Vice Mayor Lynda Bell did not answer several calls to her cellphone to see how she felt about her name being “pulled out of a hat” for recall by a group of activists who are angry about budget cuts. But late Friday, her office issued a statement that shows she will not back down from […]
Ladra was almost right. I had bet on Miami-Dade Commissioner Esteban Bovo being the chosen one. After all, rumored recalls have dogged him since last year’s primary when his district aide was caught collecting absentee ballots at his Hialeah office. But my second choice was Vice Chair Lynda Bell. That was the name pulled out […]
Pick a commissioner, any commissioner. A group of activists will go to County Hall this afternoon and pick a name out of the hat. The winner, if we can call the chosen that, will face a recall effort for their vote on keeping the tax rate flat and slashing county services. “We are on a […]
Ladra has to admit: This is not the Diaz I had hoped to see in the 2014 race against State Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez (D-Little Havana). Republican wonderkid and Coral Gables attorney Daniel Diaz Leyva has filed paperwork to run against Rodriguez next year. Naturally, Ladra had hoped for a non-presidential year rematch between J-Rod […]
A couple of mailers in the lickety split Miami Lakes election are causing a little bit of tension among two one-time allies who are now running against each other in the crowded five-point race. David “Doc” Bennett has already sent out two mailers with photos of him and his family and him with two legislators […]
Despite all the fresh meat in the political corruption grinder, the long-suffered federal tax evasion and fraud case against former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina is still churning. Several sources told Ladra that subpoenas were served on several people involved in the case, including City Clerk Marbelys Fatjo and other city employees as well as Councilwoman […]
It’s been almost a month since he was arrested and charged with federal bribery and extortion charges, and suspended Miami Lakes Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi has been more chatty than ever about being an innocent bystander in the FBI sting and questioning the motives behind the lobbyist-turned-informant he said poisoned him. He talked to New […]
It may not rank as high on our corruption scales as a mayor charged with unlawful compensation for a secret lobbying gig or another politico getting passed $3,000 in closet kickbacks. But we’re on a roll. Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo may have used his elected position to get out of a traffic ticket last August. And […]
Can Miami Beach mayoral candidate Philip Levine speak for himself? Apparently only when lobbyist and campaign consultant David Custin gives him permission. In my attempt to talk to a political candidate as a political blogger, I tried contacting his handlers, which include Custin and attorney JC Planas, who I called after Custin threatened and insulted me. […]
Does Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower really want to be a commissioner, or does she want to travel to some other exotic place next year on the taxpayer’s dime? Bower, who is termed out but decided to run for commission after she thwarted an attempt to stop her, has come under fire before for her […]