Looks like Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago was playing with fire when he went on a full verbal assault of the firefighters union president at a public commission meeting earlier this month. And what are firefighters good at? Putting out fires that are out of control.
IAFF Local 1210, the city’s firefighter union, just slapped the mayor with a cease-and-desist letter (posted below) that should douse the hothead with a good jarra de agua fria. Apparently, L’Ego’s July 1 rant — where he lobbed insult after insult at union President David Perez (who, by the way, wasn’t even there to defend himself) — got their attention.
And, also, a nice, formal legal warning from one of the most respected firefighter labor attorneys in the state, who must have taken a Tums after he watched the video of the meeting and called the tirade what it is: sour grapes and political retaliation.
“It is clear from the video that you are upset the Local 1210 failed to endorse you in your last political campaign. That disappointment does not, however, justify these unlawful personal attacks,” wrote attorney James Brantley, who’s been doing this kind of work for over 45 years — longer than Lago’s been in politics, though maybe not longer than he’s been dyeing his hair.
In a three-page letter, Brantley, who was a firefighter for 28 years, says the mayor’s behavior was not only “unprofessional and threatening,” but it “creates a hostile work environment” and could easily be interpreted as union-busting.
“Most disturbing is that these comments were made by you, in your official capacity as Mayor of the City of Coral Gables, against an active employee of the City. These comments were understood as a threat,” Brantly wrote.
Florida’s Public Employees Relations Act was written to prevent elected officials from interfering in union representation.
But Vinnie doesn’t let labor law or democracy stop him from running his mouth, does he?
Read related: Coral Gables fire department flunks reaccreditation attempt — for now
Let’s recap what Lyin’ Lago said at the dais on July 1, shall we?
“This is what you call politics. Politics at its finest,” Lago said. And he’s right about that. But it’s him who is playing political theater. He brought up the union at the meeting because of a true and accurate story in the resurrected Coral Gables Gazette about the fire department’s deferred reaccreditation. Rather than address the legitimate concerns, Lago decided it was an opportunity to unload on Perez in a public meeting — without rebuttal, without facts, and, most importantly, without class.
“This is David Perez, the head of the union, the same guy who goes out there and goes scorched earth on people, on their family. He went home by home spreading rumors about me, handing out ridiculous flyers,” Lago said about Perez and the union endorsement of his opponent, former Commissioner Kirk Menendez, Because, you know, democracy. Ladra didn’t see any flyers, btw, that attacked his family.
“We have amazing firefighters in this community, they are not represented by David Perez,” Lago said, because now he’s just delusional. And disrespectful to them because they did choose him. “The union should wise up and get rid of David Perez and move on.
“David Perez is a disservice to the city. He’s not a professional. He’s a disservice to the fire union. He’s a disservice to the fire brand. And all he does is hurt himself and hurt this community,” Lago went on, for almost four minutes. “He thinks that by attacking and attacking and attacking and attacking, he’s going to achieve some sort of goal for the fire department. All he does is embarrass the fire department and himself.”
And Ladra says Lago should look in the mirror.
“He’s shown time and time again that he’s nothing but a mere pathetic individual who is desperate for attention,” he said.
He must own a couple of mirrors, doesn’t he?
Okay, now, let’s set the vampire’s record straight:

Lie: Lago called Perez a “pathetic individual,” and accused him of “hiding in the shadows.” Truth: Lago does not return Ladra’s calls and hides his attacks on his opponents through a political action committee. Perez has been to the city commission to speak and publicly confront Lago about his lies on several occasions. What’s pathetic was Lago’s show.
Lie: Lago claimed Perez “puts out falsehoods.” Truth: Lago is the one who sends misleading texts to voters through his PAC and has repeatedly lied to residents about shortages at the police and fire departments. He also dramatically signed an affidavit swearing to have no family members tied to Little Gables when his brother was a lobbyist for the largest property owner in the unincorporated Miami-Dade enclave that the mayor was desperately trying to annex into the city. That is putting out real falsehoods. The lies became so egregious during the campaign, that the fire union and police union issued a joint statement to set the record straight.
Lie: The mayor flat-out declared that Perez “does not represent the fire union.” Truth: Much as Lago was elected by the voters, Perez was elected by a majority of the firefighters to represent them. In fact, he represents them so well that they elected him twice. Perhaps Lago’s hate only helps Perez keep getting elected.
Lie: Lago says all Perez does “is hurt himself and this community.” Truth: Perez has been a firefighter in Coral Gables for almost 15 years. Before that he worked at the county’s emergency management department. He only helps the community. Lago wants to force the annexation of Little Gables down the city taxpayers’ throats, even though overwhelmingly rejected it.

