New shady deals found at Miami Omni CRA, tied to Alex Diaz de la Portilla

New shady deals found at Miami Omni CRA, tied to Alex Diaz de la Portilla

After his arrest on public corruption charges in the giveaway of a public park to a private school for more than $300,000 in campaigns contributions and gifts — vacations, accommodations, food, booze — disgraced Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla was suspended from office. Then, officials found even more graft. As chairman of the […]

Sabina Covo is under investigation for promising job, contract in election

Sabina Covo is under investigation for promising job, contract in election

Former Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo, who ran on a platform of fighting corruption, is currently under investigation for “remuneration by candidate for services, support, etc. and bribery.” Remuneration? Yeah, that means promises of money or jobs by a candidate for support of her candidacy and it is illegal under Florida Statute 104.071. Remember that in […]

Alex Diaz de la Portilla tries to get his foreclosed house back from the bank

Alex Diaz de la Portilla tries to get his foreclosed house back from the bank

Seems that former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla doesn’t have enough to worry about with the felony charges against him for money laundering, bribery, unlawful compensation and criminal conspiracy. He’s also trying to get his childhood house back from the bank. The five-bedroom Little Havana house where Diaz de la Portilla and his […]

Winners and losers from Miami election

Winners and losers from Miami election

As always, the candidates in our local elections are not the only ones who win or lose come Election Day. A bunch of influence peddlers, lobbyists, developers, consultants, environmentalists, preservationists and other special interests will float up with the winners on the ballot, or go down the losers’ proverbial drains. And this has become somewhat […]

Oh, how the mighty fall hard: The rise and plunge of Alex Diaz de la Portilla

Oh, how the mighty fall hard: The rise and plunge of Alex Diaz de la Portilla

First, he lost his pride when he was arrested in September, cuffed and jailed, on public corruption charges that include bribery, money laundering and official misconduct in a pay-for-play scheme where he gave away a public park for at least $245,000 in campaign contributions, paid hotel accommodations, booze and snacks. Then, former Miami Commissioner Alex […]

Miami incumbents hold on in election; District 1 and 2 races end in runoffs

Miami incumbents hold on in election; District 1 and 2 races end in runoffs

It may seem unbelievable, but 1,571 people in Miami voted for a man who stands accused of public corruption charges like bribery and money laundering and unlawful compensation from abusing the very position they want to put him back into. What are these people smoking? Former commissioner (because he was suspended by the governor after […]