Is a lobbyist still a lobbyist if nobody hears a sound?
Former Miami-Dade Transit Director Alice Bravo attended a meeting with other lobbyists last month with Miami-Dade Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz about a piece of a $50 million contract for design and engineering services at Miami International Airport. Bravo, who resigned from her $250,000 earlier this year, can’t lobby anyone at the county for two years after she her exit. And Diaz would have us believe that she was not there to influence him.
She just said hi and — in the era of COVID-19 — gave him a big hug.
But even if it’s true that Bravo sat quietly in the corner without saying a single word on behalf of her employer — the fourth ranked company in the procurement process — it’s an obvious ethics breach. There was no reason for her to be there — as lobbyists persuaded Diaz to toss the recommendation out and start the process anew — otherwise.
Attorney David Winker, who has become a sort of government legal watchdog, filed a complaint Monday with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust that quotes much of what Diaz told Ladra, who broke this story last month — about the meeting.
Read related: Alice Bravo may have illegally lobbied Miami-Dade on $50M airport contract
“They were against the procurement the way it happened,” Diaz told Ladra. “It’s about a contract the mayor kicked out after months of procurement. They want it kicked out.”
“I told them I wasn’t in favor of starting over but I would consider what they said.”
Also there were lobbyists Alex Heckler — the official, publicly-declared paid lobbyist for WSP — Ralph Garcia-Toledo and Jesse Manzano, who were representing the company that came in third, Jacobs Engineering. Bravo and Heckler signed in at 3:30, eight minutes after Garcia-Toledo and Manzano.
“To argue that Ms. Bravo’s presence at the meeting with Chairman Diaz is okay makes a mockery of our ethics code and the fact that Ms. Bravo allegedly didn’t speak at the meeting does not cleanse her presence,” Winker wrote in the complaint narrative.
“The meeting was set up by lobbyists to advocate for the bid to be overturned and influence Chairman Diaz to take action to assist in throwing out the bids,” it reads. “That Ms. Bravo was paid to be at that meeting as part of her job at WSP is not an accident — without saying a word she is able to communicate her position on the issue and everyone at the meeting knew that.”
Read related: Nevermind! Daniella Levine Cava steps back from rejection of all airport bids
Like one of Political Cortadito’s loyal readers commented, “When ‘lobbyists’ Paulie Walnuts, Big Pussy and Tony show up in your office with a baseball bat to ‘discuss business’ Paulie does all the talking. Tony just stands there swinging the bat. Does anyone think Tony’s not the lead lobbyist?”
“Ms. Bravo is employed by WSP in the role of ‘client engagement’ and was being compensated by WSP to be at the meeting with Chairman Diaz as part of her job,” Winker wrote in his complaint. “This was not a social visit, but a meeting intended to advocate for Chairman Diaz to support their effort to overturn the bid.”
Winker also told Ladra that he had filed a complaint with the Inspector General.
“If what Alice Bravo did doesn’t break the two year ban on former employees lobbying, we need to either change the lobbying rules or stop pretending we care,” Winker told Ladra Monday. “We need more transparency and accountability and less corruption and pay-to-play politics as usual.”
Maybe part of the investigation should be to look at the video tape from the entrance to the commissioner’s office and see who signed in for Bravo. Ladra has asked for it but has been told that for “security reasons” it is exempt from public records laws. Well, it’s not exempt in court.
Read related: Miami-Dade airport contract stalls as politicians meddle in procurementJose
And it doesn’t look like Bravo signed in for herself. The entry looks different than the rest. It does not have the email and phone information, as if it had been entered been signed by someone who didn’t know it.
It looks like she tried to come in incognito and was busted. Why would she do that if it was just okay to sit there and not say a word?
“If it is true that Ms. Bravo did not sign it, it demonstrates that she knew her presence at the meeting was problematic,” Winker wrote in his complaint.
Well, of course she did. But that’s why they pay her the big bucks.
Ethics Complaint against Alice Bravo, May 2021 by Political Cortadito on Scribd
Narrative for Ethics Complaint against Alice Bravo by Political Cortadito on Scribd
Ethics complaint filed vs Alice Bravo for lobbying on county airports contract added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
This is from a Blog but love it —
” When it comes to using her official position to protect her friends and destroy her political enemies, Miami State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle’s selective prosecution is as transparent as glass.