Read related: Coral Gables police, fire union: Lying Vince Lago is no pal of public safety
Brantley didn’t mince words in the July 24 missive to the mayor, which reads more like a legal flamethrower than a letter.
“Your public comment suggesting that the men and women of the Coral Gables Fire Department should ‘wise up and get rid of David Perez’ was clearly intended to interfere with the rights of Coral Gables Fire Department bargaining unit employees to be represented by a union of their choosing, a right that includes the right to select the union leadership of their choosing,” he wrote.
The letter also references the Firefighter Bill of Rights. Apparently, someone could infer, from Lago’s words, that Perez is under investigation when he is not. And saying so in a public meeting that is broadcast live and recorded for anyone to see later is illegal.
Brantley said the union had gone as far as to make a public records request for any complaints or investigations into Perez. To see, you know, if Lago was bluffing. “If, on the other hand, no such records exist, then accept this letter as a demand that your comments suggesting otherwise cease immediately.”
Because he knows what all his favorite servers at Bachour know: That his  diatribe from the dais was nothing more than part of the his revenge tour, targeting everyone who didn’t support him and his lackeys in April’s election, including IAFF Local 1210. In fact, Perez drove around with Menendez in a golf cart during the campaign. Because, you know, democracy.
And while that may have bruised his fragile ego (and his vote count), it doesn’t give the mayor a license to trash the union’s elected leader on the dais like it’s open mic night at Versailles.
Let’s not forget the backup singer on this track: Commissioner Richard Lara, who chimed in with his own carefully considered suggestion — after little more than two months in office — that Perez should “resign his employment.”
What a lovely duet. They could bring in Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, who called the article “fear mongering,” and name the band Political Retaliation. It’s a whole new genre. Instead of grunge, it’s called grudge.
Brantley also referred to Lara in his letter, saying the commissioner’s words “were intended to chill employee support for [Perez] as a Union leader, and therefore also serve to violate Section 447.501, Florida Statutes.”
The letter from the IAFF attorney was copied to City Manager Peter Iglesias, Fire Chief Marcos De La Rosa, — who had his own long brown-nosing speech on July 1 — Human Resources Director Raquel Elejabarrieta, and City Attorney Cristina Suarez, who might be stocking up on Maalox right about now (someone should forward it to PERC). It warns that the fire union is ready to “defend itself and its elected leaders to the full extent available under the law.”
Plus, this is the only warning the city is going to get. If Lago continues to violate labor laws and create a hostile work environment for Perez, there may not be another letter. Just a subpeona.
The union sees it as part of a pattern of retaliation: first the budget fights, then the policy shifts, and now this. It isn’t just another spat between the mayor and the firefighters union. This is about intimidation, abuse of power, and the absolute tone-deafness of a mayor who should know better.
Lago didn’t just pick a fight with a union leader. He picked a fight with an entire department of beloved firefighters — the very people who run into burning buildings while politicians throw gasoline on arguments.
This could be the fuel that finally leads Lago’s political career to go up in smoke.
Prende una velita.
Cease & desist to Gables Mayor Lago by Political Cortadito on Scribd

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In his recently-accelerated revenge tour, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago is going after his perceived enemies. Like this was Cuba or Venezuela and he can just trample on everyone’s rights.
His baseless defamation lawsuit against Actualidad Radio — for a February, 2023, broadcast about a complaint to the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust — is just a witch hunt to find and harass as many of his critics as he can.
Lago says he wants to know just who complained about his lack of truthfulness to the ethics commission, which then launched an investigation into his possible violation of the truth in government provision because he signed an affidavit swearing nobody in his immediate family had financial interests in the Little Gables annexation into the City Beautiful, which was a lie because his brother was, at the time, listed as the lobbyist for the largest property owner in the unincorporated Miami-Dade enclave, which is the trailer park.
The mayor  just conveniently left the word “siblings” out of the affidavit. That’s not a coincidence. So the investigation sorta bloomed into that: Whether or not there was really a conflict of interest in his desperate push to annex Little Gables.
The complaint was technically a “matter under initial review,” but that’s an investigation, just using other words. This is the crux of Lago’s defamation lawsuit against Actualidad, filed in late 2023, ten months after the broadcast. Lago and his attorneys say it wasn’t technically an investigation and want to know who leaked the investigation, which wasn’t  an investigation, to the radio host, Roberto Rodriguez-Tejera, who then talked about it on his morning radio show.
Lago’s attorneys filed a motion to compel Ethics Commission Investigator Karl Ross to divulge the names of the “three concerned citizens” that made the complaint about the fake affidavit. They already very obviously have their suspicions. In the March deposition taken of Ross, Lago’s attorney asks him if he knows three people, and only these three people: Miami-Dade Firefighters Local 1403 President William “Billy” McAllister, Coral Gables firefighters union president David Perez, y esta que está aquí. But they spelled my name wrong. Phonetically, I guess.
Read related: Judge dismisses Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago’s defamation lawsuit
McAllister was subpoenaed and is scheduled to give his deposition July 2. Ladra, who has also been subpoenaed, can’t wait to read that one.
This is just a fishing expedition. Take note of the long list of perceived enemies on the subpoena to McClatchy. Lago’s attorneys want the publisher of the Miami Herald to produce any documents and communications involving ethics commission proceedings from January 2016 to December 2024 (that’s eight years!) that were copied to:

