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Alex Diaz de la Portilla rides the Trump train to ‘vindication’ in new video ad
Former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who was suspended from office after his 2023 arrest on public corruption charges — including bribery and money laundering — that were later dropped, has a new campaign video for his mayoral bid that could easily be titled The Resurrection of ADLP.
The 30-second spot, which is expected to drop online before the weekend, opens not with Diaz de la Portilla himself but with a couple of loyal voters talking about how their guy was done dirty.
“They wanted to do to Alex the same thing they did to Trump,” says an older man with a blue tile wall behind him.
He’s talking about the arrest in September two years ago on 14 felonies that led to his suspension from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Diaz de la Portilla was accused of taking more than $250,000 in campaign contributions and hotel, food and booze costs from the owners of the Centner Academy in exchange for gifting them a city park they could build a sports dome on for their students. He has always maintained that he was targeted politically in his re-election year.
Another abuelita chimes in on the ad, solemnly: “El que no la debe, no la paga.” Literal translation: He who owes nothing, pays nothing. A better translation: If Alex didn’t do anything wrong, he shouldn’t have to pay any price.
Then come the receipts — or at least, the selective ones. The ad flashes images of Trump and news clips about prosecutors dropping charges against Diaz de la Portilla last year. The words like “victory” and “dismissed charges” are peppered in
Subtle? Not even close.
Read related: One-liners and other memorable moments from Miami mayoral debate
The message here is loud and clear: Alex Diaz de la Portilla is positioning himself as Miami’s own mini-Trump — the comeback kid persecuted by “the system,” wronged by the “deep state” of local politics, and finally vindicated by the “truth.” This is part campaign strategy and part redemption tour.
Never mind that the case didn’t exactly end in a sweeping acquittal. The charges were dropped, yes — but after prosecutors struggled to make the campaign finance case stick and a judge tossed out some of the counts. That’s not quite the same as being declared innocent. But in politics, nuance is for losers.
And Diaz de la Portilla knows the optics game better than most.
The video is full of feel-good B-roll: Alex shaking hands, dancing with a little old lady, hugging supporters, one of whom wears a red MAGA hat. There’s upbeat music.
It’s practically a Telemundo telenovela.
But, then again, we can expect one of the other 12 candidates and/or a political action committee to soon produce a video ad with the footage and audio of his arrest. That, too, could be award-winning.
Diaz de la Portilla’s video ad will likely run on social media, WhatsApp, and maybe even some local Spanish-language TV spots if he has enough money — and the same couple accused of bribing him in 2023 have already given $100,000 to his campaign, which paid for the ad, the first of six video ads he is releasing between now and Nov. 4, Diaz de la Portilla told Political Cortadito.
He wouldn’t say what those videos would be about. “No spoilers allowed,” he texted.
This first major message since Diaz de la Portilla jumped into the Miami mayoral race is a big tell. He’s not trying to reinvent himself. He’s doubling down on the narrative that’s always worked for him: that he’s a victim of political persecution who fights for “the little guy.” It’s red meat for his base — the same loyal network of older, conservative, mostly Cuban-American voters who’ve known him and his brothers, and voted for them, since Manny Diaz was mayor.
Read related: Primetime politics: Local 10 News puts Miami mayoral hopefuls in the hot seat
And invoking Trump isn’t just symbolic. It’s strategic. The MAGA crowd is loud and mobilized, and Diaz de la Portilla is clearly hoping that their sense of grievance — of being unfairly targeted — translates to sympathy and votes.
Okay, it’s true that the Broward State Attorney’s Office made a mess of the case against ADLP. But this campaign video isn’t about truth or justice. It’s about control of the narrative. It’s about rewriting the story before his opponents — and the voters — remember the details.
It’s political alchemy: turn scandal into martyrdom, turn suspension into “persecution,” and turn dismissal into divine vindication.
Expect to see this theme everywhere as election season heats up. He’ll talk about “forgiveness,” “false accusations,” and “faith in the system.” He’ll smile a lot and say he’s focused on “the future.”
But don’t be fooled — the message under the music is pure grievance politics: They came for me. But I’m still here.
And if it works — if it gets traction with the base — expect Alex to push even harder on the Trump parallel.
Because if there’s one thing Miami politics teaches us again and again, it’s that scandal doesn’t kill careers. It just gives the next campaign ad better footage.
The post Alex Diaz de la Portilla rides the Trump train to ‘vindication’ in new video ad appeared first on Political Cortadito.
Coral Gables commission backs off Israeli flag at City Hall after backlash
Well, that didn’t fly.
The Israeli flag will not be raised over Coral Gables City Hall this week for the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, despite Mayor Vince Lago’s push to do just that. After a wave of opposition from residents—and the painfully obvious lack of support from his fellow commissioners — the idea was quietly shelved last month in favor of more neutral, unifying gestures.
But those got shelved as well, possibly because they were all-inclusive. And, instead, the city’s police department has folded an Israeli homage into their National Night Out event Tuesday night — complete with bounce houses and carnival games.
Isn’t that appropriate?
To be clear: National Night Out in the Gables was always going to be on Tuesday, October. 7. It was always going to be at Temple Judea, which is a community gathering spot. But it wasn’t always going to be about Israel. There was no mention of the dark anniversary in the early flyers and announcements. Only a DJ, bounce houses, carnival rides and a police K9 demonstration.
“National Night Out provides our first responders the opportunity to build stronger ties with the community. It also provides a great opportunity for residents to meet their neighbors,” said Police Chief Ed Hudak in a community announcement sent last week.
Now, a new press release from the police department reads: “The event is being held at Temple Judea to provide support for the affected community, and to ensure a secure and supportive environment for all. On this two-year anniversary of the Hamas attacks, we stand in solidarity with our Jewish community.”
Where did that come from?
Read related: City raising an Israeli flag causes fuss and fury at Coral Gables City Hall
The city commission voted Sept. 25 to forgo the hoisting a foreign flag over a public building — which many saw as the city siding with Israel in the current conflict in Gaza, which has been denounced as genocide by multiple world agencies — and, instead, commemorate the tragedy with a banner, an interfaith vigil, and possibly lighting up City Hall in white and blue.
