The redistricting process in the city of Miami has turned into a land grab.
A battle erupted Friday between Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla in District 1 and Chairwoman Christine King in District 5 over who would get the Wharf Miami, site of a proposed $185-million mixed use project with a 165-room hotel.
It looks like residents of Coconut Grove might get their wish, to keep the historic neighborhood in one commission district. That is, if Commissioner Joe Carollo — who surprisingly decided to abstain, acknowledgeing that he could benefit from his vote — continues to stay out of it and the other two amigos accept the alternative that still fits the criteria.
That would make everyone whole, if not happy. But we’ll get back to that.
Because what stole the show Friday was the ADLP meltdown after what many think must have been a liquid lunch. And to beat Loco Joe’s morning Wild Projection Deflection Ride against Commissioner Ken Russell on the crazy scale is not easy (more on that later). But The Dean did it.
Read related: Miami redistricting cuts Coconut Grove into three rather than add districts
The new map drawn by former State Rep. Miguel DeGrandy and Palmetto Bay Councilman Steve Cody took the Wharf Miami area adjacent to the Miami Riverside Center out of District 5 and put it in District 1. This was a surprise to King, who wants it back — which raises questions about where DeGrandy got that direction.
“I’m going to restore it,” King said, very convincingly. “It’s an economic engine that will create wealth for District 5.”
She thought it would be easy. There is no population, so it won’t affect the reason for redistricting, which is to shift population growth so that no district is too large and to conserve representation for protected classes. And. it seemed she had the votes. Russell, ready to vote on a new map, made the motion and Commissioner Manolo Reyes — who had already rejected the Grove because they rejected him — seconded.
“That little piece? You want that little piece,” he asked, like it was nada.
Not so fast, said Diaz de la Portilla. This presents way to many shakedown opportunities. It’s an economic engine, alright. But he wants it to create wealth for himself and his gang of merry thieves.
ADLP tried to justify the taking — because that’s what it is, a taking — by saying that eventually there would be residents there. And they won’t be black, he said. So he’s protecting her seat. The district’s black majority.
Read related: Lawsuit asks court to stop Joe Carollo from voting on Miami redistricting
“I happen to know what projects are in place to happen down the line and it’s going to be predominantly Hispanic,” Diaz de la Portilla said.
Hmmmm. What would he know that the rest of the commission doesn’t? They all voted Thursday to put the project on a ballot referendum (more on that later).
Eventually, he convinced Reyes to vote with him and the change — switching the Wharf Miami area back to District 5, where it belongs — died 2-2.
But Diaz de la Portilla — who, again, stepped away during the entire public comment period — had already lost control of his mouth. His speech was not only a little slurred, but also all over the freaking place, jumping from one thing to another, not finishing sentences. Don’t take Ladra’s word for it. Watch it here. Start when they come back from the break.
First, he went off on the dozens of Grove residents who had gone to defend their community and tell their elected leaders what they wanted them to do. Remember when he called them activists and actors? That was nothing.
“I’ve probably spent more time in the Grove than many of you people have,” he said, wild-eyed and waving his finger around. King tried to get him to stop. For his own good.
“No, I’m not finished,” he yelled. “I bet you I’ve been there more than you guys so don’t tell me about Flagami or Little Havana or Liberty City or Overtown..” Wait, weren’t we talking about Coconut Grove?
“Twenty people have come here and make us look like we’re bad people and a Cuban American commissioner cannot represent a black community, but a white person can,” he said, going off the rails. “I’m offended by it.”
People in the front row may have gotten spittle on ’em. And it may have smelled a little like scotch.
Read related: ADLP power grabs Omni CRA from Ken Russell in Miami — again
He was adamant about not making changes to the map, even though he and the commission passed it on first reading saying they could make “tweaks” to it later. Guess he didn’t like the tweaks. Or he didn’t mean what he said.
There were hints in the discussion about possible Sunshine Law violations. “We can’t talk to each other, obviously. But my understanding from Mr. DeGrandy was that you were interested in having the MRC in your district,” Diaz de la Portilla said, reminding her that he supported her early on.
Does that mean that DeGrandy carried messages from commissioners to one another? Because that’s a violation of Sunshine, too.
