After lobbyist Daniel Diaz-Leyva lost his bid to 
unseat Democrat State Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez in District 112 last November, he pushed hard to become the Miami-Dade School Board appointee to replace Carlos Curbelo, who was elected to congress.
He lost again when Gov. Rick Scott appointed Lubby Navarro, a Republican Party activist and Miami-Dade School Board lobbyist, to the position in February.
Last week, the guv pulled through with a consolation prize for Danny Boy: Appointment to the Miami-Dade College Board of Trustees.
Read related story: Lubby Navarro is named to Miami-Dade School Board
Diaz-Leyva replaces Jose “El Chino” Fuentes, another lobbyist who had served on the board since he was appointed in 2011. Both applied for the position. And Fuentes’ graciously did not say anything about being ousted on a political palanca.
“It was a pleasure to serve the governor and the college. it was a great experience,”
Fuentes told Ladra. “And I’m very fortunate as a Hialeah boy to have had that privilege.”
But while many think this was a political appointment to give Danny Boy some gravitas, Ladra might ask what makes this board different? Diaz-Leyva already has served on the board of advisors for the University of Miami Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies, the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund Regional Council, the Florida Health Choices Board of Directors, the CHARLEE Homes for Children and the Latin Builders Association Board of Directors. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in 2001, and his Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2004.
There’s another group of observers who belive that Diaz-Leyva, whose poitical mentor and godfather is State Rep. Jose Felix “One More Pepe” Diaz, was put in to keep an eye and maybe a muzzle on Miami Dade College President Eduardo Padron, who last year railed against the Miami-Dade delegation leadership for failing to support Miami-Dade’s half-penny tax initiative and, in fact, killing it.
His term ends in 2018 — just in time for his next run for office.
College board post = consolation prize for Danny Diaz Leyva added by Ladra on
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