You know, stand in solidarity with all the community.
That last idea was scrapped because people could see right through those colors — it was a different way to present the flag — and demanded that red be added for all the victims of political violence. It’s the colors of America, anyway. But that would defeat Lago’s purpose. So there will be no lighting at City Hall. Basically, if it can’t be blue and white, they don’t want to do it.
Also, the interfaith ceremony apparently fizzled out when city leaders realized they had to invite an imam, too. After all, the whole idea was likely presented by Lago to appease a pro-Israel base that could help fund his future political ambitions. And they did not want to share the stage with those people. That’s what it looks like.
The city has said it was postponed due to a Jewish holiday and the unavailability of rabbis to attend, but las malas lenguas say they were faced with backlash from the Jewish community and an email to Ladra from Gables Spokeswoman Martha Pantin didn’t mention the holiday. “A new date and further details have not yet been finalized,” she wrote Oct. 2. She never did respond to a question asking why the date had been changed. Some kind of “interfaith ceremony” at some point — though nobody seems to know when, where, or what that will look like — is the kind of vague non-answer that usually means everyone’s trying to move on without saying so out loud.
What started as a supposed symbolic gesture from Lago has turned into a full-blown political headache — and, in the end, the city just decided to skip the whole thing. No flag. No blue-and-white lights. No vigil. Just the lingering tension of a community reminded that even the City Beautiful isn’t immune to global divides.
Is there even going to be a banner? Because Ladra knows there was a lot of concern about the date on it.
Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, perhaps sensing the consistent heat, asked staff before the Sept. 25 meeting to design a banner that could be hung instead of the Israeli flag. What they came up with is two white doves over the Earth and underneath the date Oct. 7. The messages “In Remembrance,” “May Peace Prevail” and “Honoring those who lost their lives” are also on the banner.
Anderson said it was a way to “honor all individuals that were victims of war … and to support peace.”
But if that were true, she might have left the date off. While the terrible attack of Oct. 7 killed somewhere around 1,200 people and led to the taking of more than 200 hostages by Hamas, the reaction by Israel has already led to the deaths of more than 65,000 Palestinians, including children who are being starved to death because humanitarian aid doesn’t make it to the refugees.
Lago first proposed the hair-raising flag raising at the first meeting in September but deferred after some residents pushed back and even Commissioner Richard Lara, in a rare show of independence, seemed resistant. Lago said he wanted other ideas. But he didn’t really.
Read related: Op-Ed by Michael Rosenberg: KFHA ‘In One Room – Together’ was a success
“If it was up to me and it was only me going to vote on this issue, I would raise the flag,” the mayor said Sept. 25, clearly still standing by his original proposal — even if nobody else was. He claimed the move was “not about marginalizing any community,” though many residents said that’s exactly how it felt. Commissioners heard from multiple residents at the meeting, and every single one who spoke on the flag issue said they were against raising it.
“Raising a foreign flag is inherently political,” said one resident who identified as Catholic and Palestinian. “Imagine if you only raised a Palestinian flag — some residents would feel upset and excluded. And they would be justified.
“I would be here speaking on their behalf.”
Attorney Jalel Shehadeh, a member of both the Florida Muslim Bar Association and the Palestinian American Bar Association who lives on North Greenway Drive, was more blunt about this “totally unnecessary endeavor.
“A vote for this is an endorsement of genocide… and would be a public statement from the city that it differentiates between its residents,” Shehadeh said.
In his defense for the indefensible, L’Ego said he had heard from both Jewish and Catholic residents. “They didn’t see this as anti-Palestinian,” he said. Interestingly that he didn’t say Muslims or Palestinians, but he had also heard from them.
Martha Schoolman, an FIU professor who said her father was a rabbi, called the proposal “an act of deeply offensive war mongering out of touch with the views of many in this community,” that ignored how many Jewish families are being torn apart over the issue. “This is a genocide — a nearly completed one. Who is this commission to rub salt in the wounds of our community?”
Some residents seemed dismayed that the mayor, after having gotten so much pushback, would still want to move forward with the flag. “Despite dozens of emails and calls from residents to reconsider, here we are again,” said Katherine Shehadeh.
It’s worth repeating that not one speaker supported the flag-raising. Not one. In two meetings, the only person who spoke in favor was South Miami Javier Fernandez, a land use attorney at City Hall to lobby on something else, who just came back from an all-expense trip to Israel paid for by the Jewish Federation of Broward. Katie Shehadeh called him a “paid propagandist.”
Maybe Lago is angling for a free junket?
Read related: Miami-Dade still deep in Israel bonds despite budget woes — and genocide
Well, he may not get it. Because the commissioners listened to the residents and decided that foreign policy doesn’t belong on the flagpole at City Hall. The city has previously raised flags for other causes, like LGBTQ+ pride and autism awareness. But those were, arguably, local and inclusive, not a stance on an international war that’s left more than 65,000 Palestinians dead since Israel’s military response began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Still, Lago tried to frame the flag-raising as apolitical, a simple gesture of solidarity with a country that shares American values. And he wasn’t happy with the backpedalling. He went on W Radio last week to defend his idea and take a few jabs at his colleagues.
“We are not talking about Palestine and Gaza,” Lago said. “We are not talking about the problems we all know are happening in the Middle East. We are talking about 1,200 Jewish people who lost their lives to Hamas, 1,200 human beings.”
Because, apparently, the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in the Israeli response are not human beings?
Then Lago accused Commissioners Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez — who had supported the compromise lighting — of “politicizing the issue.” He even tossed in a mention of their vote to raise commissioner salaries, because why not?
But he forgot to say that Lara was also uncomfortable with it. And Anderson worked on the compromise banner. The mayor is all alone on this hill.
Asked about Palestinian suffering, Lago said his heart goes out to all victims, “but a lot of the 65,000 were soldiers with Hamas.”
That’s not going to help heal any wounds, Mayor. It’s also another blatant mistruth from Lyin’ Lago. But that ignores leaked classified documents that say the Isreali military intelligence database indicates 83% of Palestinians killed in Gaza are civilians.
