Fired Miami City Attorney Victoria Mendez gets new gig at big firm, award

Fired Miami City Attorney Victoria Mendez gets new gig at big firm, award

Victoria Mendez sure knows how to land on her feet. The former Miami city attorney, unceremoniously fired for incompetence and conflicts of interests, is also in the midst of a Florida Bar investigation. Yet, she’s winning awards and landing a new job. Mendez was named “Attorney of the Year” in July by the Florida Municipal […]

Commissioner Joe Carollo should not vote on Miami’s LED billboard appeal

Commissioner Joe Carollo should not vote on Miami’s LED billboard appeal

He also has a conflict on redistricting map When the Miami City Commission meets this week to consider, once again, the repeal of the ordinance that allows giant LED billboards on public land, Commissioner Joe Carollo should sit it out. Carollo must recuse himself because he is too close to former Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, who […]

Rejected by voters, Teresa Sarnoff gets payback Tally post

Rejected by voters, Teresa Sarnoff gets payback Tally post

Failed Miami commission candidate Teresa “The Missus” Sarnoff, who gave up the runoff after she came in a distant second to Commissioner Ken Russell, got a consolation prize Monday when Gov. Rick Scott appointed her to the Florida Transportation Commission. Some people are calling it payback after Mrs. Sarnoff and her husband, then Miami Commissioner […]

Political Cortaditos: This, that and the other thing — en breve

Political Cortaditos: This, that and the other thing — en breve

Sometimes, there’s not enough to report for a full blown story, but the info is too good not to pass on. So, to get you these tiny gems of political intrigue, Ladra introduces you to a new sometimes feature: Political Cortaditos — a collection of briefs, updates and small developments. Fatima Perez dumps Beach for […]

For Miami Commission, Teresa Sarnoff leads money race

For Miami Commission, Teresa Sarnoff leads money race

As expected, Miami Commission candidate Teresa “The Missus” Sarnoff — who wants to replace her termed-out hubby Marc Sarnoff — is beating the other candidates in the fundraising department with almost $390,000. To put it in context, that is more than the all the other candidates combined. To put that in context, there are eight […]

And then there were six Miami commission candidates

And then there were six Miami commission candidates

One of the two most interesting races in 2015, for what is arguably the most powerful seat on the Miami city commission, have two more hats in the ring to replace Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, who is termed out this year. Auctioneer and Coconut Grove Village Council member Seth Sklarey and Lorry Woods, owner of Elwoods Gastro […]

Rosa Palomino kicks off Miami campaign with list of losers

Rosa Palomino kicks off Miami campaign with list of losers

Newby candidate Rosa Maria Palomino — who is running in the seat to be vacated this year by termed-out Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, and against Sarnoff’s wife — might want to do a little despojo to shake off any bad campaign juju from her kick-off fundraiser last week. Among the 20-some people who stopped by The […]

Politico Pics of the Week: Year ends with fun, family, faith

Politico Pics of the Week: Year ends with fun, family, faith

Another slow week for electeds as we celebrated New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and the prolonged vacation people take the days before and after. Very few selfies were posted. But Ladra always finds some. And, this time, the general theme was family. Miami Springs Mayor Zavier Garcia skipped the parties and rang in […]