Trying to be impartial despite haters

Yes, Ladra is back. I'm preparing a few posts on things going on in Hialeah, Miami Lakes, the county, Homestead and elsewhere. (More on that later).

Ladra has been absent for a while because, let's say I've been distracted. In addition to having to work on my actual paying job in social media and media consulting, a group of friends and I embarked on a new project, a new avenue to provide information for the people of Hialeah, who sorely need it. 

I realized that the blog wasn't getting to everyone. Certainly not to the over 55 residents who vote and read mostly in Spanish, and hardly online. So this newspaper -- which will cover the city council and politics, sure, but also community events, school news, the business community and more -- was born.

And it's been a hard labor. Not just because we are learning as we go along -- and the second issue will look a lot better than the first. But because while Ladra's critics are constantly challenging her to be impartial, they won't let me when I try.

Here is the English version of the first column published in the inaugural Dec. 16 edition.

I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. But I didn’t think it would be this hard.

When a group of friends and I decided that we would publish a newspaper in Spanish to counter the misinformation fed to the residents of Hialeah, we realized there would be some resistance. Mostly from those who do not want information to flow freely.

But we did not realize it would manifest itself in censorship and lack of transparency that is a staple of dictatorial regimes from which our families fled.

It is perfectly natural for politicians, elected officials and high-paid government types to be wary of journalists and bloggers who expose them as they buy votes with pancakes and collect absentee ballots from viejitos who don’t know who is running for what. And while this is my first column as editor of La Voz de Hialeah, I have grown into this position through my blog, Political Cortadito, in which I have written about those things already. I admit I have been critical of the city administration and elected officials – in my sarcastic, Cuban-American smart ass style. While well-received by many residents and city employees, the blog has become a thorn in the side for the powers that be.

I understand the discomfort. But I have every right to question their methods, intentions and actions. Perhaps even an obligation. After all, my parents left Cuba to make sure I grew up and lived in a country where freedom of expression and freedom of the press was not only guaranteed, but taken for granted. And if I see something wrong, it is my duty to them and to us all to point it out. Sometimes, that can be seen as impartial. And sometimes it is. The criticism cuts both ways and when Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez and the Seguro Que Yes city council call me biased, they are sometimes right. I am proudly biased because my slant is derived through the study of public documents, knowledge of historical reference and luck for inside information. And bias has its place. Like in these two [editorial/opinion] pages of La Voz de Hialeah. All bias is welcome here. Not just the bias from one side. And so I invite the mayor and city officials to write letters or guest columns for these pages.

But impartial information also has a place. Like on the other 14 pages. Like in the story about the opening of LA Fitness. Most people would see that as a positive story for Hialeah. But what is not in the article is that I was asked to leave the event by someone with the facility, most likely at the behest of the mayor or one of his lap dogs. On another day, the spokesman for the police department refused to send me a press release that had gone out to other media about the arrest of some juveniles after a smash and grab at Palm Springs Mile.

While criticism is important and, even, necessary to guarantee democracy, unbiased news and information can be more vital to a community. Especially one that is lacking it. La Voz de Hialeah was created in the void of such a beacon. And its aim is to cover the city in all its glory and beauty and cultural richness, not just its dirty little secrets. There is room for both and we hope that we will be allowed to public events so that we can take the images and information to the homes of the people.

Perhaps it will only take a little time, and a few editions of La Voz de Hialeah, for the mayor and other discomforted city officials to realize that we are here to cover both sides of the coin.

And that we are here to stay.

Political payback: rewards & revenge

Some have been promoted. Others have been punished. But make no mistake about the changes going on at Hialeah City Hall and in the city police department: The political payback and retaliation has begun with employees who were involved in the city's mayoral and council elections last month.
Those who supported and helped su alcaldito Carlos Hernandez are getting rewarded. Those who supported and helped former mayor Raul Martinez, who lost in a runoff Nov. 15, are the butt of the retribution. In Spanish, this is called un pasado de cuentas. In English, it's a settling of accounts.

Among those who have been spanked are three veteran police officers who have dedicated their lives to this community:

Commander Urbano Dieppa was busted down to sergeant after Hernandez saw he gave $100 to both his campaign and the Martinez campaign. He had been solicited for a contribution by Hernandez but expressed fear of retaliation if Martinez won. So another officer suggested he make the same donation to both candidates. That drew su alcaldito's ire. Rather than take the obvious political demotion in stride, Dieppa chose to take early retirement after Hernandez allegedly told him "You are either with me or you are against me.

Detective Sgt. Barbara Ricano, who is months from retirement and was a regular staple at the Martinez campaign office, was transferred to patrol as soon as the elections were over. Ricano, photographed here as she worked the first round of early voting at JFK Library, has not been on the road for more than a decade and has never been a patrol sergeant, which could be a safety issue to her and to other officers on that shift. And while the city may try to justify the move by saying that they are trying to crack down on patrol overtime, other officers beneath her rank have kept their desk jobs and juicy task force assignments.

Det. Ricky Garcia, whose organized fraud investigations have netted dozens, if not hundreds, of insurance scam artists and made headlines -- as well as secured a bunch of borrowed unmarked cars for the department from insurance companies only too happy with his work -- was transferred to patrol this week. There was no other reason to demote this 2009-2010 Investigator of the Year except that he was vocal about his support of Martinez. Here he is photographed with other Martinez supporters, some of whom may still feel su alcaldito's wrath.  Garcia, who is currently working several cases and had gone in on his day off to write some arrest reports because he loves his job, was not given a reason or even a head's up. He simply found the tranfer paperwork in his mailbox. His commanding officers didn't even know about the decision -- which shows it was made from the top.

It is obvious political retaliation against those who dared to be independent and exercise their constitutional rights. And there may be a class action lawsuit here.