At one point, Diaz de la Portilla even gets up and actually walks over to Reyes, leans over and says something. Maybe something like, “Oye, cuidado. Vote this way or I’ll take el DDA.”
Maybe that’s why Reyes said he wanted to give it more time.
“Since we have this controversy here I think we should have a little time and defer because I was ready to vote. You want me to defer it,” Reyes asks ADLP. “Let’s defer it and let them get together and see how we can solve this impasse.”
DeGrandy said first that he didn’t have enough direction, though he does. I mean, Ladra understood it and she’s just a dog. He also said that he would come back with five or so different maps. So he did understand. And that, of course, it would cost the city more. By the hour.
Read related: Miami could give law firm carte blanche in ‘conflicts of interests’ in redistricting
Russell tried to get it done. He doesn’t want to lose his gains.
“I don’t think we learn anything new in the next two weeks or four weeks. We spend a little more money, bring everyone out again but I think that the four of us can negotiate all of this today and put it to bed.”
Said Diaz de la Portilla: “No.”
The dance will start again at 2:30 p.m. on March 24.
Before the meeting ended, Reyes and Diaz de la Portilla both said that they wanted to get Carollo back in on the dais. They asked the city attorney for an opinion.
ADLP needs him now as the tiebreaker.
City redistricting falls apart again over border fight on the Miami River added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
On March 24th black commissioner Christine King broke the tie and she voted against the blacks from West Grove. Yup, black commish King sandbagged blacks in the Grove as she gave them away to a Cuban commissioner who will totally ignore them as he speaks no English.
” And the Cuban Vicky Mendez? She is the City Attorney? We see her helping the Cuban elected officials steal in every lousy deal at the City.”
Lol that was good because its true .
She is just another DA Rundle and this is why they are called the Cuban Cosa Nostra ( this thing of ours ) .
Instead of the Gambino , Colombo , Lucchese , Genovese and Bonanno families we Cubans in Miami have the Commissioners and as many Mayors , Officials .
I witnessed the fiasco and believe me, I can’t believe the disrespect these guys have for their constituents. Not even sticking around for public comments. DLP probably had a liquid lunch. They came back late. Manolo Reyes was respectful and Carollo was carollo trying to accuse Ken Russell of the same things he is guilty of. King seems intimidated and Ken Russell demonstrated total self-control. I believe we should always fight for our neighborhoods. But this is becoming a dog and pony show.
Alex DLP is the definition of a criminal running for elected office ONLY to steal from taxpayers. Christine King is exactly the same. Two crooks. Joe Carollo has always been crazy and a crook. Carollo has been mostly unemployed for 30 years so how did Carollo end up with a house worth $2.7 Million in Coconut Grove? And the Cuban Vicky Mendez? She is the City Attorney? We see her helping the Cuban elected officials steal in every lousy deal at the City.
ADLP was at his most un-hinged in that meeting. He actually bragged that in his town hall on redistricting he had only 2 attendees. Carollo also only had 2 and Reyes had 10. Russel had about 100. King had over 160, thanks to her zoom meeting. Apparently, he considers nobody showing up to be a win. I call it apathy, probably from a discouraged population that isn’t listened to. They turn out in those districts at about 15% or lower to vote, while Coconut Grove is at 60%. We are a threat to anything these guys want to ram through that involves Grove voters. Reyes did the right thing, but I think realized ADLP was melting down and they’d never get home if he didn’t agree to postpone the vote. De Grandy is hiding behind the commissioners. Reyes and Russel supported King’s motion to get her wharf back and if they’d simply voted on that, and then kept the Grove whole, this would have been over. But ADLP was caught with his hand in the money pot, hoping the King wouldn’t notice (and she almost didn’t). What a disgusting clown show. I second the motion to give these guys drug and alcohol tests before meetings, and perhaps give a live video feed from ADLP’s office when he leaves during public comment. I’d love to see what he is doing back there.
NOT One Corruption Investigation on This MIAMI Politicians and Lobbyist/Consultants ???
OMG it’s a circus with flying monkeys! They should have alcohol and drug tests done before the meetings!