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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Maybe nobody had heard of him in Coral Gables before Jorge Fors, Jr., decided to run for city commission. But they may have heard of him at the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
The city commission candidate has gotten 31 traffic tickets in 18 years.
A 2008 photo from Jorge Fors’ Facebook page shows the open container charge in 2005 was not an isolated incident.
He was also arrested three times in his indiscriminate youth, although he may have been allowed to sign his “promise to appear.” One was for underage drinking in 2003 in Gainesville, another was for open container in 2005 — probably at a UF game — and a third for unauthorized possession of a driver’s license in 2003, which sounds like he probably had a fake ID found on him when Florida Highway Patrol stopped him for speeding in St. Lucie County on the same date. He got pre-trial diversion for the first two charges but nolle pros on the third.
Read related: Ralph Cabrera outraises opponents in 4-way commission race
Fors is running for the open seat vacated by a retiring Commissioner Frank Quesada against three other, better known candidates: Former Commissioner Ralph Cabrera, onetime city manager Carmen Olazabal, and downtown property owner Jackson “Rip” Holmes. It’s certainly not going to help Fors for more Gables voters to know that he has amassed 31 traffic tickets since 2000. And while, sure, many of them were in his more indiscriminate youth — eight are in 2002 when he was 19 — he had his license suspended in 2015. We know because he got a ticket for knowingly driving with his license suspended.
The most recent ticket is for running a red light in 2016.
Read related: Coral Gables candidate Jorge Fors had illegal Homestead exemption
Of course, Fors says that wasn’t him. That was his father, who has the same name. And, we supposed, Papi was driving his car, too? In any case, these came up under his name and date of birth, not his dad’s.
In fact, Fors (pictured on a motorcycle here from a vacation photo posted on Facebook) has an excuse for everything. This is the same guy who told Ladra that he had a right to claim Homestead exemption on a condo in Little Havana for at least eight years while he lived with his parents in Coral Gables. He said this after he already paid $14,000 in back taxes, interest and penalties for having claimed that exemption fraudulently. So he knew he had no right and still tried to excuse himself.
There are also three tickets for running red lights, three more for blowing through stop signs, three for speeding — one looks like speeding in a school zone — and at least one careless driving ticket. He had no excuses for those.
And for someone who drives like he does, he takes too many chances: Fors was also cited three times for not wearing his seat belt.
Read related: Coral Gables candidate Jorge Fors stirs annexation fears for votes
Fors would not return several calls and texts to his cellphone inquiring about the arrests. He ignored more than one text specifically asking about the arrests. This is his emailed defense, in its entirety, for his traffic history:

“As a young driver, I was cited for avoidable things like failing to have proof of insurance or registration, as well as some citations resulting from inexperience but, as a 35-year old father, I can promise you that I am a safe and responsible driver.
But have you analyzed the details of these citations?  I’ve only ever been found ‘guilty’ of three citations my entire life.
With regard to ‘speeding,’ I’ve only been stopped for  ‘speeding’ three (3) times in my entire life and I was only found guilty of actually speeding in the case of one ticket.  One being dismissed, and the other being withheld.  Keep in mind, the most recent one was almost 12 years ago, and before that 15 years ago.  I don’t think it’s fair to say that I have an issue with speeding.
With respect to red lights, it’s a similar situation.  There is only one (1) red light camera ticket in 2014 for which I was found guilty. I never received any notice in the mail about this one so I don’t know much about it.  I learned of it long after they entered the fine and the time to pay it expired — I tried to complain but eventually gave up and just paid it.  The 2013 and 2016 tickets were also red light cameras.  The 2016 one was not me, it was my father (same name). The one in 2013 was dismissed (I believe I showed that I was simply making a right turn on red), and one in 2010, over 8 years ago, was not a red light camera, and it was withheld.

