Commissioner Pat Keon has drawn first blood in the mayoral race with a dark money attack mailer against Vice Mayor Vince Lago that calls him “a rubber stamp for big developers.”

It’s almost laughable, because Keon is the development darling in the race. Lago has consistently been the lone no vote on several controversial developments — he voted against the Agave project and Gables Station — as well as the sole voice of reason on the Miracle Mile rezoning.

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What is possibly the nastiest race ever in the city of Coral Gables ended Tuesday with the election of a lawbreaking newcomer who used a shadow Trojan political action committee to attack his opponent with lies.
Attorney Jorge Fors beat former Commissioner Ralph Cabrera, 51% to 49% with a 173-vote lead, which is not a mandate but enough to win the seat. Only provisional ballots remain to be counted, but the gap seems too wide for it to make a true difference.
It was close all the way to the end and Cabrera never came close to the 753-vote lead he had on Fors in the first round, when there were four wannabes running in Group 4.
Read related: Coral Gables voters return Raul Valdes-Fauli, send two to runoff
The first votes reported Tuesday were absentee ballots and Cabrera got 51% of those, which represented a slight 87-vote lead. But with 87% of the precincts reporting, those same percentages switched sides and Fors was winning with a 128-vote lead. That expanded to 166 votes with 96% of the precincts reported.
By then, Cabrera — who entered the runoff with 39% of the vote to Fors’ 30% — had conceded defeat.
Cabrera was cast by Fors as a pro-development career politician, but both had development and real estate interest money in their campaign. Cabrera raised $55,450 during the two weeks leading to the runoff and Fors raised $37,175. Their totals raised were $184,920 and $166,425, respectively.
But someone — we don’t know who — also spent at least $50,000 on five mailers from a shadow Trojan PAC on Fors behalf. The Jensen Beach-based Leadership for Florida’s Future has no expenses and no contributions listed for March, so we won’t know who the new commissioner’s benefactors are until May 10th or 11th.
Read related: Secretly-funded PAC attacks Ralph Cabrera with mystery mailers, lies
If even then, because the people who run the PAC told Ladra early on that the first mailer was not sent by them.
Voters elected Tuesday a man who committed homestead exemption fraud, claiming an exemption on this Little Havana condo he did not live in for eight straight years. This is something you have to fill out and apply for every year in March. So it’s not like he made a one time mistake.
The fact that he “self reported” months after he opened a campaign account and three months before the election — also right around the time Ladra started asking around about it — does not mean that he didn’t try to cheat his neighbors, indeed all of us, by paying less property taxes than he was supposed to. For eight years.
Read related: Florida Bar investigates candidate Jorge Fors for homestead fraud
They elected a man who is under investigation by both the Florida Bar and the State Attorney’s Office and whose political action committee smeared Cabrera with vicious lies in an attempt to make voters stay home, which apparently worked.
There are 33,144 registered voters in Coral Gables and 6,026 voted, representing just over 18%. The first round April 9 had a 26% turnout, which means that more than 2,400 voters decided to stay home for the runoff.
Commissioner Fors must be so proud.

