¡Sacrilegio! Nothing is sacred in Miami politics.
Former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla is known to take advantage of every opportunity when he is campaigning to send any message to voters that will keep his name in mind. The naming of a new Pope seems like a good one.
A mail piece paid for by his political action committee landed in mailboxes this week with the picture of the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter — Robert Francis Provost, the first U.S.-born pope, who took the name of Leo XIV — on one side and a message from ADLP on the other. “We have a Pope,” it announces in Spanish.
It is not “we have potato,” like they might announce at a grocery store in Cuba.
And once again, Diaz de la Portilla — arrested in 2023 on public corruption charges that were dropped last Fall — mentions the “unjustly accused” in his spiel. He always has to make it all about him.
“¡Habemus Papam,” the message starts, which is the Latin phrase used to announce of the election of a new pope, which is traditionally made by the Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals or senior cardinal deacon participating in the papal conclave.
In other words, not by a political candidate with a super shady past.
Read related: Alex Diaz de la Portilla is knocking, giving out mameys to be Miami mayor
“Let us pray for Pope Leo XIV so that God can bless him and guide him to bring hope to the desperate, love to the abandoned, peace to the tormented and justice to those who are unjustly accused,” Diaz de la Portilla writes in his Spanish message.
ADLP is threatening to run for mayor, but he hasn’t filed any paperwork or opened a campaign account, yet. He has been knocking on doors, visiting senior housing and handing voters mameys in recent weeks. He has printed materials through his PAC, Proven Leadership for Miami-Dade County, but they just have his name on it. That way, he can switch to the county commission race in District 5 when and if Eileen Higgins resigns to run, which she must do before qualifying in September.
Or he could run for mayor against Higgins and what is looking like a clown car of candidates: Commissioner Joe Carollo is also actively threatening to run. Former Commissioner Ken Russell and former City Manager Emilio Gonzalez have filed papers.
And he is famous for holiday mailers, whether he is running for office or not. Earlier this month, he sent voters a Mothers Day mailer — even though the mayoral race isn’t until November. A photo of him and his mom, Fabiola, is on the top right corner and, once again, justice — or the lack of it — is the subject.
Read related: Alex Diaz de la Portilla’s PAC raises nada, spends $108K on Miami campaign
“There is no judge or court as just as mothers when they know their children have been unjustly attacked,” the piece says. “Today and always, in gratitude, I celebrate my mother and all the mothers who give and sacrifice so much to protect their children and who celebrate when they see their children’s names vindicated, not only by God’s divine justice, but also by the systems of just human law. To you, my sincere words of recognition for a labor of love for your children.”
Seems really specific. How many mothers have had to see their sons arrested and charged with bribery and money laundering and suspended from office by the governor?
Both mailers are paid by his PAC, which spent $108,000 in the first there months of this year, according to the campaign finance records filed with the State Division of Elections, which also show that he is working with Absentee Ballot Queen Sasha Tirador.
“She is the boss,” Diaz de la Portilla texted Ladra on Thursday.
The next report, recording transactions through June, is due in mid July.
Asked if he had gone too far with the Pope mailer, using the announcement of the new pope for his political gain — isn’t that a sin?– Diaz de la Portilla texted Ladra: “You don’t love the Pope? I love the pope.”
That’s surprising since the Leo XIV is a considered a progressive pope who has advocated for economic justice and immigration fairness. These are not the tenets of the Republican Party and Diaz de la Portilla’s favorite hero, President Donald Trump. and everyone says they’re headed on a collision course as the two most powerful men in the world.
But Ladra is certain he forgives you.
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Holy Papa! Alex Diaz de la Portilla uses new Pope to campaign for Miami mayor added by Ladra on
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