Ruling says it was part of his job Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mavel Ruiz on Thursday dismissed the civil lawsuit against former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla — who faces 14 political corruption charges on an unrelated case — in the alleged shakedown of the Rickenbacker Marina owner in 2020. She said in her […]
If there ever was a municipality that needs an independent inspector general, it is the city of Miami. One commissioner who was suspended after his September arrest on 11 felony charges, including bribery and money laundering, in connection with is vote to give away a public park. Another former commissioner is being investigated for promising […]
Miami City Commissioner Miguel Gabela wanted the city to stop payments to attorney Ben Kuehne in cases where he was representing former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla in civil court. Kuehne is also Diaz de la Portilla’s attorney in his felony criminal case on money laundering, bribery and other public corruption charges. But before […]
Two commission meetings have come and gone since Miami City Manager Art Noriega said he would provide a report on his wife’s business dealings at the city. Y nada. And it’s odd that none of the commissioners — especially the two recently-elected, reform-minded guys — haven’t held his feet tot he fire. Last month, WLRN […]
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 […]
There’s a growing list of people who think Miami Mayor Francis Suarez ought to resign his position in light of the exposé published this week by The Miami Herald, with details about just how much he blurs the lines between his private, for-profit life and his, ahem, “public service.” Former Miami Police chiefs Jorge Colina […]
That was fast. It took just about 24 hours for Gov. Ron DeSantis to suspend Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, after his arrest this week on charges of money laundering, bribery, criminal conspiracy and other public corruption and campaign finance violations. In contrast, it took three weeks for DeSantis to suspend former Miami-Dade […]
The head of the Miami Regional Operations Center of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement “retired” abruptly Thursday. A group of agents were called to a mandatory meeting Thursday morning and told that Special Agent in Charge Troy Walker had retired “effective immediately.” Walker, the first African-American to be named chief SAC at the Miami […]
It reads like they were pulling teeth. A transcript of the sworn statement of Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla by an attorney with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust shows how well The Dean can channel a hard-headed high school sophomore. In his signature sarcastic style, ADLP and his attorney Ben […]
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis finally suspended Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez Tuesday, three whole weeks after he was arrested on public corruption charges for allegedly taking $15,000 in exchange for sponsoring legislation that would benefit the owners of a shopping center and grocery store. Martinez, who attended the first budget hearing and voted against it, did […]