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When it comes down to it — and there are less than 24 hours to vote — we can’t trust Jorge Fors with the future of Coral Gables.
This is a man who cheats on his property taxes for eight or nine years in a row — filling out a bogus homestead exemption on a Little Havana condo each March. A man who doesn’t respect the democratic vote of a group of Little Gables residents and thinks he knows better and wants to impose his will.  A man who hides behind a mystery PAC to smear his opponent without disclosing who is funding those lies.
“This is the first time in Coral Gables that I see this negative campaigning with blatant lies based out of a shadow Trojan horse PAC,” said Commissioner Vince Lago, who is supporting former Commissioner Ralph Cabrera in the race (as is Commissioner Pat Keon).
“The idea that you can just be ambiguous and attempt to destroy not only someone’s political career but their character… that to me is unacceptable,” Lago said, adding that he is concerned about the PAC’s investment.
Read related: Secretly funded attacks Ralph Cabrera with mystery mailers, lies
There have been at least five mystery mailers sent for Fors by the Jensen Beach-based Leadership for Florida’s Future political action committee since mid March — but nobody knows who paid for them. That’s at least a $50,000 investment from a special interest that wishes to remain hidden for some reason that can’t be good.
“This is a serious financial commitment to the impact of a campaign,” Lago said. “Who would want to make that impact?”
That’s a really good question. Who is Fors going to work for if elected? How can voters trust him not lie, cheat or steal the taxpayers’ money?
Sure, Ralph Cabrera has his faults but nothing like that. He’s moody and can be sarcastic. He doesn’t mince words and is brutally honest. He won’t just tell people what they want to hear. An insurance consultant, Cabrera is a little nerdy and anxious. He is both self-deprecating while sometimes having a chip on his shoulder. If you cross him, he might write you off.
But Ladra would say those are slight faults and most could be beneficial in a public official.
Read related: Florida Bar investigates candidate Jorge Fors for homestead fraud
The key word is honest. He would never cheat on taxes or lie about a homestead exemption — if only because it would haunt him 24/7.
And he loves Coral Gables. All he wants to do is protect the city from over-development and help it move forward with smart initiatives. He did a lot during his 12 years on the commission and, before that he served on the planning and zoning board and other committees. He wants to keep the quaint quality of life that he and his family have enjoyed for decades.
Jorgie-Come-Lately, who bought a house a year ago, hasn’t done anything for the city. He hasn’t even sat on a committee. He has no track record — except the negative campaign he’s run — and zero history in Coral Gables civic life. Ladra believes he hasn’t even been to one commission meeting.
Most of all, he has proven before and throughout the campaign to be dishonest. When it comes down to it, we don’t really know who he is. And we don’t really know who is behind him.
That is why we can’t trust Jorge Fors.

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The commission seat runoff in Coral Gables has gotten nasty with back-to-back hit mailers attacking former Commissioner Ralph Cabrera with lies and innuendo.
They come from the same Jensen Beach political action committee that sent three anti-Cabrera pieces in the first round — so we know now they are on behalf of candidate Jorge Fors.
But we don’t know who is paying for them.
Leadership for Florida’s Future has no contributions or expenses listed through March, even though at least one of their mailers landed before March 22. And the next reports, which will reflect any activity in April, aren’t due until the second week in May — which means we won’t know who paid for the attacks until after the election.
That’s not a coincidence. That is by design.
Read related: PAC says it did NOT send hit piece on Ralph Cabrera — so who did?
Fors’ campaign manager continues to insist it isn’t them.
“I have no idea where it comes from,” said Steve Marin, who worked with the Leadership for Florida’s Future PAC in 2018 and billed them $63,000 for what he said was work on state primaries.
“I work with 20 PACs,” Marin said. “I have one print house, one mail house, and if I mail it, I have my number on it.”
It’s not his number on the mailers, but Marin has worked on campaigns the PAC has worked on before.
Curiously, the PAC used a different permit number on the mailers sent in the runoff. Ladra can’t find out whose it is — but the Florida Division of Elections or the State Attorney’s Office, which has been asked to look into it, could.
The PAC is run by Michael and Debbie Millner, who told Ladra they didn’t send the first one in March. Subsequent attempts to reach them have not been successful. And they have not returned several messages, so perhaps we shouldn’t believe it.
Read related: State attorney looks into mystery mailers in Coral Gables election
After all, Leadership for Florida’s Future is known for its negative shady work, mostly (if not exclusively) on behalf of Republican state candidates, as far away as Orlando and Sarasota. Closer to home, the PAC was used in 2017 by the Jose Felix “Pepi” Diaz campaign for the special senate race against Annette Taddeo.
Diaz also had Marin as a consultant.
And political observers have pointed out that the mailer used the same font as another Marin client, Andrew Vargas against State Rep. Javier Fernandez in House District 114 last year.
So what’s the interest in this little ol’ Gables race? Who is paying for the Cabrera hits?
It could be developers and real estate interests, some of whom have already contributed to Fors’ campaign, according to his latest campaign report. Because while Ralph is for smart development, he has said repeatedly that he would defend and stick by the city’s current and strict zoning code.
It could be the hourly no-tell motels who, like Fors, are against annexation of Little Gables, where one of those establishments flourishes.
Whoever it is, however, is lying.
One of the mailers says Cabrera is pro development But photos used to scare the anti-development voters are of Brickell Avenue, not downtown Gables. And, as stated earlier, Cabrera vows to hold developers to as of right density and height standards, not an inch more.
Read related: In House 114 race, Andrew Vargas won’t speak for himself; lets PACs attack
The other mailer brings up an old and unsubstantiated accusation against Cabrera from a resident who was angry that he wasn’t able or willing to close her street. Police investigated the incident and, after witnesses told them it never happened, found it to be bullshit.
“Exceptionally cleared” is what it says in the police report, which changed the woman’s status from “victim” to “reporting party.” She didn’t even go to the police right away because first she wanted to talk to her lawyer.
But Fors and those in his campaign want to keep as many Cabrera voters as they can from the polling places Tuesday. They know he will perform better on Election Day. And they can’t afford that.
This is voter suppression and voters would be wise to ignore it.

