Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Cry Wolf” Gimenez collected more than $500,000 over the course of 16 days in January, according to the first campaign report filed for his re-election bid in 2016, which is already
headed to history as the most expensive mayoral election in county history.
His little group of followers and apologists — which is growing smaller by the day — ballyhooed this as some major accomplishment. And, sure, it’s a nice kick start to the ultimate campaign finance goal that has been talked about and kicked around to the media, which is a historic $5 million kitty, admittedly intended to intimidate credible would-be challengers.
And he’ll probably get it. This half mil here, after all, was the easy stuff, the low-lying fruit and “soft money,” as it’s called in the industry because it is easier to get and to use. Why? Because it goes to an activity or a cause rather than a candidate and, as thus, is not subject to the same regulations that candidates must adhere to on how it’s spent.
Gimenez’ new PAC, Miami-Dade Residents First — and one has to wonder what happened to the old Common Sense Now! PAC (more on that later) — has as its stated objective: “Political — educate and advocate based on candidate positions on issues.” Which is pretty broad. But we all know the real mission is to re-elect Gimenez. They can’t just come out and out say that because PACs were traditionally used for issues and it’s become a farce they use pa’ tirar la piedra y esconder la mano.
The PACs are the campaign accounts getting fat these days, not the candidate accounts.
And this big booty is yet one more example of how Gimenez has completely pulled a 180 from the man we first elected as an outsider and reformer, a career public servant and underfunded underdog against the special interests… a firefighter, por Dios! He is now one of the good ol’ b
oys, a political insider trading secrets with the vets and providing leverage to those who kiss the ring. In fact, he seems more and more every day like the 2011 version of former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina. Worse. Because Robaina was a wolf in wolf’s clothing.
Gimenez even has Herman Echevarria supporting him financially and, las malas lenguas say, running interference.
And just look at the rest of the $500K reported this week. Ladra has yet to fully chew on all They come from people who want to maintain the status quo at County Hall. Their vested interest is to keep business as usual, which has become a free-for-all with an advantage to the special interests on the mayor’s friends and family plan. Instead of “Delivering Excellence,” the county motto ought to be “Miami-Dade: Up for Grabs!”
And it’s a long list of bidders, but some of the highlights include Oderbrecht Construction ($15,000), Felipe Valls ($15,000), Terra Group ($10,000), The Related’s Jorge Perez ($10,000), MasTec ($15,000) and other real estate interests called Asset Recover Collections ($15,000) and Landmark Develpment ($10,000).
Larkin Community Hospital only gave $2,500, which seems lame compared to the $5 million they’re getting in a grant from the county, thanks to the mayor’s recommendation. Likewise, the $1,000 from Vicky Garcia-Toledo — wife of onetime chauffeur and campaign Finance Chair Ralph Garcia-Toledo — seems like chump change since the lobbyist in her own right is now representing the Skyrise Miami project, which got a $9 million public subsidy.
Donald Trump, who wants to take over the 
Crandon Park golf course, ponied up $15,000, which is probably less than what he spends on a hairpiece. Gimenez has since said that he would recuse himself from those discussions. But really? Really? Why with that and not with everything else? Seems to me, the mayor should be recusing himself from lots of conversations.
Former State Rep. and one-time mayoral candidate (or was he a plantidate?) Marcelo Llorente and his firm gave at least $10,000, but one could argue that it is to keep his cousin, Alex Ferro, employed as the mayor’s chief of staff. CH2M Hill, an engineering firm represented by Llorente and that just got a piece of the billion-dollar water and sewer project, also kicked in $5K.
Llorente was not the only lobbyist on the list — which is 145 donors deep but only has around two dozen people, if that, who are not lobbyists or bundled attorneys at a firm. The going ticket price for lobbyists seems to range from $1,000 a piece from Miguel De Grandy. Luis Gazitua and Ralph and Hugo Arza to $5,000 paid by Rodney Barreto and Brian May.
Jorge Luis Lopez gave $10,000 through through his very own PAC, New Leadership Network. Gimenez also got $5.000 from another PAC — Rebuild Florida, which belongs to State Rep. Frank Artiles — who just recently proposed legislation limiting the ability of transgendered to use restrooms (more on that later).
There are a lot of real estate development and engineering interests represented, as well as medical supplies or services. There’s also $5,000 from a mysterious “W.C.” who lives on Star Island and lists “investments” as an occupation. Doesn’t the PAC have to tell us who W.C. is?
And there are some usual suspects who are MIA in this report — and you know who you are — but they will likely turn up in subsequent disclosures.
Remember, we are 17 months — and a targeted $4.5 million — out.
Gimenez $500K: Drop in the war chest from the usual pirates added by Ladra on
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