Democratic political consultant Christian Ulvert
Former or current staff members of the Miami-Dade County Mayor’s office
Former or current officials of AFSCME Local for City and County Employees
Former or current chairpersons of a political party
Former and/or current members of the Miami-Dade Commission, City of Miami Commission, and/or former and/or staff and/or personnel of those members
Former and/or current state prosecutors
Members and/or representatives of the Miami-Dade Fire Union
Members and/or representatives of the Coral Gables Fire Union
William “Billy” McAllister IV
David Perez
Former Miami Herald Writer Sarah Blaskey
Miami Herald super writer Jay Weaver

Furthermore, for the last three years, they want all documents and communications, including text messages and emails sent to or received by the Miami Herald that “discuss, refer to, insinuate, report, and/or allege that Vince Lago was engaged in a bad act, abuse of power, and/or ethical impropriety.” They are listed:

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Voters in Hialeah and Miami Lakes have been barraged by a deluge of mailers that call Coral Gables firefighter and Democratic candidate for Senate a weak, tax-happy, socialist, communist puppet.
Yes, the Republicans, are very afraid.
They hand picked State Rep. Manny Diaz Jr. for the seat vacated by termed-out Rene Garcia, and are now finding it too steep of an uphill climb.
They poll, too, and their results must be the same as the two other polls that have Perez leading, if only by a little bit. A Public Policy Polling survey done from Sept. 26 through Oct. 1  has Perez, a one-time aide to former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas — who supports and has campaigned with him — beating Diaz by 3 points. This is the same company that has gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum leading. An internal poll shows the same thing. Sure, it’s within the margin of error, but 21% were still undecided and the trend seems to lean blue. Hillary Clinton won the district by 12 points in 2016 and Barrack Obama and Bill Nelson each won the district by 4 points in their last elections.
“I feel really good for a first time candidate running against someone who’s been in office six years,” Perez told Ladra.
And it is pretty obvious that Diaz does not feel so good.
The no-show charter school administrator has sent at least nine negative mailers about Diaz, calling him weak on schools because he doesn’t support guns in the classroom and would rather see a ban on assault weapons and saying that he cozies up to Cuba’s Raul Castro and Venezula’s Nicolas Maduro. You know, because Hialeah.
And that’s what Miami Republicans do when they’re desperate.
Read related: Hialeah AB fraud: Working for Manny Diaz Jr.?
The Diaz campaign has only spent about $45,000 on mailers, but most of them have been paid for by the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.
That has left Diaz, who has far outraised Perez, with a lot of cash for TV — he’s bought at least $180,000 worth of time since Sept. 28 — and other get out the vote efforts, like maybe some of the same absentee ballot fraud we know he committed in 2012.
According to the latest campaign reports through Oct. 12, Diaz had raised $613,345 for his campaign. That doesn’t include the $366,810 given to him in staff, rent, polling and data by the Republican Party of Florida. He’s spent $565,938 so far, mostly falsely attacking Perez out of desperation.
And that doesn’t include his political action committee, Better Florida Education — which has raised $607,800 all by itself — and two other PACs he’s affiliated with, which have been funded by Big Sugar, private prison companies and the charter school industry, among others.
Read related: Manny Diaz Jr. is a no show at work — and at debates
All the mailers are ridiculous but the one that says Perez is weak on schools is hilarious, too, considering that the PTA dad has the all the teachers’ union endorsements. All of them. He also has, naturally, all the firefighter unions.
That has helped him raise $136,323 to supplement about $75,000 from the Democratic Party for staff and other in-kind services. He spent a little more than $92,000, but he had a primary to go through while Diaz has spent his time name-calling and dodging debates, just like he did two years ago against the last challenge, Ivette Gonzalez Petkovich, who he only beat with 52% (and she had less money and support than Perez). So it’s not like he’s got a huge base to begin with.
Diaz doesn’t want to debate Perez because he knows his record is going to come into question and he’ll lose more of that. Republican’s aren’t super excited to vote for him already.
Perez is also affiliated with The Floridians For Change PAC, which raised another $351,000, which ain’t peanuts. For a newbie, he’s done pretty well fundraising.
Which may be another reason why Diaz is running scared.

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