Anyplace else, voters might shrug their shoulders. But this is Coral Gables, where some residential streets recently got 25MPH zone signs to slow traffic down. Two years ago, former Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick — who voted against the reduced speed limit because she said police just needed to enforce the 30MPH limit — lost the mayoral race by just 187 votes after Raul Valdes-Fauli painted her as a racecar-driving speed demon in attack mailers that may have worked.
Gables voters are not going to like this about Fors. No wonder the police union couldn’t give him their support (they endorsed Cabrera).
Following is a list of traffic citations for Jorge Fors, Jr., and dates issued as well as criminal arrests:

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In a desperate attempt to get votes in North Gables, commission candidate Jorge Fors is stirring up annexation fears.
Fors — who is running for the seat vacated by Commissioner Frank Quesada — walked North Gables streets last week, passing out petitions to stop the annexation of Little Gables, an unincorporated Miami-Dade enclave just south of 8th Street.
Only problem is, the process is pretty far along already, having been approved by the existing commission. Police Chief Ed Hudak told them that it would be better from a public safety standpoint. Gables Police and Fire Rescue already have to go into Little Gables all the time. It would be better f they can patrol it proactively and get the tax dollars for the services provided.
Read related: One thumbs up, one thumbs down after Coral Gables candidate forum
The annexation application — one of two, the other being the High Pines area just south of Sunset — is at the county level now, having passed the planning and zoning committee in December. Basically, it’s headed to a vote the full county commission and then a vote of the people in Little Gables.
But those kind of details don’t matter in a campaign. What matters is emotion. Some people in North Gables are unhappy about bringing Little Gables into the fold. Some are angry that they never got a chance to vote to let them in.
And Fors is taking advantage of that. He is the least known candidate in a four-way race against former Commissioner Ralph Cabrera, onetime interim city manager Carmen Olazabal and downtown property owner Jackson “Rip” Holmes. He needed something to set him apart — other than the Homestead exemption fraud. Annexation was low hanging fruit. Early in the campaign, Fors sent a mailer out about annexation. Then he hit the streets with the petitions. Last Thursday, annexation was even turned into a campaign issue at the Coco Plum Woman’s Club candidate forum.
But can he really do anything if elected? He would only be one of five votes. And should he even try?
Read related: Coral Gables candidate Jorge Fors had illegal Homestead exemption
“When there are very limited issues to talk about — crime is not an issue, the state of our city is not an issue — certain candidates feel the need to drum up issues that don’t exist,” said Commissioner Vince Lago. “The police chief stood up and said that annexation is in the best interest of the city to patrol the area because it provides a more natural border and closes our geo fence.”
Little Gables has a penchant for drugs and prostitution, mostly from the trailer park and the Wishes Motel on 8th Street that rents by the hour.
Lago and City Manager Peter Iglesias — who got rid of two trailer parks in his previous life at the city of Miami — believe that they can incentivize property owners to redevelop and bring their properties up to Gables code. Lago says he even wants to see a city park for North Gables residents.
There have been at least five public community meetings about annexation since 2016, including one hosted by Miami-Dade Commissioner Rebeca Sosa. How much you wanna bet that Jorgie Come Lately didn’t go to one? He did not return several calls and texts to his cell phone.
Perhaps what Fors has shown is just how uneducated he is about the issues.

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There were completely polar opposite reactions to the performance of two commission candidates after the first Coral Gables candidate forum last week.
Former commissioner Ralph Cabrera, who spoke with authority and experience, got the endorsement of the Coral Gables Police union. Former interim city manager Carmen Olazabal lost a key supporter.
“I walked out and have withdrawn support or endorsement of candidate Carmen Olazabal as she surprisingly completely ignored extensive pre-debate prepping and public speaking training I and others undertook to enhance her showing and opportunity to impress the public,” wrote Gonzalo Sanabria on his Facebook page Friday, the morning after the Coral Gables Chamber forum.
“Please be aware I’ve retracted my endorsement and thanks to all of you in hopes you vote for the best candidate of your choice come next April.”
Read related: Commission candidate Carmen Olazabal can’t rewrite ugly past
While Ladra is glad Sanabria, a failed candidate himself, has seen the light, we can’t help but wonder what in the world made him think he was capable of prepping anyone?
And, also, if Olazabal needed “enhancement” then why support her in the first place? Would the enhancement continue into office?
It was a 180-degree difference when it came to the Fraternal Order of Police endorsement that Cabrera got Tuesday, which showed true confidence in a candidate.
“We appreciate your past service to the city of Coral Gables along with your current vision to keep the citizens safe and to address our ever-increasing traffic flow problems,” wrote President Javier Bruzos.
“The respect and caring with which you treat our residents, employees and the law enforcement community is an example for us all to follow,” Bruzos wrote. “The members of the Fraternal Order of Police are excited to have someone with your experience and understanding of what makes Coral Gables one of the best cities in the United States as our commissioner.”
Read related: Coral Gables candidate Jorge Fors had illegal Homestead exemption
There’s another candidate in the race, but Jorge Fors has been sliding back into the oblivion from which he came after it was disclosed on this very blog that he cheated the county through Homestead exemption fraud for at least eight years. He did pay a penalty in January for seven of those years, because he was running for office probably.
The next candidate forum in Coral Gables is on Thursday at the Coco Plum Woman’s Club, 1375 Sunset Drive. Doors open at 6 p.m.

