Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago said on Tuesday that he didn’t have to recuse himself from a vote on a variance appeal because he doesn’t do business with Brian Goldmeier anymore. Which raises an interesting question: Since when?
The controversy centered on an appeal involving property at 722 Aledo Avenue, owned by political fundraiser and consultant Brian Goldmeier, one of Lago’s longest-running political allies and a man who has spent years helping elect candidates throughout South Florida raise the money they need to get elected.
Before the vote, a resident named Samantha Gasta, or something like that, argued that Lago should recuse himself because of his relationship with Goldmeier and his constant gloating about transparency. And Ladra thinks she thought way too much of the mayor’s good will.
Read related: Vince Lago’s political war erupted in a public battle at Tuesday’s meeting
“Mr. Mayor, you have always been a strong advocate for government transparency and I applaud that. You also lobbied strongly for an inspector 
general for our city, which I supported as well, requires that you remain consistently with your public statements.”
She must be new here.
This speaker mentioned that Goldmeier had made almost $250,000 — a quarter of million dollars — for work on his political campaigns just since 2024.
“Both of you have been extremely successful,” she said. “Of course, there is nothing illegal about having a successful business relationship. And both of you should be commended on jobs well done.
“However, it does cause the everyday resident to question whether you can impartially evaluate Mr. Goldmeier’s appeal today. As much as an individual can try to remain objective, it is extremely difficult for someone to evaluate a case like this one and not have such a strong and long-standing relationship impact their decision-making, even if its subconscious.
“Therefore Mr. Mayor I ask that you show our city that you truly are about government transparency. I ask you to do what is right and recuse yourself on the appeal.”
She seemed so hopeful.
Read related: What transparency? 22 reasons NOT to vote for Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago
Before going on to another speaker, the mayor, por supuesto, had to address this seeming obvious conflict of interest. He said he had asked the city attorney for an opinion on the matter and asked her to give a quick synopsis.
“Based on the facts that you provided, that you previously had a contactually relationship, you were in a contractual agreement with an entity that 
is owned by Mr. Goldmeier,” City Attorney Cristina Suarez said, stopping to clear her throat several times during her explanation. Like something was stuck in it. Like a little piece of the garbage she was spewing.
“You advised that that contract has concluded and that you currently have no contractual agreements or no business with Mr. Goldmeier or any entity that he is associated with,” Suarez continued, looking uncomfortable anyway. “So, based on those facts, there’s no actual voting conflicts under state law, there’s no actual voting conflict under the Miami-Dade County code.
“Any suggestion that you would be enhanced by this action is remote or speculative,” the city attorney said.
Well call Ladra speculative!
Suarez also said that she often reminds the commissioners that on these “quasi-judicial” matters, they can only vote if they can be impartial.
“That was the advice that I gave you, that if you can remain fair and impartial then you can proceed,” she said, sort of like saying that she was going off of his information.
Lago just said, “I do not have a bias on this matter and I will not be recusing myself.” And he knew he couldn’t because his buddy wouldn’t have won the appeal without his swing vote. It was a 3-2 to approve the appeal without the conditions set by the code enforcement board.
But it makes Ladra wonder if all of the extensive renovations Goldmeier did on his property were permitted and if any other variances were sought (more on that later).
Read related: Mayor Vince Lago’s consultant files complaint vs Coral Gables recall activist
Someone on behalf of an anonymous group of Gables residents had already hand-delivered a package to City Attorney Suarez days earlier, complete with campaign finance records, corporate filings, social media posts and photographs intended to demonstrate what nobody in Coral Gables politics seriously disputes: Lago and Goldmeier have been political partners for years.
Goldmeier’s company, BYG Strategies, has provided consulting services to Lago campaigns and Lago’s political committee. Campaign reports show 
money flowing from Lago’s political operation to Goldmeier’s firm. More than $53,000 from his political action committee, Gables First, for the 2025 election. That’s just last year. So Goldmeier, who is famously part of “Team Lago” and has been associated with him since at least 2021, doesn’t have a contract now? Will he when qualifying for the next election starts and ends next week?
Photos show the two together on the campaign trail. Social media posts place them in the same political orbit. Goldmeier accompanied Lago the the Formula One races.
In other words, this wasn’t exactly a case built on conspiracy theories and grainy surveillance footage. The relationship is well documented.
But Lago wasn’t buying the conflict argument. The mayor’s argument, that he no longer has a business relationship with Goldmeier, is interesting. Because that answer may have raised more questions than it resolved. No longer? When did the relationship end? Last month? Last year? Last election cycle? Five minutes before the meeting?
The distinction matters.
