Little ridiculous PAC aims anew

The Miami Voice PAC that petitioned the recall of former commission veteran Natacha Seijas may take aim once again at Commissioner Audrey Edmonson because she called the group "little" and "ridiculous." Funny, Ladra thinks it's the smartest thing Edmonson said all night.

Apparently, PAC Chair Vanessa Brito, who had no problem with the fat jokes she and her supporters made about Seijas, took the "most outrageous" comments of the day (Really?!?!) personally and threatened to start the recall process again on Friday. Really? For this? Well, please tell signers and voters this time that the reason for the this costly recall is because Edmonson "dissed Miami Voice by calling them 'little' and ridiculous." Oh, how dare she!!

Of all the other things they said, this was the worst: "This little group thinks they can go around collecting signatures and bully us." Inoffensive enough, though it's a misquote. But before I put it in her words, which give a totally different tone and context, let me just ask what is it so offensive she said? Little? But you said earlier this month when you were more than a week late with campaign finance reports that you were "just one person." That sounds little to me. Could it be that she called you a bully? Well, let's review your own words on facebook after the meeting when the Vanessicans started the inevitable egging on. You wrote, and I quote correctly: "I guess I'm headed back to the clerk of courts tomorrow. She has to fear that 88%." Your head of insecurity (because, really, you are actually more like "only five people," which is still "little"): "Just because we were not successful the first time in recalling Edmonson, does not mean we won't try again. There's still a lot of work to be done." That could be considered a veiled threat against almost anyone. And this post from member number two and former commission candidate Mimi Planas, pictured here with Brito, her campaign manager in a failed her bid to unseat Javier Souto because they thought of the recall idea too late: "wtf... oh realllllyyyyyy...... must have a little talk w/ her." That might be considered bullying. (It's also not the way a wannabe commissioner should talk, so let's hear it for the people of Westchester who rejected her with an 80 percent vote! 80 percent! Remembe?). You know what else is bullying? An email to an activist who doesn't support you that says, and I quote correctly, "David, I will be at Miami Lakes today. I presume you will too. I would LOVE to address the false allegations made in your email IN PUBLIC." (I'm getting another allegedly threatening email allegedly sent to a blogger last summer to defend another one of your failed candidates). You know what else could be bullying? Jokes about Seijas weight and calling her Jabba the Hut. Ask any school counselor.

Here is what Edmonson actuallly said, and a great illustration of how context matters. I'll call it one of the most honest, open, courageous things that anyone up there said Thursday, even though I did not agree with her most of the rest of the time. But while grown men cowered in the wake of the feared "88 percent!!", Edmonson faced the witch hunt and did not have one hair on her tongue (doesn't translate as well but basically, called it as she saw it):

"We should not allow the media... or one person or one small group to tell us what to do because then, the way I would see it, what is the purpose of this commission? Why elect anybody to represent the people and then allow others to bully that particular group? And when I say bully, I mean bully. Because now, its gotten to the point where if someone doesn't agree with a vote on this dais, then 'Okay, go recall them.' Forget about criminal activity. Forget about malfeasance or misfeasance. Forget about all that stuff. 'I don't like you. I don't like how you voted. So let's do a petition drive to get them out.' That's ridiculous. It's ridiculous!"

See? You misquoted again. She actually called you ridiculous twice.