Republican primary loser backs Democrat James Reyes
In breathless fashion, the campaign for James Reyes for Miami-Dade Sheriff announced last week that one of the Republican candidates who lost the primary last Tuesday had endorsed him: Miami-Dade Police Maj. Jose Aragu, who came in sixth out of 11 candidates with 9.11% of the vote.
But remember, this is the same guy who got a sudden $300,000 contribution in July from hedge fund king Ken Griffin, who is also supporting Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who is also supporting Reyes. Griffin is not a dumb man and he knew Aragu was going to lose, which begs the question: Was that this endorsement bought?
Oh, c’mon! Ladra just says out loud what everybody is thinking.
Reyes and his team are counting on Aragu’s experience as a career police officer with Miami-Dade Police — same as his opponent, MDPD Assistant Director Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz — to help put him over the top in what could be a super close race in November.
Read related: Miami-Dade November sheriff’s race pits James Reyes vs Rosie Cordero-Stutz
“This moment requires putting community and residents above politics and partisan elections,” Aragu said in a statement. “My commitment has always been with keeping our residents safe, and it’s what I see in Chief Reyes too.
“I know that Chief Reyes will make us proud and offer decisive leadership in the transition from MDPD to a Sheriff’s office. I saw over the last eight months Chief Reyes’ ability to bring our community together — Republicans, Independents and Democrats — and that’s why I know he will win this November.”
Aragu joins the South Florida PBA, the largest police union in the state, in endorsing Reyes, who said he was honored to get Aragu’s support and stressed the importance of crossing party lines.
“We must rise above partisan divides, and bring people together who share common ground and a promise to always honor the trust of our community. It’s how I will always lead as Sheriff, and today’s endorsement is a testament to my commitment to our residents that we will lead with community in mind always,” Reyes said in a statement.
Does he know that the Miami-Dade Police professional compliance department opened an internal affairs investigation into Aragu for a complaint last September of “fraud, corruption and bigotry” in the Midwest District? Shouldn’t he have checked? Isn’t he the de facto sheriff? Wouldn’t a sheriff be someone who would do such due diligence?
The complaint was assigned for investigation by Sgt. Eric Riggenbach at the request of IA Maj. Adrian Cummings, who wanted to be kept apprised of the review, according to an email chain obtained by Ladra. Part of the complaint — which describes pretty awful language used toward minorities — refers to the fudging of crime statistics and abuse of the overtime system. And it says Aragu and his command staff use “threats of violence and retaliation” to silence officers.
Aragu told Ladra Monday that the complaint was one of many submitted precisely because he was running, to hurt him politically.
“There were multiple complaints which mysteriously, anonymously, ended up sent to the professional compliance bureau. All of these were the result of me running for office,” Aragu said. “None of the complaints have been sustained.”
Read related: Chief James Reyes scores PBA nod in crowded Miami-Dade sheriff’s race
Aragu also said that he wished the position were not partisan and that his endorsement has nothing to do with the Griffin contribution.
“I hope my credibility can speak for itself. There is no nexus between James Reyes, Mayor Cava and myself,” said Aragu, who swore he would never run for office again.
“This entire election process has been tainted by the Gimenez family,” Aragu said, referring to Congressman Carlos Gimenez, whose children are heavily involved in the Cordero-Stutz campaign.
“No one knew her. She was polling at 2%,” Aragu told Political Cortadito. “And mysteriously she gets a Trump endorsement, which is only because Congressman Gimenez asked Donald Trump to endorse her. Donald Trump doesn’t know who Cordero is.”
Cordero-Stutz was definitely helped by the endorsements from former President Trump, Gimenez, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and former Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez. Last month, she also announced the endorsements of 27 of the 66 active sheriffs in Florida and two former sheriffs — Al Lamberti of Broward County and Bob White of Pasco.
“Her commitment to law enforcement and her proven track record with the Miami-Dade County Police Department ensure she will be a reliable protector of our community,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.
Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman said he had known Cordero-Stutz for many years. “And her unwavering dedication to law and order, coupled with her extensive experience with the Miami-Dade Police Department makes her the ideal candidate for sheriff.”
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey called Cordero-Stutz “exceptionally qualified.” Lamberti cited her 28 years with the Miami-Dade Police Department and rise within it as proof she is “the most qualified, best situated candidate to lead” as the first sheriff elected in Miami-Dade since 1966.
And, in a year where women are expected to make history, the first woman sheriff in Miami-Dade ever.
Read related: ‘Anyone but Joe’ is the mantra among Miami-Dade Sheriff GOP candidates
Cordero-Stutz beat 10 other Republicans in the primary, including Florida Highway Patrol Spokesman Joe Sanchez and former Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez, who probably would have done better if hadn’t been suspended from office in 2022 after he was arrested on charges of public corruption. No word by Monday if any of them were going to endorse her.
Reyes beat out three other Democrats: John Barrow, Susan Khoury and Rickey Mitchell, who came in a distant second. It was never really a race in that primary.
Now, it’s a real contest.
Both Miami-Dade Sheriff candidates tout endorsements from other cops added by Ladra on
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