Nobody is saying that Lago secretly owns part of Goldmeier’s house. Though the argument could be said that he helped Brian buy it. The concern is whether a mayor should be voting on a matter affecting a longtime political consultant who has pretty much helped put him where he is.
The recusal request relied heavily on Miami-Dade ethics provisions that prohibit elected officials from voting on matters involving certain business relationships. Whether that standard legally applies here is ultimately an ethics question.
But the appearance question is much easier.
Read related: New Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago has ‘friends’ in all the wrong places
If a political consultant has helped elect you, raised money for you, advised your campaigns and profited from your political operation, should you 
be voting on a matter directly affecting his property? Reasonable people can disagree.
What is harder to understand is why city leaders so often treat recusal as some sort of admission of guilt.
Recusal is not a confession. It’s like a seatbelt. Nobody assumes you caused the accident because you’re wearing one. The purpose is to avoid even the appearance that personal relationships influenced a public decision.
Instead, politicians frequently fight recusal requests with the intensity of someone defending a murder charge.
Which brings us back to Goldmeier.
Around Coral Gables political circles, Goldmeier is not merely another resident. He’s one of the most active political operatives in the county, the guy campaigns call when they need money raised, donors contacted and political problems solved. Think of him as the collection agent of South Florida politics.
Only instead of collecting debts, he’s collecting checks.
Lots of them.
But this story probably isn’t over.
Because Lago’s explanation wasn’t that there was never a business relationship. His explanation was that there isn’t one now.
Which means the next obvious question is whether Coral Gables residents — and perhaps ethics officials — are satisfied with that distinction.
Or whether they think the relationship is simply between campaigns.
The letter, which is 38 pages when you include all the exhibits, was also sent to Deputy City Attorney Stephanie M. Throckmorton, and Gustavo J. Ceballos, assistant city attorney and city prosecutor.
Maybe they also should have sent copies to the State Attorney’s Office and the Inspector General.
This kind of independent, government watchdog reporting is crucial to transparency and democracy. And more so every day. Help shine a light on the darker corners of our community with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.
Lago Conflict of Interest by Political Cortadito
‘No conflict here’: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago votes on ally’s variance added by Ladra on
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Watch the whole video. Explains the full history of Harald Neuweg and why he has called for Vince Lago to resign days before the World Cup. Tom Wells and Kirk Menendez know both people on this show. The host who is a die-hard soccer fan, and a descendant of immigrant Cuban and Polish parents, did an amazing job interviewing Harald. The podcast host whose name is Joe, has publicly stated he is not taking sides.
He had no idea how explosive this topic actually is. Joe actually invited Vince Lago on the show to tell his side. Thoughts?
Coral Gables City Attorney serves as Mayor Lago’s personal lawyer and advocate. When discussing how much Lago is paid by the City, you have to include the $360,000 paid annually to the City Attorney. As an example, Section 286.012, Fla. Stats., requires Lago to abstain from voting if “there appears to be a possible voting conflict.” Although the conflict of interest must be direct and immediate, not remote and speculative, BYG Strategies (which is owned by Brian Goldmeier) is Lago’s lead political consultant. Lago has filed paperwork to run again for Mayor in November, 2026. If someone runs against him, I am sure that he will hire BYG Strategies to get him re-elected assuming that his firm has not already been hired by Lago. Goldmeier purchased his 722 Aledo Avenue home in Coral Gables in August 2022 for $2.2M. When you spend that much money for a home, you check whether the property violates any setback requirements. It was listed for sale in June 2022 for $2.495M. Goldmeier got a $295k price discount – maybe because he knew his friend (Lago) and Lago’s voting bloc (Anderson and Lara) would give Goldmeier a variance to the setback violation! Add this to the benefit Lago gives his friends. Florida AGO 1973-236 requires abstention from voting on a zoning change requested by a customer of an elected official receiving a substantial benefit from such customer (e.g., a 10% increase in annual gross revenue). All of Lago’s salary from the City is dependent on Goldmeier’s help. I would expect all city attorneys to walk through this analysis and disclose these facts when discussing the requirement for voting recusal. Instead, the Coral Gables City Attorney said that it is up to Lago!!! Of course, Lago should not be making ethical decisions. This is another example of the City Attorney only having one client – Mayor Lago.
The deep level of corruption which has permeated our Coral Gables city government is staggering.
When all you see is the mayor and commissioners smiling at a ribbon-cutting, you might think they are all real public servants. But…
If you watch just one commission meeting (or better yet, attend one) you will be astounded at the disgraceful, embarrassing, and unprofessional BS that occurs right out in the open. And if you regularly follow the issues, it will blow your mind, and you’ll truly wonder how any resident can continue to vote for Lago. Now add Anderson and Lara to the question, and triple the disbelief.