Coral Gables, like many communities grappling with how — or even whether — to acknowledge global tragedies, found itself walking a tightrope in the past few weeks. This time, at least, it looks like commissioners chose balance over bluster.
But the tension may not be over yet. Castro has said that she may try again at the next commission meeting to promote some type of event that will unite the community instead of dividing them.
Good luck with that.
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The post Coral Gables commission backs off Israeli flag at City Hall after backlash appeared first on Political Cortadito.
Op-Ed by Michael Rosenberg: KFHA ‘In One Room – Together’ was a success
Opinion By Michael Rosenberg, president of the Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations
On the night of September 25, a room full of people came together to see if people of various political persuasions could discuss some very difficult issues that cause Town Hall meetings to dissolve into chaos, screaming, police actions, fights and angry rhetoric with shouting and cursing becoming the final outcome.
The Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations, Inc. wanted to see if we could tackle that situation in the “Land of Kendall” and see if we could do it right. If we could be peaceful. If we could depart friends. If we could, perhaps, change some minds. Or, at least, agree to disagree.
It was called, “In One Room – Together”. Ladra (columnist Elaine de Valle) wrote a wonderful article about it.
Read related: Kendall group wants to bring together diverse political views, without a fight
We did it! On the panel were two Republicans from the FIU College Republicans, two Democrats from the FIU College Democratics, one Libertarian from the FIU Libertarian Committee, the chair of the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party, the chair of the Miami Dade County Libertarian Party and JC Planas, election attorney extraordinaire.
I failed in my attempts to convince the head of the Miami-Dade Republican Party to join us, but those FIU students representing the Republican Party were fantastic, as were all of the “kids”.
There was one rule: You could NOT say the words “Trump”, “Biden”, “Harris”, DeSantis” or any other elected official’s name, as this was a meeting about US! Our views. Our thoughts. Our ideas. Believe it or not, we did that as well! For ninety minutes there was not one single mention of any politicians. It was just “We The People”.
Some people were thinking that this would be a discussion about the price of electricity from FPL or affordable housing; you know, the easy stuff. Nope!
We started right off with “Birthright Citizenship”. Does it make sense that someone can sneak into the United States, have a baby and that baby is automatically an American citizen, just like that? The discussion was calm, but trust me, there were a wide variety of opinions.
Next came the Second Amendment. Oh boy! That was tough. All sorts of opinions and strong arguments for why the Second Amendment is perfect and clear; and strong arguments why it could use some changes in the modern world of 2025.
We saved the ”easiest” one for last … “Abortion”. Not easy! One theme, among most of the women, were comments to the men that they should essentially “take a hike” when it comes to making rules for “our bodies”!
I have to say that this issue became mildly or slightly heated towards the end. Or maybe, more than that. The last ten minutes, with that topic, was tough to contain emotions. Some spoke from personal experiences, some from their strong religious point-of-view, some saying Roe v. Wade should return and some saying the exact moment of conception is the beginning of life.
But, we got through it.
Read related: Poll: Daniella Levine Cava tops the guv, The Donald; but folks are afraid to bark
One of the highlights of the evening was that even when the meeting was over, it didn’t end. Little pockets of people like this (photo courtesy Michael Rosenberg) were sitting around discussing issues. This photo is one Democrat talking to three Republicans. They spoke for over thirty minutes! It was beautiful to watch.
I’ll end with Ron Magill‘s great comments. They capture the spirit of the evening. I suggest you watch the whole video.
“There are two things I don’t talk about. I don’t talk about religion. I don’t talk about politics,” said Magill, who is the communications director and, really, the face of Zoo Miami. He was also a lifetime Republican until 2015.
“Extremism in any form is dangerous,” Magill said, and he congratulated the college students on their willingness and ability to engage without fighting.
“Because you guys are the future. And it’s very inspiring to me how civilly you debated this,” Magill said.
In conclusion, there will be a Part Two and, I believe, it will be far more challenging than Part One. Stay tuned.
The KFHA thanks all the panel members, KFHA supporters and all the guests that showed we can do it. We can meet as friends. Yes, WE DID IT!
Michael Rosenberg is a tireless advocate for animals and humans in Miami-Dade and beyond. Rosenberg is the longtime president of the Kendal Federation of Homeowner Associations and is co-founder of the Pets’ Trust Initiative, which got 65% of voters to agree in 2012 on a massive spay/neuter plan to help keep the population of strays down. He is a frequent speaker at Miami-Dade Commission meetings — when they let him talk.
The post Op-Ed by Michael Rosenberg: KFHA ‘In One Room – Together’ was a success appeared first on Political Cortadito.
Poll: Daniella Levine Cava tops the guv, The Donald; but folks are afraid to bark
But voters feel chilling effect of cancel culture
Well, here’s something you don’t see every day in Florida: a Democrat woman leading both Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump in a popularity contest — and not just in the 305 liberal bubble, either.
According to the new Bendixen & Amandi poll of 600 voters between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3, released Monday, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava is riding higher than the two Republican powerhouses when it comes to local approval. Maybe it’s her mom-energy or the fact that she’s not yelling at Disney, but La Alcaldesa scored 54% approval overall — with support from a surprising majority of Republicans (54%) and nearly two-thirds of Democrats (64%). Only independents seemed a tad disappointed, giving her 44% positive marks.
Read related: Poll says Miami-Dade voters divided on most issues — and thinking of leaving
That puts her comfortably ahead of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’s down to a lukewarm 47% combined approval and a chilly 55% disapproval among independents. DeSantis still rules the GOP kennel, though — 92% of Republicans say they love their guv, probably because he’s still picking fights with Washington, the media, doctors, teachers, drag queens, well, everyone. The anti-woke agenda is still going well for him inside the echo chamber.
Then there’s Donald Trump, whose numbers are reportedly dropping all over the MAGA world, even here en Trumplandia. Trump gets 46% approval overall in Miami-Dade, with Cuban voters keeping him afloat — 59% approve, nearly half of them strongly. But among Democrats, it’s almost universal loathing. Ladra probably couldn’t even print the words they used.
So yes, in the county where the GOP has made major inroads in recent elections, DLC may actually be the most popular elected official right now.