As I wrote over two years ago in Absolute Power, “Keeping her friends in power empowers her. Keeping her friends close and prosecuting their enemies will ensure her continued reign as the most powerful politician in Miami-Dade County.”
But when it comes to accurately reporting her finances, as required by law, that’s where the transparency ends.
On November 30, 2015, the Crespogram Report posted a story about a secret slush fund that Katherine Fernandez-Rundle maintains at the Miami Foundation, over which she has complete control.”
It is funny how one always says to get the FBI involved. What makes you think this agency is any different? Name me one major public corruption case involving Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami involving the FBI within the last 10 years?
The FBI is as shitty and corrupt as the other agencies. If not, the FBI would have arrested Kathy Fernandez- Rundle along time ago. All great empires comes to an end. Usually ethics and morality is at the forefront when an empire is facing a demise. This country is internally imploding. No longer great! No longer internationally respected, because domestically there is not a care for democracy and slowly destroying the history and American core values.
Where is Mayor Cava? Is there any adult supervision at the County? WTF.
Alice Bravo has been a lobbyist for years. She was accused of being paid to be a lobbyist even when she was being paid to represent taxpayers. And Ralphie and Alex Heckler…? We know the taxpayers are getting screwed…
Gustavo Chacon,
I think we are now number 3 as far as corrupt cities but do not lose hope I’m sure we can make it to number one and then we can wear ” We’re number ONE” t-shirts with pride .
I already have mine because that is how confident I am of those I call the Miami political Cuban Cosa Nostra , they will come through for us .
Like my boss says ” keep the faith ” .
J.L Smith ,
The FBI has their hands full in Miami but at least they set up an office in Miami like 2 years ago just for Miami , lol .
They did same for New Orleans before that .
I agree that the head of the Cosa Nostra of all people is Rundle .
The FBI was on the news few days ago about these missing weapons .
May.18,2021
” 25 AR-15 Rifles Missing From Miami Police Department’s Inventory”
The Miami Herald reports that five years ago nearly a dozen decades-old guns went missing from the property room.
Those guns were never found, and whoever had them is not known.
Ethics shmethics.
Now that this incident has been exposed to light, chances are that Jose Arrojó, Director of the Commission on Ethics and Public Trust will not have a choice but to levy a small fine on Alice Bravo to give it the appearance that he is “on the job”; however, that could not be any further from the truth. Jose Arrojó, just like his counterpart Felix Jimenez at the Office of the Inspector General, are paper tigers, personally selected by our corrupt State Attoeney Katherine Fernández-Rundle with the specific intent to protect her friends and allies from inoportuno Investigations and destroy those perceived as “non-friendlies” with “fishing expeditions” The question of right or wrong or just or injust, does not figure in the decision to open or continue an investigation at the COE or the OIG. All that matters is that Fernández-Rundle is pleased and to accomplish that goal, both Arrojó and Jimenez, two despicable characters who would no sooner sell their mothers for a chance at profit or fame, will poison any investigation or will obstruct one from being open.
If anyone is truly interested in stopping corruption in this county, start by egging the FBI to look at Rundle, Arrojó and Jimenez. There is where the long tentacles of corruption begin in this county.
Thanks Gustavo for the text on Ladra’s post .Time for Miami Dade County Mayor Danielle Levine Cava to look at how business is done at the Miami Dade County Ethics and Public Trust Agency. These people are all lawyers twisting and spinning the Facts along with Miami Dade County Attorney and Ethics General Counsel Martha Perez as well as the shady Miami Dade County Attorney Gerald Sanchez. Yes Gerald : I have some of your shady emails along with a bunch of other shady people’s emails tied to Government as well as in Government.
Welcome To” The NO ETHICS COUNTY ” where The COE Swept everything Under The RUG?
” Former Miami-Dade Transit Director Alice Bravo attended a meeting with other lobbyists last month with Miami-Dade Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz’
Jose Pepe Diaz being involved tells me all I need to know .