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Former Coral Gables Commissioner Ralph Cabrera had his best two weeks of fundraising this cycle, with $46,275 collected over the last two weeks of February. According to the last campaign finance reports filed at City Hall this week, that accounts for more than half of Cabrera’s total of $83,545.
With a fundraiser hosted next week by former Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, Cabrera is well on his way to raise more than $100,000 for this race.
Read related: In Coral Gables, campaign cash goes out as quickly as it comes in
He is likely to surpass Jorge L. Fors, Jr., the newby flash out of nowhere who has been leading the money pack up to now. Fors had raised $92,700 as of Feb. 28, but his momentum has slowed way down, picking up only $8,350 in the last two weeks.
Cabrera raised more than five times as much during the same period.
Former Interim City Manager Carmen Olazabal — described as “timid” during the candidate forum Thursday, where she barely made eye contact with anyone — raised another $5,245 for a total of $32,916. She has spent about half of that already, so she is left with about $16,800 cash in hand.
And Jackson “Rip” Holmes — thanks for the many plugs, man — loaned himself another $515 to pay the qualifying fee. The total $1,800 he’s raised has all come out of his own pocket.
With little more than a month to go before Election Day, Cabrera has become the man to beat. He had a great night at the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce candidate forum Thursday, showing his knowledge of city issues is way beyond the others’, and is gaining momentum as absentee ballots arrive. Even the poll done by Dario Moreno, who is helping Olazabal, has Cabrera gaining while Fors slips and Carmen slips into oblivion.
Read related: Coral Gables candidate Jorge Fors had illegal Homestead exemption
Cabrera’s big bank this last period came with very little bundling: $3,000 from lobbyist Eric Zichella, another $3,000 from companies managed by Juan Carlos Mas and Michelle Zubizarreta, and another $3,000 from a commercial real estate firm at 2601 South Bayshore Drive.
Other notable contributions include $1,000 from Commissioner Xavier Suarez‘s political action committee and $500 from former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas (the last two are potential 2020 county mayoral contestants), $1,000 from former State Rep. Manny Prieguez, a lobbyist, and $250 from Les Pantin.
The former commissioner spent $14,453 during the same two weeks, mostly on consulting services and a $3,270 mailer. His total expenses to date are $21,731, which means he still has more than $50,000 to spend this last month.
And contributions keep coming in.