“One of Daniella Levine Cava’s super powers is that she has managed to not offend,” said Fernand Amandi, managing partner of what is perhaps the nation’s leading multilingual and multiethnic public opinion research and strategic communications consulting firm. “She doesn’t double down on prizing and as a result, she is palpable to a lot of different voter bases.”
Imagine that. Somebody call the mayor’s comms team — they just found their next fundraising email.
“The numbers reflect the deep rooted support and trust that Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has earned from Miami-Dade residents,” said Christian Ulvert, the mayor’s campaign consultant and political advisor. “While President Trump carried Miami-Dade with double digits last year, Mayor Levine Cava won the county in August by 35 points.”
True, that. But it might have been different if she had a real contender to force her into a runoff in November, when the GOP constitutional candidates swept in on The Donald’s coattails.
Either way, also happy: Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, who is running for Miami mayor with DLC’s endorsement, which is apparently worth more than the Republican candidates in this “nonpartisan” race would like to think.
Read related: Daniella Levine Cava gives Higgins the expected abrazo in Miami mayor’s race
But, wait. Before anybody starts thinking Miami-Dade has turned into Denmark, the same poll shows something much darker about how we feel when we open our mouths.
Half the voters here — an even half — said they don’t feel safe expressing their opinions in public or online. Only 40% said they can speak freely without fear of retaliation.
And it cuts both ways. Republicans, usually the ones claiming “cancel culture,” were the only group where a majority — 56% — said they can speak freely. Democrats and independents? Most said they feel muzzled (53% and 63%, respectively). Ladra can’t help but think that this is intricately tied to the social media posts — and fallout from — that followed the public and horrifying assassination of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk, less than a month before the survey, which have led to firings and calls for a Palmetto Bay councilman to resign.
That’s a sobering split for a community that prides itself on saying whatever we want — loudly, and with hand gestures. Maybe it’s the political polarization. Maybe it’s the online mob culture. Or maybe it’s just Miami people realizing that in the age of screenshots, “freedom of speech” doesn’t mean “freedom from consequences.”
Read related: State slapped with federal lawsuit after firing biologist for Charlie Kirk post
Amandi calls it a casualty of the MAGA culture wars.
“It’s very sad that a question that I’ve only asked before in communist Cuba I’d feel was a question to ask here, and to get those results was even sadder,” he told Political Cortadito. He said the chill caught across age groups. “Among young people, also a majority felt that they couldn’t speak out,” Amandi said.
So the main takeaway: It says something when more Miami-Dade residents trust Mayor Levine Cava with their trash pickup than they trust the system with their voice.
Because what good is democracy — or even a good cafecito debate — if half the county is afraid to engage?
For more independent coverage of Miami-Dade and local government, support the watchdog journalism on Political Cortadito with a contribution. Every little bit helps keep Ladra’s bark loud and her bite sharp.
The post Poll: Daniella Levine Cava tops the guv, The Donald; but folks are afraid to bark appeared first on Political Cortadito.
Primetime politics: Local 10 News puts Miami mayoral hopefuls in the hot seat
Grab your remote and your cafecito, mi gente — WPLG Local 10 is about to make your 9 p.m. a lot more interesting.
Starting tonight, Local 10 News will roll out a full series of live interviews with the candidates running for Miami mayor — 12 of the 13, anyway. You can probably guess which one hasn’t confirmed yet. Yes, that one. Commissioner Joe Carollo — who likes to keep everyone guessing — is still a maybe.
Read related: One-liners and other memorable moments from Miami mayoral debate
The station, which recently launched its new 9 p.m. newscast, is using the slot to give voters a closer look at the crowded field of contenders who want to run City Hall. Each will get their own night to pitch themselves, dodge questions, or — if we’re lucky — slip and tell us what they really think.
Here’s the line-up:
Oct. 6: Elijah John Bowdre, a newcomer with a preacher’s cadence and a reformer’s zeal — but in Miami politics, idealists tend to get eaten for breakfast.
Oct. 7: Former Miami Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla, who was suspended after his 2023 arrest on 14 felonies, including bribery and money laundering. Charges were dropped last year.What can Ladra say that a judge or an ethics report hasn’t already? The comeback kid is still trying to convince voters he’s not yesterday’s scandal. Maybe. As of Monday afternoon, he either didn’t know anything about it, or he pretended not to.
Oct. 8: Former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell, the paddleboard progressive who always sounds ready to lead a TED Talk — if only he could convince voters he’s not still running for Congress.
Oct. 9: Former Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suárez, the first Cuban-born mayor of Miami and the actual mayor’s father, living in the past, still convinced the city needs one more dose of Suárez. Spoiler: Not everyone agrees.
Oct. 10: Perennial candidate Michael Hepburn, a onetime congressional contender who is earnest, energetic, and probably the only one in the field who’s actually read the city budget cover to cover. Too bad he doesn’t stand a chance.
Oct. 13: Former Community Council Member Christian E. Cevallos is young, ambitious, and running like Miami’s future depends on it — even if most voters are still figuring out who he is.
Oct. 14: Former Miami City Manager Emilio González, the bureaucrat’s bureaucrat who knows exactly how City Hall works — and where the bodies are buried.
Oct. 15: James Kenneth DeSantis, who calls the guv “Uncle Ron,” but is not that that close. In fact, Ron DeSantis has endorsed Gonzalez. That’s gotta make Thanksgiving uncomfortable. But “JK” will sill get some votes because of his name — or out of protest.
Oct. 16: Alyssa Crocker, the community advocate with fire and focus — but breaking through this pack of politicos will take more than good intentions.
Oct. 20: June Savage, a repeat contender with plenty to say and zero fear of saying it — whether or not anyone’s listening.
Oct. 21: Laura Anderson, running under the Socialist Workers banner — which might play better in Portland than in the 305, where revolución is a dirty word.
Oct. 27: Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, the polished political veteran and only candidate to qualify by petition, who’s betting that experience — and name ID — can overcome the city’s “anyone-but-an-incumbent” mood.
Each one will get a chance to talk priorities, problems, and promises — and maybe prove they’ve actually been paying attention to what’s going on in the city they want to lead.
