State Rep. Alina Garcia, a Republican abandoning her seat to run for Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections, has raised the most of five candidates in the race — and more than both Democrats combined, according to finance reports filed this week for the first quarter of the year.

Garcia reported collecting $125,647 in her campaign account, which is more than twice as much as both former State Rep. JC Planas, the local politicos’ go-to attorney for election law, has raised ($54,856), and political consultant Willis Howard has raised ($44,040).

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Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and the seven incumbent commissioners up for re-election raised more than $1.7 million between them in the first quarter of the year, according to finance reports filed this week. This includes the $635,185 raised between them in their respective campaign accounts and another $1 million plus in political action committee funds.

About of a third of last quarter’s take is for the four candidates who are as of yet unopposed.

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Mayor uses city email to campaign in his defense

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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 were responding to a letter Lago sent City Beautiful residents — or, more likely, just the voters — in which he claims to be a friend of first responders.

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What are you doing this weekend? Doral Mayor Christi Fraga and a bunch of legislators are going to chat about the repercussions of new condo laws and issues on Saturday.

Florida State State Reps. David Borrero and Juan Carlos Porras and Miami-Dade State Attorney Assistant State Attorney John Perikles, division chief of the economic crimes unit, and Sgt. Carlos Luffi of the Miami-Dade Police economic crimes will participate in a day-long “information session” at the Doral Cultural Arts Center.

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Miami City Manager Art Noriega got a pass Thursday after he explained, to use the word loosely, his wife’s business dealings with the city, while City Attorney Victoria Mendez was removed of her position at the commission meeting on the spot. After commissioners voted 4-1 for Mendez to step down — she will still stay on in “a transitionary role” through June — the new Acting City Attorney George Wysong moved into her seat. Only Commissioner Joe Carollo voted against the change.

“I was born in Allapattah, raised in Flagami and lived in Flagami for 44 years,” Mendez said, thanking God, her family and her colleagues — and choking back what some say were crocodile tears.

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