Go West, Beckham — Strike 2 for waterfront soccer stadium

Go West, Beckham — Strike 2 for waterfront soccer stadium

David Beckham isn’t getting what he wants. No downtown waterfront stadium for you, Mr. Cutie Pie. Now some people are worried Beckham is going to take his ball and go home. Or, to another city anyway. His spokesman has said they are regrouping, but people close to the negotiations say they’re afraid that right now, […]

Eddy Gonzalez has quick cash in property appraiser race

Eddy Gonzalez has quick cash in property appraiser race

State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez just threw his hat into the ring for the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser’s race — el otro dia, como quien diga — and already he’s whooshed past the two front running candidates that were, up to now, pretty neck and neck as far as monies collected. That’s because Gonzalez is bringing his […]

Attacks on in heated District 8 Miami-Dade commission race

Attacks on in heated District 8 Miami-Dade commission race

The email is almost breathless. “I’m not sure if you heard the news, but our campaign is under attack and we need your support,” read the email addressed to me from Miami-Dade Commission candidate Daniella Levine Cava. “Rather than starting with a positive message, our opponent has begun airing television commercials attacking me directly.” Levine […]

Larry Palomares boasts endorsements he doesn’t have

Larry Palomares boasts endorsements he doesn’t have

Monday was a great day for both Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos Curbelo and former Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Joe Martinez, who are competing for a chance to unseat Congressman Joe Garcia in District 26, as the two other Republicans in the primary imploded. First former Congressman David Rivera is cited with ethics violations related to double-dipping for […]

Lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez and sons wear championship rings

Lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez and sons wear championship rings

Every year, lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez and his wife Marile take photos with Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and his wife, Lourdes, at the mayor’s ball. But Ladra hasn’t seen a photo of them taken together from Saturday’s black tie event benefiting United Way. Maybe he knows Ladra would use it. The photo we did see […]

Lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez: Civic leader? Or rogue scofflaw?

Lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez: Civic leader? Or rogue scofflaw?

Lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez, who is a close friend of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and spends a lot of time at County Hall, has been on the defensive in the past week or so for one of his clients, Lyft, which provides a ride sharing program that is operating in the county illegally. And he […]

Poll: Mayor Carlos Gimenez is too comfy close to lobbyists

Poll: Mayor Carlos Gimenez is too comfy close to lobbyists

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez may still enjoy a majority approval rating — with 53% of respondents saying they thought he was doing an excellent (11%) or good (42%) job at the county, according to a recent pool. That’s not bad. But it’s not really good either, considering that there is a 4% margin of error, […]

Hialeah Housing takes in new crop of AB voters, er residents

Hialeah Housing takes in new crop of AB voters, er residents

The Hialeah Housing Authority opened its process again last week for folks to apply for Section 8 housing in the City of Retrogress and got so many applicants, the website shut down. The city has extended the deadline until today. But what city officials are really doing is creating a whole new crop of absentee […]

Incumbents stump with hand-picked House replacement

Incumbents stump with hand-picked House replacement

If we needed any proof that Bryan Avila, vice chair of the Miami-Dade Republican Party, was the hand-picked successor to State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez, who is termed out of that office and will seek another office countywide, just drop by the joint fundraiser that Gonzalez will have with Avila and State Rep. Manny Diaz, Jr., […]

Political Cortadito political cartoon on soccer stadium

Political Cortadito political cartoon on soccer stadium

Miami Beach activist Mike Burke is the only one who answered Ladra’s call almost a year ago for political cartoons. This watchdog cannot draw to save her life. Once in a while, he sends something that is not too much of an inside joke and can be published. This week was one of those times. […]