Ladra thinks it’s could be a smart move by Local 10, which has been upping its game with deeper local coverage and that shiny new 9 p.m. broadcast. The timing couldn’t be better, either: Voters are tuning in, campaign cash is flowing, and the mudslinging is about to get messy. Absentee ballots will start arriving in mailboxes in a matter of days.
How long are the interviews going to be? And who is doing them? If it’s not Glenna Milberg, then it might be filler fluff.
But Ladra is going to be watching anyway — to see who flops, who flies, and who pulls a full Carollo and ghosts the whole thing.
Ladra should get combat pay for watching these interviews so you don’t have to. Support independent watchdog journalism and continued coverage of the Miami mayoral election with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Thank you!
The post Primetime politics: Local 10 News puts Miami mayoral hopefuls in the hot seat appeared first on Political Cortadito.
Poll says Miami-Dade voters divided on most issues — and thinking of leaving
¡Que sorpresa! Looks like Miami-Dade voters more divided than a Cuban sandwich debate between Little Havana and Tampa (Little Havana, hands down).
A new Bendixen & Amandi International poll released this week shows just how divided, disillusioned, and downright dizzy our county’s electorate has become — with voters taking opposite sides on everything from fluoride to freedom, from ticket cameras to TPS for Venezuelans.
The 600-voter survey, conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3, found Miami-Dade residents deeply engaged but sharply divided on a long list of hot-button issues — including some that hit very close to home. There’s no client. Bendixen & Amandi did it, well, because it had to be done.
“We thought it was an important service for the community to see how other voters felt on several important issues in the community,” Fernand Bendixen told Political Cortadito. “If we don’t do it, no one else will.”
He’s not wrong.
And if you think people are just tired of the politics, think again: more than half — 56% — said they’ve actively considered leaving Miami-Dade because of the high cost of living. That’s not just frustration. That’s flight risk.
Here are the results from this poll, with Ladra’s analysis:
No love for fluoride (or for big government in your tap)
In one of the more surprising results, 47% of respondents supported the county’s decision to stop adding fluoride to the water, despite decades of public health backing for the practice. That’s a strong nod to the anti-mandate, “don’t tell me what to do” streak that’s taken hold in Florida and national politics lately.
Read related: Survey of Kendall residents shows they agree on Calusa, split on fluoride
Republicans overwhelmingly backed the move (63%), Democrats opposed it (57%), and independents split right down the middle — which, come to think of it, is a pretty good metaphor for this whole poll.
Still, Miami-Dade Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez, who led the charge at the local level in lockstep with Gov. Ron DeSantis, will challenge these results. He will likely say the support is higher.
College over cult of personality
But even Trump’s diehards weren’t buying Tallahassee’s latest land grab. When asked whether the state should take land from Miami Dade College to build the Donald Trump Presidential Library, voters said absolutely not — by a stunning 74% to 14% margin. That’s how bad an idea it is.
Even Republicans in the poll — 59% — said to leave the land with the college. Apparently, not everything with the former president’s name on it deserves a gold-plated plaque in downtown Miami.
Divided on Venezuela, TPS, and deportations
The Trump administration’s approach to Venezuela still splits Miami voters right down party lines. About 35% support using military force to remove Nicolás Maduro, while 42% oppose it. Republicans back it (59%), while Democrats and independents don’t (57% and 51%, respectively). Same song, different verse.
And when it comes to ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans already here, half of Miami-Dade says no — but again, that split ends at a partisan level, where it’s Republicans for (68%), Democrats against (69%), and independents somewhere in between. You can practically hear the echo of 8th Street dominoes slamming over it.
On deporting undocumented immigrants without criminal records, voters went even more clearly blue: 60% oppose it, with strong opposition among Hispanics and independents. But a majority of Republicans (62%) support deportations of non-criminals, while a bigger majority of Democrats (84%), does not.
No goal for World Cup spending
If you thought Miami was giddy about hosting the World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium, think again. Two out of three voters — 66% — disagree with using $46 million in public money to help fund it. Apparently, residents have had enough of paying for billionaires’ parties, no matter how much Messi magic is promised.
Read related: Buyer’s remorse: Kionne McGhee wants refund on $46M to FIFA World Cup
It won’t matter to Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, the main champion of the county’s million dollar subsidy for the FIFA hosting team and their expenses, including $25 million worth in unpaid, “in-kind” police and fire rescue services.
Oh, and ICE is probably going to be out there vetting the fans. For free!
Affordability crunch bites hard
The most sobering number? The one Ladra mentioned earlier: 56% of county voters have thought about moving away because of affordability.
That’s major. That’s a slow-motion evacuation. It’s a county quietly voting with its feet.
Vaccines, mandates, and medical freedom
Predictably, the partisan divide over vaccines remains just as deep with 55% of the total respondents against and 40% in favor of the ban on mandates. Republicans overwhelmingly back the decision by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Lapado to end vaccine mandates (72%), while Democrats (82%) and independents (62%) reject it.
Read related: Ron DeSantis wants to make Florida the first state to scrap vaccine mandates
This is less a policy issue than a cultural one now — and the culture war lines here are as solid as the Turnpike.
Seaquarium site should stay ‘touristy’
More than half — 54% of the respondents — say the Miami Seaquarium, the management of which has been under fire for years, should remain a tourist attraction. Only 36% said it’s time to repurpose the property.
That’s some hesitation. And the question didn’t even mention that the redevelopment is going to be led by Terra’s David Martin or all the bells and whistles (more on that later).
Smile for the camera (or don’t)
Even the school zone speed cameras, a relatively new issue making headlines for conflicts of interests (more on that later), sparked debate: 54% want to keep them, 42% want them gone. Maybe that’s because Miami drivers are allergic to limits. Or maybe people just don’t trust government to ticket fairly.
Ladra would have expected it to tilt the other way. But it’s another split decision.
The big picture here is that Miami-Dade voters don’t agree on very much. They don’t trust each other. Half say they can’t even speak freely online without fear of retaliation. They’re divided on Trump, divided on DeSantis, divided on fluoride, freedom, and fines.
