In yet another effort to thwart a recall effort he likes to belittle, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago has funded a phone bank to call voters and tell them not to sign the petition.
One of those calls went to Commissioner Melissa Castro over the weekend. She was out of town, on an impromptu vacation with her son, but saw the call came from a 786 number and answered it, thinking it was something important from back home.
“And he tells me that there are people knocking door to door with petitions spreading misinformation and that right now Mayor Lago needs our support. ‘He’s a great mayor,'” she quoted the gentleman on the other line as saying.
So she asked him: “Do you know him yourself?” He said no.
Read related: Coral Gables activist forms PAC to recall former friend, Mayor Vince Lago
The caller admitted he was being paid to make the call by “a group of concerned Coral Gables residents.” Castro asked who they were. “Just a group of people,” the caller said. “This is just a call center. We don’t know who they are.”
Castro asked what the misinformation on the petitions was. He couldn’t say.
Castro asked if he was reading from a script. “Yes,” he told her.
We’ll have to wait til about April 10 or 11 to see how much Lago spent on this recall defense from his political action committee, Coral Gables First, which had about $500,000 in the bank as of the last report through the end of December.
This is only the latest tactic. He’s already used text messages and police officers are out following, detaining and searching the canvassers collecting petition signatures.
So don’t let Lago keep saying that the recall effort is nothing to worry about.
Vince Lago phone bank warns Coral Gables voters not to sign recall petitions added by Ladra on
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… to say Lago is allowed to do business so should not be recalled is naive… it repeats a tired argument spoken by Lago himself… he can do business… the issue is do we want a mayor that donates to an indicted money launderer… that gets money from a developer under investigation… that is in business with corrupt hialeah officials… the issue is that lago appears corrupt or is corrupt, and neither is acceptable for a Coral Gables mayor… if our mayor don’t have an ethical compass he can’t be our leader…
Lago is not my cup of tea, but recalls are expensive. And this one feels especially pointless to me. Isn’t he up for re-election next year? Just vote against him.
Why such a heavy handed response? Even Democrats just get the list of signers and ask them to recant…
The Scams in OURCOUNTY is Almost imposible to STOP ?
The person that came to my door was a CG resident , with grand daughter in stroller. She was well dressed wearing the T-Shirt, courteous, and was absolutely informed on the issues which have arisen to the need of the petition. I was out walking my dogs and ran into two other petitions gatherers and they were informed and pleasant. I am a Californian and what is happening in CG is what happened in the 70s -80s to Beverly Hills and surrounding communities – they are the worse off for the high-rise/high density development – I do not want this to happen to CG. It is a very special place and needs to be preserved but it is that “specialness” and the value that represents that “corrupts” those charged to protect it.
I know Lago. He has been responsive to me when I requested his assistance.
I do not have an opinion yet on the validity of the allegations against him. However, this video is a joke. This kid who I am sure does not live nor care about Coral Gables stated” He is accused of many other things”. That is an unprepared statement as an unprepared statement can be. Let it be handled at the ballot box. If people think that Lago is guilty, vote him out.
He can not live in what he makes a mayor. He is entitled to pursue other revenues of income. I do not see any wrongdoing in his involvement in real estate.
This is hurting the reputation of our city.
I do not believe that the police were following the petitioners, or harassing them.
PS. How come my many comments are never printed Ladra?
This recall campaign will be challenged in court. The accusations being made of corruption and malfeasance are unsubstantiated. Lago is entitled to make a living even if it involves real estate transactions that do not conflict with his role as Commissioner. Enough petty infighting, hard feelings and more collaboration on issues that matter such as Mediterranean bonus, sewer to septic conversion, appropriate standards for development, etc. I will add that I voted for Fernandez, Castro and Menendez and thus far they have failed my expectations. They voted in favor of a pay and benefits increase that was barely discussed and the firing of a competent administrator as City Manager despite his personality failings and the hiring of an unvetted individual that is faces a steep learning curve.
Whether he is good or bad, the police have no right to intimidate those going around getting signatures for their cause. That is a communist move, as they are free to do what they want. That alone turns me off about Lago and him using the police for his own agenda. The police force is fabulous here in the Gables, and have more issues to deal with than harassing canvassers.
In response to Evan Jeffrey S’s comment, I had the opposite experience. I texted to sign the petition and was called to schedule an appointment and the day of was called to confirm they were on their way. The 2 canvassers, college students or recent grads, were courteous and engaging and we had an interesting conversation.
Lago has all the money in the world to pay call centers because he is funded by developers.
This and uncontrolled overdevelopment is why I moved to Ft. Lauderdale after living in Coal Gables 47 years
Curious about who is canvassing votes to recall Mayor Lago. Just check the video recordings done with a Ring camera: https://aesopsgables.substack.com/p/its-paying-kinda-good
The canvassers are not really professional or organized, I might add. Someone was supposed to come to my house near the Granada Golf Course so I could sign the petition. We scheduled the appointment three days in advanced, with follow up calls to confirm I would be home. Appointment time came and went, nobody showed up and nobody bothered to let me know they wouldn’t or to reschedule. I guess they didn’t need my signature that bad.
When is enough, enough coral gables. When is it time to get rid of this scum bag along with his crony Ed Hudak. Those two are the most crooked politicians in Miami. They are the sole reason why the police department is in shambles and people are leaving to greener pastures.