The first Coral Gables commission meeting Tuesday after the required recall petitions for Mayor Vince Lago were submitted last week was long and a bit awkward for everybody. Ladra cringed a few times. Lago said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was investigating the recall effort and accused the new three amigos — Commissioners Melissa […]
And Vince Lago hasn’t raised any PAC money in a year The establishment candidate propped up against Coral Gables Commissioner Kirk Menendez by the mayor and his cronies has not raised an extraordinary amount of money. Not even close to what was expected. At least that we know of. According to his campaign finance report, […]
Ed Hudak says city can be a ‘transfer portal’ for cops The city of Coral Gables and it’s police union might be headed to an agreement after the 38 vacancies were discussed during Tuesday’s commission meeting and the mayor and commissioners agreed that filling those positions and approving a contract were priorities. “The contract is […]
Mayor uses city email to campaign in his defense Coral Gables activists Maria Cruz on Friday submitted 1,719 signed petitions to recall Mayor Vince Lago with the city clerk, taking the first step to remove him from office. Her group needs 1,649 signatures, or 5% of the 33,000 registered voters as of the last election […]
In a rare joint statement, the leadership of both the Coral Gables Fraternal Order of Police and the city’s firefighters’ union called Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago a liar and raised concerns about his side gigs and ties to developer Rishi Kapoor, who is under investigation for bribing the mayor of Miami. The labor groups […]
Vince Lago PAC has much more interest money The campaign to recall Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago is not really a grassroots effort. And it’s not very transparent. In its first campaign report filed this week, the End The Corruption political action committee chaired by longtime activist and perennial gadfly Maria Cruz reported collecting a […]
Union releases web video critical of administration The Coral Gables Police Department is supposed to be a force 204 strong. But there are currently 37 vacancies as dozens of officers scatter to other departments for better wages and working conditions — creating a 20% shortage. In just the patrol division, the number shortage is 40%, […]
The “undersigned residents of Coral Gables” who supposedly penned the letter to the editor supporting Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago and urging against his recall are a bunch of developers and other Lago lackeys, some with financial interests in the City Beautiful. The content of the letter (which was probably really written by campaign consultant […]
Timing is suspect; alleged violation was six months ago Last week, someone filed an ethics complaint against longtime Coral Gables activist Maria Cruz, alleging that she exploited her official position as a volunteer member of the city’s code enforcement board. The complainant: Rainmaker Brian Goldmeier, a fundraising consultant for many politicians — including Coral Gables […]
No, it’s not a resignation letter. A missive sent to Coral Gables residents by Mayor Vince Lago Thursday starts like he might be announcing his swan song. “Before anything else,” it starts, “I want to thank you for everything you do to make The City Beautiful the greatest place in America.” Tun, tun, tun! Lago […]