They do agree on three key things: (1) Miami Dade College should not give away the Biscayne Boulevard land for a Trump library, (2) There should be no public funds given to FIFA World Cup actives and (3) Nobody can afford to live here anymore.
“I see a community that seems to be tolerant of Donald Trump and Republican policies, but intolerant on particular issues,” Fernand Amandi said.
“We’re living in strange times. I lot of the people who support Donald Trump and think he’s doing a good job, are also significantly against some of his key policies, and it’s and no impact on his popularity.”
In conclusion, it looks like Miami-Dade voters are paying attention. They’re just not on the same page.
And maybe that’s what democracy looks like — Miami style: loud, conflicted, caffeinated, and ready to argue about it.
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Water wars: Oliver Gilbert pits Miami Gardens vs. North Miami Beach
County commission could intercede this week
It would seem they are talking about oil instead of water.
A long-running battle between the cities of Miami Gardens and North Mami Beach over who controls the flow of agua to a lot of Northwest and Northeast Miami-Dade residents — and the surcharges that come with that control — has come to a boil in recent weeks with allegations of lying and greed.
On one side, we have Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, the former mayor of Miami Gardens, who seems to be on a holy war with neighboring North Miami Beach over a 25% surcharge NMB charges for providing water to customers in the Gardens. He has introduced a county ordinance that would regulate the city’s utility. Gilbert says he is doing it for the people, the little viejitas who live on a fixed income. But he sounds more like a power-hungry bully on an ego trip. He really misses being the commission chairman, or the city mayor.
And Ladra can’t help but wonder if he’s really doing this for the biggest property owner in the area — the Miami Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross, who also owns the Hard Rock Stadium, which must have a scary water bill, and has given tens of thousands in contributions to Gilbert and his political action committee, Common Voices. Because the savings for residents would probably be small. But for the stadium?
On the other side, we have North Miami Beach Mayor Michael Joseph, who has presented a plan to give people outside the city some relief – giving back people “their own money,” as Gilbert says — but insists the surcharge is there to pay for years of infrastructure expenses, debt and maintenance that can’t be just on the backs of his residents. Even though the dollars admittedly go into the general fund to help the city of 45,655 people (2024 figure) balance its budget.
Joseph is a scrappy guy with political potential to watch. He was ousted as commissioner by his colleagues in 2023 — because he missed three meetings in a row — but reinstated by the courts. Before that, he led a commission boycott of meetings because the former Mayor Joseph Defillipo, was accused of living outside the city and Joseph did not recognize him as mayor.
Read related: Miami-Dade: Oliver Gilbert spanks Rob Gonzalez on ‘my airport’ comment
These two cities have been suing, legislating, and lobbying over the Norwood Water Plant for years. Miami Gardens even won a $9 million settlement from North Miami Beach last year. Lawmakers tried to settle the fight in Tallahassee this spring, with a new law, which would require municipalities using a water or sewer plant located within the boundaries of another municipality, to charge the consumers in the municipality where the plant is located at the same rate as the consumers within its own municipal boundaries. So, basically, the NMB wouldn’t be able to charge a surcharge outside their city if they didn’t charge it inside.
It was obviously written for Miami Gardens. House Bill 11 was introduced by State Rep. Felicia Robinson, with Senate Bill 202 introduced by Sen. Shevrin Jones — both of whom represent Miami Gardens. Gilbert celebrated. “This is more than just a legislative victory, it’s a moral one” he said. And he often sounds like a preacher from the 1950s.
Then Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it, saying it was a local matter. In other words: It ain’t the state’s job to referee a municipal water fight.
But the legislative activity seems to have gotten the water roiling again. There’s been a flurry of new back and forth op-ed pieces by Gilbert and Joseph trying to garner support for their respective positions.
The two sides couldn’t be further apart as evidenced at a recent Miami Gardens Council meeting where Joseph showed up with his version of “an olive branch” — in this case, “olive trees” — to sell his city’s new water discounts. Seniors, disabled vets, deployed service members, and widows of first responders could get 10% off their bills, up to $100 a year. Plus a little $50 kickback if you sign up for autopay. He also plugged his We Care to Share program, which helps people behind on their bills.
Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris politely thanked him, saying they could sit down later to talk partnership. Joseph, ever the diplomat, replied, “One thousand percent.”
But the warm fuzzies dried up quick when Gilbert just strolled up to the podium like he owns the place. He wasn’t called on, like Joseph was. In fact, he interrupted a council member when he just took the mic and mocked Joseph for leaving right after his speech. “Oh, that’s just tragic,” Gilbert said sarcastically.
Read related: Miami-Dade passes final $12.9 million budget — sans transit fare increases
Then the former county commission chairman ripped Joseph’s plan to shreds. A $100 discount? A $50 credit? “Basically giving you back your own money,” Gilbert scoffed, pointing out that North Miami Beach has been skimming millions every year from Gardens residents through surcharges. “We’ve been fighting now for the better part of two decades to bring water fairness to Miami Gardens.”
Gilbert urged the city council members and residents to show up at County Hall Thursday, when his new ordinance gets a final vote. The measure could force municipal utilities to prove their surcharges actually go back into the water system — not into the general fund to pay for other goodies — or face fines and maybe even county takeover. Gilbert calls the current system “taxation without representation.”
Joseph calls the county ordinance government overreach with “guns blazing.”
“It’s a solution looking for a problem,” that “unfairly targets” North Miami Beach, Joseph said. No other municipal water utility — not Hialeah, not Homestead — would be regulated. “This ordinance not only threatens our ability to deliver critical services, it also raises serious operational and governance.”
Joseph, other council members and the city’s attorneys say that only the state has jurisdiction over the North Miami Beach water utility, which is regulated and has won awards. And somehow the county wants to put it under the same jurisdiction that was issued a federal decree in 2013 because the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department had violated the Clean Water Act? The decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection required the county to spend $1.6 billion over 15 years to upgrade its collection process and wastewater treatment plants and eliminate sanitary sewer overflows.
Ew.
The argument apparently hinges on a state law that Gilbert says the municipal utility is violating. “Follow the law,” Gilbert thundered at the at the Miami Gardens meeting last month. “In order to provide water service outside city limits, they have to have an agreement withy the city. You’d be an absolute fool to negotiate against something that’s the law right now, that they’ve been breaking for two decades.”
