or just some family with money .
You ask any FBI Agent on the staggering odds of getting one ethical Hispanic politician .
It’s the lure of Miami’s easy money and voter apathy it’s got a very strong appeal.
In Miami the Hispanic politicians are mostly shady characters, lots of dirty deals.
I’m sorry politicians here are what they are but its the nature of us Hispanics fleeing corruption to recreate just that .
Perhaps you would understand it better standing in my Hispanic shoes it’s simply what we do .
Pardo was the only candidate that went on camera and asked for Carollo’s removal right after the verdict. He has never received a penny from Carollo. The non profit he chairs – a festival in Little Havana – receives money from the city – sometimes through Carollo’s office because that’s his district. These are ugly lies spread to damage a guy that’s proven his character for 35 years. I support Pardo.
It is not an easy job and seeing the difficulties of making things happen in a politically charged place like Miami, I would say she has done a good job. She just started and has had two elections. Plenty of distractions. Good to have new blood. Happy to see good people run. But seriously, people should stop complaining about their pet projects not being done, spending energy on insults and nicknames and focus on finding ways to contribute and making D2 better.
[…] Read related: Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo disappoints, faces seven challengers […]
[…] Read related: Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo disappoints, faces seven challengers […]
Anyone but James Torres.
There’s no hope in Miami. Covo has betrayed us since the first day she was elected. Eddie Leal comes Mayor Suarez’s corrupt administration, I’m sure the FBI will be interviewing Leal soon if they haven’t already, Pardo has been milking Joe Carollo for years, getting his money for parades and parties, Torres is a pompous prick, Tasker is insane, Castro is an avatar, Chirino can’t sing as her dad does, Kossick is a communist. We are so screwed. I am honestly not voting in November.
Carollo lost his BFF ADLP that’s why he supports Covo because he knows he can dominate her, they have seen her very close to Carollo, she even shares with him on Viernes de la Pequeña Habana. Sabina, you are the biggest disappointment in Grove when we trust you and vote for you, you have allowed yourself to be bought, you do not represent us, you lost my vote and the vote of my entire family, only by seeing you united with LA CUCARACHA de Carollo , you lose our vote and respect.
I was disappointed with all of the commissioners especially the chairperson and Sabina Covo. At the September 23rd commission meeting she along with two other commissioners allowed Joe Carollo to takeover the meeting for nearly 10 minutes to chastise a district 2 activist who, during public comment, reviewed the recent disgraceful behaviors of City Commissioners and employees.
Joe Carollo was found liable for using City resources to harm his political rivals; the judgement was for actual damages and punitive damages totaling 63 Million. None of the commissioners spoke up to defend the citizen activist or to counter Carollo’s misleading statements to the effect that it was the judge, not a jury of his peers, who were the finders of fact, and that this would be reversed on appeal. The facts are the facts.
Covo is only keeping the seat warm.
Didn’t do squat to get the pool West Grove deserves; however, she is very well-versed in exploiting Miami’s corrupt heritage.
Her desire to clean-up Miami’s trash didn’t include taking down her ‘promotion’ trash signs and banners since the February interim election.
Miami deserves better!
Covo is a HUGE disappointment. She has shown that she does not know the issues facing Miami and WORSE she has shown she has interest in learning. She is another light weight like Ken Doll Russell.
Lmao did James write this?
Totally agree! All hat and no cattle. All about apoearances and no grasp of detail or willingness to take on the other commissioners and stand on principle!
More than a disappointment, I believe Covo has shown her true colors. She fits right in at City Hall, with the other suits looking for their personal payday at constituents expenses. We need more accountability for the people. Not another vote for the Miami corrupt political machine. She can’t even answer emails from her constituents. She hasn’t earned the vote. Wake up democrats!! Don’t let her pander to OUR causes by voice only while not being held accountable to her actual job.
Breaking News Breaking News Breaking News Breaking News Breaking News Breaking News
Covo has failed the district and failed voters
Covo is the puppet of Carollo
Covo can’t recite the Pledge
Covo is surrounded by Seth Gordon wife killer and others linked to crime(s)
Covo votes for her own item and than changes her mind
Covo takes $15,000 from Becker Billboards and becomes a Pay to Play in less than a year, she mastered it from Carollo and Alex
More on Covo later
She is FAKE NEWS. she ran on “changing the corruption culture” and in less than 6 months she became the corruption.
Krusty Carollo needs friends now that Alex Johnny Walker is out of office, and who better than a bimbo like her!
Covid-19 aka Covo is lost in space and she has failed D2 worst than Russell.
Time for a change
Christi Tasker is the patriotic, honest and competent candidate for Miami City Commission, District 2. She stands up to the corruption and self-dealing at Tammany Hall in Miami.