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Carmen Olazabal wants you to forget that she’s an unethical opportunist who put her career above the very safety and lives of Coral Gables residents.
As Olazabal, a former interim city manager, runs for a city commission seat, she wants you to forget that she doctored documents and focus on her gender and her degrees from MIT and Harvard University and her relationship with Jim and Carmen Cason and the fact that once upon a time the city declared it Carmen Olazabal Day.
That must mean something, right? Wrong. We all know those giveaway proclamations aren’t worth the paper they are printed on.
But that’s all she’s got. And of course Olazabal wants to rewrite history. We don’t blame her. Because the real version isn’t very flattering. This is a woman who, as assistant city manager, helped cover up a landscaping mistake that caused a jump in car accidents along Ponce de Leon Boulevard in 2014. The woman who wrote the lie — or, rather, cut and paste the lie — that got former City Manager Pat Salerno fired.
This is why Commissioner Vince Lago was surprised that Olazabal — who was forced to leave the city’s employ — would run for office. He told her when she asked to meet with him that he couldn’t support her.
“She was too willing to risk the public safety of our citizens to make Mr. Salerno happy and keep her job,” Lago said, adding that public safety was the commission’s No. 1 responsibility.
If readers will remember this is sort of when the whole split between the administration and Police Chief Ed Hudak started. Because Hudak told the truth and then-manager Salerno lied and obstructed the truth for whatever reason, we still don’t know to this day. Arrogance, maybe?
Read related: Gables manager Pat Salerno felled by lie to commissioner
There were Bismarck palm trees on Ponce de Leon from Salamanca to Alcazar avenues that were interfering with southbound drivers’ line of sight. Hudak produced a multi-page report with graphs and figures that indicated a 170% increase in car accidents at that corner. The commission got a one-page report with no such finding, no graphs, after a cut and paste job by Olazabal, at Salerno’s instructions.
“She showed a lack of ethics and a lack of judgement. A person who is willing to mislead the commission should not be making the laws if she is breaking the laws,” Lago said, adding that Olazabal confessed her role to him and former City Attorney Craig Leen after the Salerno resigned over the doctored document.
It was an exceptionally bad choice for her to help orchestrate the lie because Olazabal knew she’d have whistleblower protection had she told the truth, he added.
Lago, who is arguably the only real elected leader on the Gables dais, is supporting Cabrera. He, like many people, said he has no idea who this Jorge Fors guy is or where he came from and knows that Cabrera’s experience will give the Gables some historic perspective and balance.
“He’s an individual who understands the character of the city and who has a deep interest in making our city the best in Miami-Dade,” Lago said. “He believes in pushing forward on development that allows our city to progress but also keep its hometown feel.”
But, then again, Lago would support anyone against Olazabal. Because her missteps do not end with the Ponce trees lie.
There was the time she tried to give herself a 10 percent raise. Oh, she will say that she didn’t, but she did. And it was a consent item, in fact. Thank goodness that Lago pulled the resolution from the agenda in May of 2014 and discussed it. Consent items hardly get discussed and are approved en masse. Olazabal tried to fly under the radar and give herself a 10 percent raise.
By the way, she did get that raise. And then she tried to keep it after a permanent manager was hired.
Read related: Interim Coral Gables manager got a 20% raise — but ‘for now’
The resolution, which was likely written by Olazabal, said she deserved the raise because “during her four month tenure as Interim City Manager, Carmen Olazabal has worked effectively on complex projects such as: Tree Succession plan, Bike Master Plan, RFP preparation for Garage 1 and 4, Teamster Union Contract, FOP Union Contract, Trolley Building Settlement and Miracle Mile Streetscape Project.”
Wait. Is she taking credit for these projects that existed before and after her? Wasn’t she just doing her job? For which she was already being paid 4% more (a parting gift from Salerno)?
And was she even really doing her job? Or was someone else? Because she also had municipal manager extraordinaire Merrett Stierheim holding her hand. He was hired as a back-up consultant since the city commission had no confidence Olazabal could do it alone. How much of her job did Stierheim do? Well, e was approved for $50,000 worth of work. So at $150 an hour, that’s more than 333 hours, which is more than eight weeks if he was working full time.
No wonder he’s backing her.
And that’s a lot of help. Can anyone imagine if City Manager Peter Iglesias needed hand holding?
But even the almighty Stierheim couldn’t steer Olazabal away from every bad decision.
Read related: Merrett Stierheim — Coral Gables’ extra city manager for $50K
Like that time Olazabal named Maj. Theresa Molina acting chief, to everyone’s surprise, the eve before the commission was to name an interim chief. Molina, who was later caught spying on a resident and commissioners and was fired for it, was under investigation by the State Attorney’s Office at the time. Again, shows a lack of judgement if this is who Olazabal thought was better than Ed Hudak to run the department.
In fact, she also thought retired Maj. Scott Massington was better than Hudak and, after telling commissioners she would let them decide at a special meeting after the former chief resigned, she flew Massington back to Miami. Word on the street was that Salerno was pushing for Massington and Olazabal was still doing his bidding.
Of course, today as part of her history rewrite, she supports Hudak and congratulates his leadership on her website, saying he has kept crime low.
Because if there is one thing voters need to remember about Olazabal it’s she will do or say anything to keep her job — or to get one. The city commission position pays $31,585. But Ladra bets Olazabal would move for a 10% raise.

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