The public corruption charges against Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla and attorney/lobbyist Bill Riley Jr. revolve around the two political campaigns waged by the lawmaker’s baby brother, Renier Diaz de la Portilla: The 2020 race for county commission and a 2022 judicial contest.
An arrest affidavit lays out the scheme as having begun around May 2020 when Baby DLP announced he would run for county commission in District 5 and continue through his campaign for judge last year against incumbent Fred Seraphin. The campaign contributions that investigators tagged as bribery were made to both of The Dean’s political action committees during those campaigns.
And the affidavit mentions how Renier would be included in meetings at the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, where his brother was the chairman, and seek political donations from people who wanted something from the city or the CRA.
Read related: Miami’s Alex Diaz de la Portilla arrested on corruption, pay-for-play park deal
But Renier Diaz de la Portilla was not charged with any crime and confirmed to Ladra Friday that he had cooperated with the investigation and provided testimony under a state witness subpoena.
“They gave me immunity, 100% immunity,” Baby DLP told Ladra Friday night. “I told the truth. Nothing happened.
Often called the Fredo of the DLP family — because he’s slower and rides the coattails of his two bigger brothers — Renier Diaz de la Portilla may have really earned the name if his testimony ends up hurting Alex. In The Godfather II, Fredo betrays his brother Michael.
“I went to the SAO and FDLE and I spoke with them and I was very frank and honest,” Renier Diaz de la Portilla told Political Cortadito. “They asked me questions that had to do with Alex. They asked about a bunch of stuff. It’s a fishing expedition.”
According to the arrest affidavit, Renier provided a sworn statement that confirmed Alex Diaz de la Portilla helped with his 2022 campaign and served as an “agent,” approving and paying for mailers and other campaign materials, including those made at Sergio’s Printing. Investigators found that 18 job orders at Sergio’s were paid for by the Proven Leadership PAC. Authorities say those payments are illegal contributions of over $1,000 to Renier’s campaign.
Read related: Alex Diaz de la Portilla is suspended after arrest on public corruption charges
That’s not the worst charge against Alex Diaz de la Portilla, 58. He faces one count of money laundering; one count of bribery; one count of criminal conspiracy; three counts of unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior; four counts of official misconduct; one count of accepting a campaign contribution in excess of legal limits; and two counts of failure to report a gift.
Renier, a former public defender who also served in the Florida House and on the Miami-Dade School Board, said he doesn’t think he did any damage.
“I went to an interview and I told the truth. I didn’t do anything wrong. And that’s why I’m absolved. And my brother should be absolved. It’s all political,” Renier said in a 16-minute telephone conversation during which he broke down and wept at least once. He also sounded like he might have been drinking.
“This is a hit job. They hit us out of nowhere.
“He tried to build a park. And that’s bad? It’s bad to build a park in an area that was filled with needles and people doing drugs? It’s good for the community, not bad.”
“This is a political hit job. We have a lot of enemies. This is tough for my family. This is tough for me. My brother is a very good person and he doesn’t deserve this.
“This is a friggin’ park that was abandoned for decades and was rebuilt. It’s what commissioners do. Commissioners vote on things. It was a 5-0 vote. It happens every day in Miami. People vote to improve parks. So you’re going to arrest my brother because he built a park. Absurd!”
The issue is not whether or not the Centner Academy’s park project is worthwhile or not. There was another project in the works for the park, by the way, a partnership between the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency and Miami-Dade Public Schools that would have included affordable housing and a public school. The issue is that Alex Diaz de la Portilla sought to monetize his support and, thanks to his pal Riley, did so to such an unseemly degree that they had to conceal the graft.
Read related: Private Centner Academy gets to run Miami public park for $10 million
Renier, who has always had a competitive love-hate relationship with Alex, said to look at the timing of the charges, less than eight weeks before the city elections.
“This has been a political plot to destroy my family and destroy my brother. And it’s all untruthful and unfair. And we are going to prevail. Alex will win. We have a great defense team.
“We always fight back. And we’re going to win.”
He also said that there could be more arrests coming related to his brother’s charges. “This goes very high up, to very high levels.”
When asked how his brother was after spending several hours in jail Thursday, Renier said he didn’t know.
“I haven’t talked to him the last couple of days,” he said.
That means they probably aren’t on speaking terms.
Renier Diaz de la Portilla got immunity in corruption case vs brother Alex added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
