Sources: Vince Lago threatened city manager
On the eve of his campaign kick-off Wednesday, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago got into a confrontation of some kind with City Manager Amos Rojas on Tuesday — and police were called.
According to several sources, Lago and Rojas were at a meeting at City Hall when there was an exchange of words, and the mayor suddenly pulled off his jacket, threw it on the floor, rolled up his sleeves and, apparently, got into a fighting stance.
Read related: Coral Gables police, fire union: Lying Vince Lago is no pal of public safety
Rojas felt threatened enough to call police. Chief Ed Hudak wasn’t providing any details on Wednesday apart from a generic statement:
“This week the Coral Gables Police Department was notified of an incident at City Hall. The Coral Gables Internal Affairs Section was directed to preliminarily document the incident. As is our protocol, our Internal Affairs Section will work as the point of contact in collaboration with outside agencies who will conduct any further investigations.
“This is an open and active investigation by the Department’s Internal Affairs Section. No further comments will be made until the conclusion of the investigation by this office, or other investigative agencies, at this time.”
— Coral Gables Police Chief Ed Hudak
Sgt. Alejandro Escobar, the department’s spokesman, said there would not be any further information released, including the original incident report.
Lago did not return calls and texts to his phone. Lago’s attorney, Ben Kuehne, made the following statement in an email on Lago’s behalf:
“The report is completely and maliciously false. Mayor Lago categorically refutes any allegation regarding an altercation at City Hall. A witness can and will corroborate the Mayor’s position. This bad faith reporting is nothing more than political theater from a City Manager who was appointed in violation of Florida’s Sunshine Law. The official City records reflect that the Manager is and has proven to be unprepared and uninterested in tackling the serious and important issues affecting The City Beautiful. As a reminder, the ongoing efforts to destabilize the City began a year ago and reflect the priorities of only a portion of the Commission that appointed this Manager. The erroneous reporting should not be given either attention or credibility by members of the press.
“Mayor Lago assures the City and its citizens and businesses that he will continue his passionate efforts to work on behalf of all to make the City of Coral Gables the best Florida municipality in which to live and work.”
— Attorney Ben Kuehne on behalf of Vince Lago
Um, that ship has sailed.
Sources say the “witness” Kuehne referred to is Assistant City Manager Albert Parjus, was also reportedly in the room when the confrontation happened. He did not return calls, either.
The Miami Herald reported that Lago, in a text, mentioned that Parjus could verify his account of events.
“I categorically refute any allegation regarding an altercation at city hall,” Lago said in the text message reported by Tess Riski. “This is nothing more than political theater from a city manager who was appointed by clearly violating the state’s Sunshine Law and who has proven to be unprepared – and uninterested – in tackling the serious issues affecting our city.”
So Kuehne provided him with a Cliff Notes version?
Everyone knows that Rojas wasn’t the mayor’s first choice to replace former City Manager Peter Iglesias, but to pick a physical fight?
Read related: Coral Gables skips search, hires new city manager Amos Rojas on the spot
Rojas, a former U.S Marshal and special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement who can “clean up” City Hall, came on board in February, forced onto Lago by three commissioners — Melissa Castro, Ariel Fernandez and Kirk Menendez — after Iglesias was forced out by the same three and a botched effort to bring Miami-Dade Aviation Director Ralph Cutié publicly fizzled.
He, too, declined to comment directly, but issued a statement through the city’s spokeswoman:
“I am proud to serve as the City Manager for the City of Coral Gables and am working diligently with our dedicated team of professionals to tackle issues our city is facing.
“In my more than four decades of law enforcement management experience, I have always strived to work in a collegial manner with my colleagues and superiors. Any innuendo that the Sunshine Law was violated is simply untrue.
“As to the incident, as the Police Chief has stated, the matter is under investigation and I am unable to provide any further comments.”
— Coral Gables City Manager Amos Rojas
Ladra made a public records request of his calendar to see what the meeting Tuesday was about. But as of late Wednesday, nothing had been provided.
But maybe it’s not about Rojas, at all. This is only the latest in a chain of public meltdowns that Lago has been having for months now. Las malas lenguas say he went off on a group of residents recently. If anyone was there, please drop Ladra a note.
People better be careful if he gets his buttons pressed at the Loews tonight. Or at least get their cellphones out and ready to record. Please. Thank you.
Coral Gables Internal Affairs check out mayor’s ‘assault’ incident at City Hall added by Ladra on
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