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The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office is looking into three mystery mailers attacking former Coral Gables Commissioner Ralph Cabrera in Coral Gables and attributed to a political action committee that has said it isn’t involved.
Attorney and activist Jack Thompson sent the SAO an email with a link to an earlier Political Cortadito post about the first mailer, which said it was paid for and sent by Leadership for Florida’s Future. But a woman at the Jensen Beach PAC said it wasn’t them.
“Please review this news story and then open a criminal investigation,” wrote Thompson in a March 26 email with the subject “illegal campaign activity.”
Read related: PAC says it did not send hit piece on Ralph Cabrera — so who did?
Since then, two more mailers have come out with the same dark colors and bold letters warning voters about Cabrera’s ethics and ties to developers. Ladra sent the images to the SAO’s office on Friday and was told it would be forwarded to the right unit.
In the meantime, it’s hard to tell if it’s had any impact. Coral Gables voters don’t respond well to hit pieces and they’ve known Cabrera for decades. He was their commissioner for 12 years and has run for office almost since then. Those who support him are likely not swayed. And those who don’t might not fall for these mailers, which are awfully vague and short on attribution. In other words, they stink of smear.
The piece about the ethics quotes the actual complaint from former Mayor Jim Cason, an empty suit rubber stamper who Cabrera challenged twice, and not the findings from the close-out memo, which found he did nothing wrong. Shoot! You can say anything in a complaint. In fact, many campaigns now file complaints on purpose so they can quote them without having any basis.
A third piece landed last week insinuating that because Cabrera has taken developer money, he is in their pocket. Cabrera’s campaign has accepted some development money, notably $7,000 from Armando Codina, who is developing a 16-story luxury residential building on Salzedo, and Agave LLC, which is developing The Plaza, what used to be Old Spanish Village.
But what is Ralph supposed to do? Decline the money he needs to fight off the negative attacks that we knew were coming anyway?  He said these people came unsolicited to him. And it’s only a tiny fraction of Cabrera’s campaign funds that are tied to development.
He also has lots of residents, doctors, lawyers, plumbers. He has $1,000 from Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez, $500 from former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas and $300 from Gonzalo Sanabria, a Gables rabblerouser who was originally supporting another candidate.
Read related: Ralph Cabrera set to enter runoff with campaign cash advantage
Cabrera is not gonna be beholden to any of them anyway. Anybody who knows him knows he doesn’t owe favors. Even with his friends. Which is one of the things voters should like about him.
“Let’s stop Cabrera and his say one thing, do another agenda,” one piece says. But if there’s one thing that people know about Ralph is that he says what he means and means what he says, which is why some people don’t like him. There is no hidden agenda with Cabrera. His agenda is right there on his sleeve. He will talk ad nauseam about it and it usually has to do with improving city services or public safety. His sometimes self-depricating, brutal honesty is off putting because he won’t go along to get along. That’s another reason some people don’t like him.
In fact, the only thing these mailers prove is that someone is really worried about Cabrera. Perhaps he can win outright on Tuesday and avoid a runoff.
And even though they won’t have the answer before the election, the State Attorney should still find out is who is paying for these mystery mailers. If it’s not Leadership for Florida’s Future, it could be anybody.
It could be illegal foreign money, like in the Miami Beach case that derailed State Rep. Michael Grieco‘s mayoral race. If the Kathy Fernandez-Rundle investigates that and not this, then it looks like it was a personal grudge against a former prosecutor.
It could be the Eighth Street hotels that rent by the hour, including one in the Little Gables annexation area.
It could be the Russians.
Except the only ones who benefit from hurting Cabrera are the other candidates in the commission race. So, that means one of them is attacking Ralph with lies and innuendo using soft money from who knows where.
Read related: Ralph Cabrera’s commission race advantage: Others are unelectable
Only candidate Jorge L. Fors has ties to the PAC through his campaign manager, Steve Marin (right), who was paid at least $63,000 last year by Leadership for what he said was work on some state races. Political observers have also noted that the size of the mailers, the fonts used and the design seem similar to Marin’s. Campaign consultants often have signature looks to their materials.
But Marin told Ladra they were not his and that he would not hide behind a PAC to send mailers from his camp.
And his history with the Jensen Beach PAC could be the very reason that former interim city manager and current candidate Carmen Olazabal and her people may have chosen Leadership for Florida’s Future, to throw the scent off themselves. She has proven to be sneaky before.
Jackson “Rip” Holmes doesn’t have the money, political experience, guidance or, frankly, attention span to pull this off.
So it has to be either Olazabal or Fors, or someone in their circles, which is another reason to vote for Ralph Cabrera, who hasn’t used any of his campaign money — development or otherwise — to pay for a single negative hit piece.

