It’s been almost a month since he was arrested and charged with federal bribery and extortion charges, and suspended Miami Lakes Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi has been more chatty than ever about being an innocent bystander in the FBI sting and questioning the motives behind the lobbyist-turned-informant he said poisoned him. He talked to New […]
Miami Lakes Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi decided not to run, after all, for the seat from which he was suspended earlier this month, after he was arrested on federal bribery and extortion charges in an FBI sting where he allegedly and knowingly facilitated bogus grant applications in exchange for kickbacks and campaign contributions. The race to […]
In the wake of the arrest this week of the now-suspended Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman on public corruption charges, questions are starting to arise about how much his campaign manager and confidant, Frank May, had to do not only with his graft but with day-to-day city operations. Described to Ladra by several people as a shady […]
When the unions come to heads with the Miami-Dade Commission today on their multiple impasses, one commissioner may be even more aggressive toward them than others. Judging by Monday’s committee of the whole performance, Commissioner Esteban “Stevie” Bobo has taken on the role of labor raider in the county’s very obvious efforts to lay blame […]
Interestingly enough, there is a common denominator in the two different arrests this month of three local mayors on corruption charges: South Dade lobbyist turned FBI informant Michael Kesti. Kesti, who served Sweetwater Mayor Manny “Maraña” Maroño and Miami Lakes Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi up to federal authorities as a paid informant in a bribery […]
Another day, another local mayor arrested: Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman was taken into custody Wednesday on charges of taking unlawful compensation. That’s police code for bribes and kickbacks and, in this case, taking secret jobs to use your political influence on other government officials. The mayor has been under investigation for a multitude of things […]
Former Miami Lakes Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi — suspended by Gov. Rick Scott earlier this month after he was arrested by the FBI on bribery and extortion charges –misses his office and want’s his seat back already. At least that’s what we have to think after his son picked up a candidate packet for him […]
Don’t they say that it’s always the cover-up that gets you? Of the two local mayors that went down a couple of weeks ago in an FBI sting that nabbed them on charges of bribery and extortion, the best case seems to be the one against suspended Sweetwater Mayor Manny “Maraña” Maroño. We have all long […]
The Florida League of Cities annual conference in Orlando this week has got to be an interesting place. Remember, this is the same event at which, last year, then-League President and then-Sweetwater Mayor Manny Maroño was going around introducing his political bigwig buddies to two businessmen that could help them graft thousands of dollars from the […]
Miami Lakes Interim Mayor Ceasar Mestre — who was vice mayor until the arrest last week of Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi on bribery and extortion charges after an FBI sting operation — has dropped out of the race to replace Pizzi permanently. In a text message to his friends and other council members, Mestre said […]