But he must be reading the law wrong. Because there is no “shall” in Florida Statute 180.19. It says “a municipality which constructs any works as are authorized by this chapter, may permit any other municipality and the owners or association of owners of lots or lands outside of its corporate limits or within the limits of any other municipality, to connect with or use the utilities mentioned in this chapter upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed between such municipalities, and the owners or association of owners of such outside lots or lands.”
The italics are Ladra’s. Because the key word is “may.” This gives the city some leeway, no?
The ordinance already passed at the county’s infrastructure committee Sept. 8, with a 4-1 vote. Only Commissioner Micky Steinberg, who represents other cities that are serviced by NMB water who are not complaining, voted no. Could that be because the other cities — including Miami Gardens, by the way — also tack on their own, additional 10% surcharge on top? So they, too, are using the NMB water bill as a revenue source for their own general fund.
Funny Gilbert, who is also the biggest champion of giving $46 million of our dollars to FIFA for World Cup activities, didn’t mention that.
Read related: Miami-Dade could cut back services, give millions to FIFA for World Cup
That committee meeting was even more heated than the Miami Gardens one, with the county commissioner accusing the city electeds of being less than honest. He said that they had told state legislators that North Miami Beach needed the surcharge to pay for upgrades and just the water system.
“I’m glad that wasn’t repeated by the elected officials before this body because I would have filed an ethics complaint,” Gilbert bellowed from his tower. “You can’t stand in public as an elected official and just lie.”
And Ladra has a feeling that one is going to come back and bite him in the, um, bowtie.
“Everyone who says this is going to affect their ability to maintain the water system, that’s an absolute lie,” Gilbert said.
At one point, Gilbert even tried to give legal lessons to attorney Kendall Coffey, representing North Miami Beach. Yes, the same Kendall Coffey who as U.S. Attorney headed the largest federal prosecutor’s office in the country. Gilbert tried to insinuate that Coffey wasn’t being completely honest in his presentation. “There’s this thing called candor to the court. You can’t tell the court about some of the cases and ignore the cases against you.
“When you’re a litigator, that’s important. Because you get disbarred if you don’t have candor with the court.”
That’s especially rich since Gilbert has let his own legal license lapse. Ladra doesn’t know why. He did not answer phone calls or respond to questions on an email sent to his staff. But Gilbert is not eligible to practice law in Florida, according to the Florida Bar. Is that why he’s reading the law wrong?
So here we are. The Governor punted. North Miami Beach is dangling discounts. Miami Gardens and Gilbert want county enforcement. And the people paying the bills? They’re still stuck in the middle, praying somebody — anybody — will finally turn off the political spigot.
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State slapped with federal lawsuit after firing biologist for Charlie Kirk post
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is supposed to protect endangered species, manage and regulate wildlife resources and habitats for the long-term well-being of both the species and the public. It is not supposed to go after one of their own biologists for reposting a whale joke in the wake of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk‘s public and disgusting execution.
But that’s exactly what happened to Brittney Brown, a seabird specialist stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, who was fired last month after she shared a snarky Instagram post about the irony of Kirk’s stance on the Second Amendment.
And now Brown is fighting back — with the ACLU of Florida and First Amendment lawyer Gary Edinger on her side — in federal court.
The offending post? A screenshot from another account about whales: “The whales are deeply saddened to learn of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, haha just kidding, they care exactly as much as Charlie Kirk cared about children being shot in their classrooms, which is to say, not at all.”
Not exactly subtle. But also, not a threat. Kirk openly opposed gun control.
Still, the post went viral thanks to Libs of TikTok, which whipped up its followers to demand Brown’s firing. And — surprise, surprise — FWC leadership caved faster than Gov. Ron DeSantis can pick a fight with Disney. Brown was terminated the very next day, Sept. 15, after seven years with the commission.
In a statement, FWC declared it had “zero tolerance” for promoting “violence and hate” and claimed Brown’s post “made light of the assassination” of Kirk, who led Turning Point USA and was a frequent speaker on college campuses.
Read related: Marc Sarnoff rears his ugly head again in WSJ op-ed against academic freedom
But Brown and her lawyers say the opposite is true. She wasn’t celebrating violence; she was criticizing Kirk’s politics on gun control. That’s political speech, which the First Amendment protects — even if it offends.
The lawsuit points out that Brown posted while on vacation on a private Instagram account, not representing her employer. It names FWC Executive Director Roger Young and division director Melissa Tucker as defendants, accusing them of making her a political example instead of standing up for free speech.
And here’s the part that really smells fishy: this isn’t happening in a vacuum. DeSantis’ anti-woke regime, every state agency has gotten the message — play to the conservative base or risk being next on the chopping block. Universities have been purged, libraries sanitized, even Disney punished. Now, apparently, it’s biologists who study seabirds getting caught in the dragnet.
And it’s happening across the country, where dozens of teachers and staff at K-12 schools and universities who posted in the wake of Kirk’s death have been fired.
In South Carolina, former teacher aide Lauren Vaughn filed a federal lawsuit against the Spartanburg County School District, the board and the superintendent after she was allegedly fired over a post in which she shared Kirk’s own words at a Turning Point USA event. Those now-famous words that were also shared by Palmetto Bay Councilman Steve Cody, who refused to resign after the mayor, council members and the public chastised him. Kirk’s own words in 2023: “I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.”
Cody is hanging on. But Vaughn and Brown were fired.
Read related: Palmetto Bay councilman is asked to resign after ‘vile’ Charlie Kirk post
In Iowa, teacher Matthew Kargol is suing Oskaloosa Schools and its superintendent after he was allegedly fired for posting “1 Nazi down” in reference to Kirk’s fatal shooting, the lawsuit says. Granted, that’s far worse than what the bird lady posted. But it’s still free speech.
“Mr. Kargol’s comment was rhetorical hyperbole about a widely reported public event. It did not threaten any person, did not incite imminent unlawful action, and was not directed at any member of the school community,” the lawsuit says.
Michelle Bravo, a neurologist at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, said she resigned after her Charlie Kirk post. But she was definitely forced to after the school got barraged with complaints.
