Almost everyone in the political 305 has the same basic theory about the very public and nasty breakup between consultant/lobbyist Davi
d Custin and campaign attorney JC Planas — that it has to do with newly-elected Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine.
Oh, and money, of course.
A couple of sources close Beach government have suggested that the fallout that led to last week’s email bomb by Custin that trashes Planas professionally came about after Planas allegedly advised Levine to stay away from Commissioner Jonah “Pottymouth” Wolfson, who is one of the architects of the Levine Team campaign, along with Custin. Not just at City Hall but offsite as well.
No golf. No breakfast. No nothing.
It might be a little extreme in its prevention of Sunshine Law violations, but it was probably wise of Planas, considering that Levine is sorta under the microscope since he sorta bought the election and nobody really knows very much about him. And also considering that Wolfson is such a foulmouthed, ethically-challenged, politically ambitious jerk.
Pero eso no le conviene a Custin. In fact, one of the reasons Custin worked so hard on the Levine campaign and his Team Levine slate mates was to stack the council in a city where he lobbies already, representing, for example, the towing companies that recently got a big fee hike approved. There’s no reason to think he might not also be working for some party interested in the convention center project. After all, he works for Wolfson, whose PAC is funded by convention center interests.
Custin never answers my phone calls and Roberto Rodriguez-Tejera told Ladra that he hung up on him Tuesday, but not before telling the host of CNN Latino’s Prohibido Callarse that it was none of his business. But his email — which he apparently blasted to a long email lists that gets plenty of articles and other messages from Custin — plainly states that he is breaking off with Planas over what he called a recent “improper and abusive attempt to invoke attorney-client privilege in a manner that simply makes it impossible for me to professionally trust him in the future again.” He also said that “there were far too many instances where he attempted to manipulate or steer political decisions in a manner that were more beneficial to his personal/business interests rather than that for a standing candidate already retained or political team/alliance decision.”
Custin had three campaigns this year, in Miami Beach, Miami Springs and Miami Lakes. Planas was only intimately involved, it seems, in the Miami Beach races.
Planas has made it clear he will not speak about personal matters or anything that might violate the attorney/client privilege. But those who are close to the attorney say Planas is more hurt by the personal betrayal of a longtime friend than the professional jab.
“JC was the last man standing. Of their little group, he was the last one defending David to everyone,” one friend said
Another said David was “burning all his bridges.”
One of those bridges, Absentee Ballot Queen Sasha Tirador, actually returned Ladra’s call and explained that her split with Custin in 2011 was because of a business difference. They had made a pact that, as a team, he would pick the state candidates, since he lobbied in Tallahassee, and she would decide who they worked for in local municipal races. Then Custin decided to support State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez‘s run for mayor in Hialeah against Tirador’s golden boy, Hialeah Mayor Carlos “Castro” Hernandez (Gonzalez eventually chickened out after former Mayor Raul Martinez threw his hat in the ring). Tirador says she was actually trying to sign on with former Sen. Rudy Garcia, because his poll numbers were better, but that did not end up working because Garcia wanted to hire a bunch of people. But she did end up running Frank Lago‘s campaign against Custin boy Jose Oliva, who was elected to state rep to replace Esteban Bovo, who was running for county commissioner to replace the recalled Natacha Seijas. Yes, it is time to pull out the flowcharts.
Tirador, of course, dislikes Planas just as much. Maybe a little less. Since she blames Custin for pressuring Planas to file that lawsuit and complaint against her with the State Attorney’s Office for violations they are still investigating from the 2012 race, where she allegedly used money from other races (read: former Commission Chairman Joe Martinez‘s failed mayoral campaign) to prop up her employee and her mother against Gonzalez and Oliva, respectively. That woman does not forget, I tell you.
Tirador was among the many sources who say that Custin is getting the kids (read: shared clients with Planas). After all, this is their choice: You lose a campaign attorney who is really un buenon who doesn’t know how to lie and file false claims, which is why he was fumbling all over himself in the Beach race, or you lose your mean ass attack dog political operative who can get you votes.
“Remember, JC doesn’t get anybody any votes,” Tirador said.
And Custin can be vengeful, too. If Oliva goes with Mami Planas, Papi Custin could run someone against him next year and snatch that 2018 Speaker gavel right from under his fingertips.
Political advisers, donors and supporters are going to be whispering in the ears of people like Oliva, Levine, Gonzalez — who is termed limited out but, reportedly, still eyeing Hialeah City Hall — and State Rep. Erik Fresen, another one of Planas’ clients, to keep Custin close and help JC out any way they can.
“But don’t let David find out about it,” they’ll say.
Don’t believe me? Why do you think Custin was already seen at Miami Beach City Hall Friday, three days after he sent that email bomb?
Details on the ‘Beach-based’ David Custin/JC Planas split added by Ladra on
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