If you have nothing to do later today, pass by the John F. Kennedy Library in Hialeah, where early voting always promises a show or, in this case, a large artistic election installation.
Former Mayor Julio “The Other” Martinez has built a jail cell, a 5X8 cage really, with four orange-jumper wearing dummies inside and a big sign on each side: “Homestead, Miami Lakes, Sweetwater… is Hialeah next?”
The reference is for the three mayors of those cities, arrested in the last two months on one public corruption charge or another — bribery, extortion, unlawful compensation. In fact, some people thought Hernandez was going to be one of the “two mayors” who were rumored arrested on Aug. 6 hours before it became known that it was former Sweetwater Mayor Manny “Maraña” Maroño and Miami Lakes Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi, both arrested for bribery and extortion in a fake grant scheme where they received kickbacks, according to the FBI.
The inference is that Hernandez could join them and former Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman, arrested on charges of unlawful compensation for a secret lobbying gig he had to grease government wheels.
But while many have sort of envisioned Hernandez in handcuffs, it hasn’t happened. “I really thought he would have been arrested by now,” Martinez told me. “I’ve heard about it for so long, I thought he would be arrested before Election Day.”
Hialeah’s mayor is not facing any inquiry or charges that we know of. But that, in and of itself, is ridiculous because of the multiple allegations against him for abuse of power, which is widely documented, and for the long list of no-bid contracts tied to campaign contributions and for violating federal usury laws with a loan on which he admitted to collecting 36% interest — “No, wait, principal..no, wait, interest. No, principal! What was the question again?”
In fact, his attitude — the smug crocodile smile and the choice words he has for not just me but, now, many journalists and/or critics — seem to indicate that he knows he is not going to get pinched for any of that. He either got immunity for his testimony in the case against former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina or he is a regular informant to the authorities. Because there is no other reason they would tolerate his constant abuse of the system.
Maybe that is why an investigation into a possible violation of the state’s Sunshine Law by all the Hialeah council members ended in less than three weeks (more on that later).
In any case, Hialeah has always been known to get creative during city elections. It’s tradition.
Does anyone remember Uncle Sam in 2011 coming after Hernandez for the unpaid taxes on that illegal loan? He was sometimes accompanied by a handcuffed Felipito Perez, the Ponzi schemer who turned state’s evidence against Robaina. Does anyone remember further to the county recall mayoral elections when Robaina was running for the job against then Miami-Dade Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, who ultimately won? Maybe he had a little help from the guy who got dressed up as a cross between Robaina and Pinocchio, with a nose that actually grew?
This jail cell is just the latest act in the theater that are the Hialeah elections. It drew a lot of cameras to it this morning, right after the mayor had a press conference about the close-out on the Sunshine Law case, so look for the jail cell on a news station this evening.
Or go later tonight to JFK Library in Hialeah on West 49th Street. The man driving the pick-up truck with the jail on the bed — who has already reportedly been threatened with arrest by the mayor — is likely to make another drive by before early voting ends at 7 p.m.
Charge those camera phones.
Jail cell mocks mayor Carlos Hernandez in Hialeah election added by Ladra on
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