During the June 2 commission meeting there were lies by Anderson, Lago, and the City Attorney (who either can’t read an ordinance and a zoning code, or intentionally gives misleading information), and I’m not only referring to the 722 Aledo item. The 520 University item is a total disgrace in its underhanded deceitful handling by the city and its attorneys.
Last, but certainly not least, is the standoff between the city and the Youth Center Association. Extortion is exactly the correct word to describe it, and Lago’s statement about that being the most “obscene” thing he’s ever heard, must mean he doesn’t listen to himself. Shameful indeed.
The old joke…”If you have to ask your lawyer if something is legal, it’s probably not. If you have to ask if it’s ethical, it definitely isn’t.”
However, it’s somewhat reassuring that the mayor apparently lost the influence to quietly sway City staff or the Board of Adjustment to help his bagman, forcing the mayor to act imprudently and very publicly.
When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king; the palace becomes a circus.” That’s what I have to say about this mayor.
There was no logic to granting this variance other that the applicant Brian Goldmeier has influence over the major as his fundraiser and friends with Richard Lara who he probably also helped get elected. The major should have recused himself yet claimed his business dealings were over, and therefore could be impartial, all transactions are over once payment is processed. There is obviously going to be a sense of indebtedness that would clearly cloud one’s ability to be objective in processing the facts of a case.
I mock Hialeah and know terrific people there but mock that city as the political standards are truly third world but when other cities vote for that particular ethnicity we are now Hialeah but most Cubans will simply never learn .
Yes a simplistic way to address politics here but when we get an assembly line of self serving parasites perhaps time to stop being self defeating ethnic voters.
yet another example out of many that shows how unethical and corrupt Lago and his cronies are. It is truly a shame that this level of corruption is so regular and out in the open in our city Beautiful. We can all complain and call him out, but NOTHING will change unless us residents go out and vote them all out. The power to change will be up to us at the ballot box as there is no amount of shame that will change his ways.
Will Sir Shameless be invited to be a speaker at Miami-Dade’s Civic Academy? Miami-Dade County is inviting the community to be a part of the “next chapter” as it celebrates “250 years of American progress, ingenuity, and civic engagement.”
Perhaps, he will be honest and transparent and say:
The “Pay-to-Play” Civic List
Maximum individual campaign contribution allowed by city law: $1,000
Ticket to a private dinner with the mayoral candidate: $5,000
Cost of hiring a professional lobbyist to pitch a real estate project: $10,000
Landing a multi-million dollar city construction contract after the election: Priceless
Tagline: There are some things money shouldn’t buy. For everything else, have a bromance with your political consultant.
That’s how we roll in the Gables. So embarrassing! So disgusting!
The Mayor is a perfect “triumpista.”. Anything goes.
He’s not just the worst, he’s a corrupt liar who has damaged Coral Gables (in many ways irreparably) and will continue to do so, with the backing of his two cronies on the commission, as long as he’s in office. We need to vote him out.
Shame Shame Shame! FYI Brian Goldmeir is also the gala co-host of the coral gables community foundation this year. A local foundation on which vice mayor Anderson is a board liaison. And mayor lago a usual suspect at the galas and fundraisers. Just saying the Goldmeir roots run deep and extend into reputation laundering at charity events.
Samantha Gasta had major guts to call out the hypocrisy of mayor lago. Kudos but sadly Lago is a lost cause
Just watched the video. You would think that despite being called out and defiantly claiming impartiality, he would lay low during the debate. But noooooo, that’s way too much to expect. He went to the mat arguing for his pal’s undeserved variance (overriding City Staff’s recommendation, as well as the Board of Adjustment) and his two lackeys jumped aboard. It’s insulting to every Gables resident! We just hit a new low.
The more Mayor Lago talks about why he believed he could be impartial, the more he avoids the central issue. This was not about his personal confidence in his own fairness. It was about whether the public could reasonably question the impartiality of a mayor casting the deciding vote on an appeal brought by his longtime political consultant after speaking with him about the matter. The public deserves an answer to that question, not another speech.
This guy’s level of shamelessness has no bottom! There was no way that he was going to recuse himself and not give his $$$ bro whatever shit he was pulling. I hope someone takes this case to the Ethics Commission (Ladra?). And, btw, Lago’s protege, Rich Lara, was also conflicted but voted anyway. Shame on you, Rich!
Terrible conflict of interest but then Lago is conflicted a lot. The man has helped him become and stay Mayor, why wouldn’t he be biased when voting on something he deals with? Lago again being the worst mayor in Miami-Dade.