Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Gimenez in Hialeah again, but Jr.

While Papi has been mum on the threat to fire firefighters in Hialeah -- and potential impact to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue when the county starts taking up the slack on the city's 911 calls -- Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez's namesake son and spitting image has been spotted in Hialeah in recent days.

Attorney Carlos "Junior" Gimenez was seen in the city clerk's office at City Hall, at the Hialeah Housing Authority and, twice, at Maruch restaurant, the unofficial meeting place (conveniently behind the fire union office) for the Back to the Future slate that Gimenez is supporting.
"I was meeting with candidates whom I believe have the capacity to lead, and, equally as important, have the best interests of the city at heart," Gimenez told Ladra. He said he is not working for any of the candidates officially, but was "reviewing several legal issues" and advising them pro-bono. "Let's just say that rule breaking, and circumventing Florida Public Records Law and city financial disclosure rules seems to be an all too consistent pastime in the City of Progress. That practice needs to end, immediately, and that may require private citizen action if the City cannot govern itself accordingly," Gimenez said and immediately stole Ladra's heart. Hey Junior, if it goes to court  and you want to make it a class-action headliner, I know a wiseass watchdog and one pissed-off firefighter who will sign on as plaintiffs.

Friday, he met with former councilman Alex "The Professor" Morales, who was also the director of Hialeah Housing until former mayor Julio Robaina fired him, at Maruch. On Monday, he met with Morales again, Cindy Miel, and veteran campaign consultant, freelance fundraiser and Hialeah homegirl Irene Secada, who is working with or for both candidates as well as former councilman and mayor Julio Martinez. On Friday, Junior was with Secada again in City Clerk David Concepcion's office requesting public records (and I bet he has a quicker response than Ladra gets). He wants the contacts on all the council members blackberries and cellphones (Hey! Ladra wants a copy of that!) a list of all employees with addresses, date of births and phone numbers (me too!) and a list of every resident in Hialeah Housing (ditto!), according to Concepcion. (Public records requests are public records, too! Ain't Florida law grand?)

Gimenez told Ladra he will likely be hosting a fundraiser for the four council candidates (including former cop and HHA employee Danny Bolaños) in mid-October. He and his boss, State Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla (R, District 36) already had a fundraiser for Frank Lago, who is not yet officially on the slate but is not running against a slate mate (despite pressure from the back-stabbing council incumbents that urged him to go against the professor). Lago, former chief of staff to Sweetwater Mayor Manny Maroño -- who is supporting former State Sen. Rudy Garcia (R, District 40) for mayor --  has walked door-to-door with Miel, who is definitely on the Back to the Future slate, and has been hanging around the Back pack. Gimenez Junior's involvement might be as close as dad gets to this heated race and the candidates that helped him in Hialeah. After all, it could get ugly and his allies have baggage that could hurt him come time for his turn in less than 12 months (for the primary). Junior and fellow Gimenez allies the DLPs will likely collect checks for slate boss, former Mayor Raul Martinez, but no fundraisers.

The Dark Prince told Ladra himself he doesn't favor the fund-stumping fetes. "If someone wants to make a donation, send me a check. You don't have to get dressed up for an event," Martinez said.

He'd rather debate anyway.

10 comments:

  1. Is that Irene Secada hiding in the back eating crocketas? . Hasn’t she sunk enough campaigns already??

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  2. Ask Gimenez son about the 50 million his father the mayor just gave him in the county!!!! Ask him kiss ass!!! You are the public watchdog or the public. Kiss ass!!!

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  3. It does not matter if they hold fundraisers or mail checks, hell it does not matter how much $ they collect. Hialeah is going to turn out the vote, and many of those votes cannot be bought by slick campaign ads or mailers. The citizens are being asked and they are saying NO to Carlos Hernandez and No to Isis Garcia. They could care less about the others, they are after these two in particular. Sasha I hope you are reading this and are a smart business woman, after all if you want to continue to make a lucrative income from elections you better hedge your bets and dump these two from your roster. Come on sasha its not like you have not sold out candidates before. I understand that they dont trust you much after your cozy meeting with alex. Jump Sasha, Jump or become irrelevant.

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  4. I THINK THAT WHO EVER POSTED THAT ABOUT MS.I.Secada should leave her alone she is a nice respectful hard working woman. Leave her alone.

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  5. Someone's touchy. The poster made a valid point even if it was a little mean.

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  6. I hear that chief bolaños is signing ladra's checks

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  7. Can't wait for the crap mayor and council to be gone....34 more days scumbags

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  8. I can't wait for an unfettered look at the City's financial records. Raul is gonna tear Robaina a new arse hole. The myth of Robaina's financial wizardry is gonna be like Jericho....and the walls came a tumbling down.

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  9. Secada is not a good person and can not be trusted. But hey, that's her biggest qualification.

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  10. Regardless of all this the issue remains. The current city government is firing critical resources (firefighters) to balance the city budget. Then taking "residents of the 3rd age" to breakfast in a city bus and treating them to breakfast, ... people with T-shirts backing Hernandez were taking them off when Ladra entered the place,(all this on film), political campaign activities with city funds if you ask me. The problem is that the "persons of the 3rd age" (senior citizens) in Hialeah have a conscience, and more dignity than they could ever imagine, and you can not buy their vote with a bus ride some pancakes and rhetoric nonsense. They will vote their conscience come November and keep their dignity intact. Can't wait!

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