Charlie Kirk, Ron DeSantis at the 2021 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA in Tampa.
Florida Republicans love to rail against “cancel culture,” but here’s a state employee literally canceled for making fun of a conservative figure. This is a master class in double standard.
Which is why this FWC lawsuit feels like more than just one woman’s fight to get her job back. Brown could be the test case for how far Florida’s culture war politics will reach into the rank and file of state government. Will every scientist, librarian, teacher, or clerk have to look over their shoulder before posting anything on their personal social media?
Ladra can’t help but notice the irony: The same administration that loves to call this “the free state of Florida,” is all too happy to muzzle its own employees when they post something that doesn’t fit the script — and about a man who claimed to defend and stand for free speech.
And that could end up costing taxpayers a whole lot more than one salty Instagram repost.
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Another Miami mayoral gathering — but this one’s for Democrats only
Here comes another candidate forum in the crowded Miami mayor’s race. But this time, only the Democrats need apply.
That means nine of the 13 candidates are excluded from the “Democratic Candidate Mayoral Forum,” hosted by The Coconut Grove Democratic Club and the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. The moderator will be Don Finefrock, of the Coconut Grove Spotlight and formerly of the Miami Herald.
The four Democrats confirmed for this powwow are Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell, Elijah John Bowdre and perennial candidate Michael Hepburn.
It will be probably be more civilized than the debate this past week put on by the Downtown Neighbors Alliance and CBS Miami, which turned into a mudslinging festival, although it had lots of entertainment value. That’s because the main clowns in the circus, Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo and former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, weren’t invited to Sunday’s shindig.
Read related: One-liners and other memorable moments from Miami mayoral debate
And while the invite thanks the Coral Gables Dems, the Key Biscayne Dems, and the Miami-Dade Democratic Hispanic Caucus for co-sponsoring, Ladra can’t help but point out the obvious: the mayor’s race is supposed to be nonpartisan. Candidates don’t run with a party label on the ballot. But here we are with the local Democratic clubs lining up behind their own showcase anyway.
“From our perspective, we are here to introduce the Democrat candidates to our community,” said Greg Frankel, president of the Coconut Grove Democratic Club (no relation to Congresswoman Lois Frankel). The club had a planning committee to come up with a list of questions and issues to discuss.
“They are free to challenge each other within the format, but we want them to focus on the larger citywide issues,” Frankel told Political Cortadito.
Not that the other side hasn’t blurred the lines, too. Truth is, these races have become partisan.
Both the Florida Democratic Party and the Republican Party of Florida started taking partisan shots before qualifying even ended, with the Dems calling the Republican frontrunner, former City Manager Emilio Gonzalez, the “MAGA mayor,” and the GOP comparing Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins to Democratic New York mayoral candidate Zohar Mamdani, who has been a darling of the Socialist Workers Party.
This is Miami, after all. Nobody really believes in nonpartisan anything.
Still, the forum might matter to some undecided voters one month before Election Day.
Read related: Daniella Levine Cava gives Higgins the expected abrazo in Miami mayor’s race
But let’s be honest, the Dems are really going to choose between Higgins and Russell. Ladra’s money is on Higgins, even before but especially now that she just got Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s official endorsement. Levine Cava is arguably the most influential and powerful Democrat in the state.
So, you can bet this forum will feel less like a public debate and more like an in-house audition.
The forum begins at 5 p.m. Sunday at St. James Baptist Church, 3500 Charles Ave.
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Lobbying starts to fill Eileen Higgins’ D5 Miami-Dade commission seat
With the Miami mayoral elections just weeks away, thoughts are turning to who would replace Miami-Dade Eileen Higgins, who resigned her District 5 seat to run in the city. The resignation takes effect after the Nov. 4 election, whether she wins or not.
And everybody is betting that the commission is going to appoint someone.
Why wouldn’t they? They just had a brutal budget season and a special election will cost, well, something. And they’ve been on an appointing spree, with both Danielle Cohen Higgins and, more recently, Natalie Milian Orbis filling in for vacancies. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Roberto Gonzalez to the District 11 seat, but that was only because former Commissioner Joe Martinez was suspended after his arrest on public corruption charges.
So the likelihood of an appointment is high, especially since it wouldn’t have to be for the full three years left on the term. The district can be included in next year’s commission races, so it’s just a year. Even though that year gives the appointee a huge advantage when he or she runs.
And there are already wannabes chomping at the chance.
Read related: Anthony Rodriguez, Florida lawmakers discuss elimination of property taxes
State Rep. Vicky Lopez, who was just appointed to the governor’s new property tax reform committee, former Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro — who left the District 5 seat in 2018 to run for Congress, but lost — and former Miami Commissioner Joe Sanchez, who lost last year’s race for county sheriff, have been floated as possible fill-ins. Former Miami Beach Commissioner and onetime State Rep. David Richardson, who filed to run for the D5 seat in 2028, has also talked to several commissioners as early as April, when he filed to run for the seat in an election.
Even though the county board of commissioners is nonpartisan, party politics often play into decisions. Especially when appointing someone. The commission is currently 7-6 for the blue team. When they appointed Milian earlier this year, all the Democrats but Higgins — who wanted an election — joined all the Republicans but Raquel Regalado, who also wanted an election. Maybe that’s because Milian was replacing a Republican. Or maybe that’s because Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins does whatever Chairman Anthony Rodriguez wants.
So, it stands to reason that they would choose a Democrat to replace a Democrat, no?
“Having represented Miami Beach and Little Havana both on the Miami Beach Commission and as a state representative, I would be honored to be considered for an appointment,” Richardson told Political Cortadito Friday. “I made phone calls months ago to express my interest, and then I filed to further express my interest.
“I have a deep understanding of the issues constituents face day in and day out, and believe voters would be best served by someone with my education and experience,” Richardson said, although neither of those things helped him in the Miami-Dade Tax Collector’s race last year, which he lost to Dariel Fernandez.
Read related: David Richardson seeks to replace Eileen Higgins on county commission
Sanchez, who did not return calls and texts from Ladra, is openly and publicly lobbying for the position.