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Coral Gables voters got a mailer this week that attacks Ralph Cabrera on development, calling him a “career politician” and saying he approved 40% of the tallest buildings in the city.
But nobody is taking the credit.
Not only is the figure pulled out of the sky, with no reference to any research or parameters — are we talking about the five “tallest buildings,” for example? — the piece says it is paid for by a Jensen Beach political action committee that told Ladra Friday it had nothing to do with it.
So that means we do not know and may never know who really paid for the mail piece. Unless we can get the State Attorney’s Office to investigate. Because someone did break the law here.
Read related: Coral Gables candidate Jorge Fors had illegal Homestead exemption
Ladra’s first guess was that the piece came from Jorge Fors‘ camp. Neither Carmen Olazabal, the onetime interim city manager, nor downtown property owner Jackson “Rip” Holmes have the funds you would need to do this kind of mailer. And, besides, the Leadership for Florida’s Future PAC has ties to Fors’ campaign manager Steve Marin, who got $63,000 from them last year.
But Marin, who said he was paid for work on state races, told Ladra he had nothing to do with the hit piece, either. “I don’t have a PAC for this reason, said Marin, adding that Fors’ mailers will come directly from the campaign.
Ladra specifically asked a PAC administrator if they had maybe sent it on behalf of Steve Marin. Debbie Millner, wife of PAC Chairman Michael Millner, vehemently denied sending it on behalf of anybody.
“We know nothing about it. We didn’t send it out,” Millner told Ladra Friday morning. “No one asked us if they could use our political committee at all.”
Leadership for Florida’s Future doesn’t have any contributions or expenses reported since October, except for $1,300 paid last month in accounting fees. The report for March won’t be filed and public until after the election April 9.

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