But let's take a moment to juxtapose those against the rewards to others for their political choices.

Let's start with the case of Arnie Alonso, the completely unqualified lackey who drives su alcaldito around and does his bidding and served as his spokesman during the campaign (wonder if he was still getting his city paycheck to do that). Even though Alonso (photographed here during the first round of early voting, in white, standing next to his boss, and below on Nov. 1, standing next to his boss guarding him from Ladra) started his career at the city in parks department, where there were issues about some missing money from one of the sports leagues, he has now been promoted to chief of staff. Ladra wonders what kind of salary raise (read: payoff) came with that. I've asked. But who knows when we will learn. Acting City Clerk David Concepcion told me today that he would "submit the request to the appropriate department and provide you with the information once it becomes available." It should be as easy as a phone call.

And then there is Hialeah Police Commander Sergio Velasquez, known inside the city as Hernandez's chief enforcer and Godfather in the santeria religion, who was promoted to deputy chief despite holding the rank of sergeant. Forget about the fact that he is hardly qualified for that position, or that his history at the department has been full of questionable actions that have been investigated or covered up. Forget the fact that he made retaliatory investigations to further his career. Forget about the fact that he registered for college classes last week so he could qualify for the job. Those things don't matter because he is su alcaldito's friend and mentor. Police Chief Abuser Mark Overton, who Ladra heard has already one foot out the door to a position in Miami Beach (more on that later), told a reporter that the promotion was directly ordered by Hernandez.

Read that again: Directly ordered. Now why does the mayor of the city direct the police department's personnel moves? I understand he may have to approve them, but that would only happen if the changes came via the normal, administrative process for these types of transfers. But they don't. They come the other way. Which means they are political payback.

And the ones who will end up paying the ultimate price are the residents and business owners in the City of Retrogress.

Political con artist's AKA unveiled

You heard it here first. Actually, months ago. Ladra is not just a public watchdog. She's a political psychic.

Back in April, when a Miami Lakes dentist sued Constant Contact about an email he says defamed him to find out who the signed author "Sandra Lopez" really was, Ladra came right out and bet it would turn out to be Vanessa Brito, a political conartistultant who had campaigned for the recalls of former Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas.

Dentist-turned-activist David Bennett knew it, too. It was Brito's trademark cowardly, anonymous style, her exaggeratedly derisive and contemptuous language. What we want to know now is who paid for it. Vanessa is perpetually broke and sucks the life out of everyone around her, like a locust, until they're spent dry or realize they're going to bleed to death. And Pizzi had more interest in bashing Bennett, a longtime vocal critic of the mayor's who formed an anti-Pizzi and pals PAC and had started to work on a recall effort. The bouncer-like mayor, who recently got hired as the town attorney in Medley (more on that later) and was involved behind the scenes in the election of Hialeah's alcaldito Carlos Hernandez and his slate, was counsel for Brito's Miami Voice PAC (read: Promotional Assistance Con) during a legal challenge of their dubious recall petition collection. And the two, photographed here during early voting for the recall campaign, became ratherbuddy-buddy during those weeks. Brito announced late last month that she was the campaign manager for his re-election campaign (guess Pizzi isn't worried about her recent track record). Also, the attorney that showed up in court to request that the Constant Contact client remain a Jane Doe was none other than David Reiner, who worked with Pizzi in the recall challenge. Now, in a second lawsuit on the matter (read on), a third recall lawyer, Ben Kuehne, has joined in to defend Brito and the rest named in the suit.

But, wait. Let's go to the beginning of this wonderfully entertaining tale, which began in April when attorney Stephen Cody filed a lawsuit on behalf of Bennett. It demanded that Constant Contact disclose the name of the account holder that sent what they referred to as a defamatory email blast from "Sandra Lopez." The email called Bennett a fraud because he had registered the name Miami Voice, Inc., in the state Division's of Corporate Records (you snooze you lose, Vanessa) and questioned his motives (well, maybe I question them too. But I also applaud them). Despite attempts by Reiner to keep the identity of "Jane Doe" -- apparently, one AKA is not enough for this con artist -- a judge ruled Nov. 7 that the company had to disclose the names associated with the account from which the email, Exhibit A, was sent. Said Cody: "This is not an abuse case or a witness protection case." Fort Lauderdale attorney Ari Glazer, representing Constant Contact, sent Cody an email Nov. 17 that said the company -- whose policy states that you need to use a real name in their emails -- identified the "Sandra Lopez" email as an account associated with Vanessa Brito, Heidy Medina and Myami Marketing, referring to Brito's life partner and corporate firm, respectively. He also disclosed two addresses associated with the account, Brito's parents home west of Sweetwater and her address with Medina in Northwest Miami-Dade near the Broward County line. "Constant Contact does not know which of these 2 individuals is responsible for composing or sending the e-mail," Glazer wrote.

It doesn't matter. They are one and the same. It was a Brito bomb. Gotcha!

Now, Cody filed a new defamation lawsuit against Brito, Medina and Myami Marketing based on the information disclosed and among the things he asks for in his stack of discovery documents is the list of how many people got the email and who they are, who paid for the digital missive and how, and all communication between the client and the company about the creation of the email. "They're going to say 'They're just after the list,'" Cody said, referring to the fact that Bennett has been in a long, heated battle to get the town's email list -- which he is entitled to, even if it is for his own political purposes. "But it's more to gauge the size of the damages," Cody said. "Let's say the thing went out to 10,000 people in Miami Lakes. Having to defend himself against such a large number of people who know him gives a potential for much greater damages than if she sends a random email to someone in Washington State who doesn't care."

Separately, Cody has asked the town of Miami Lakes for copies of the statements of all the credit cards used by the mayor and his office. But he may have to subpeona those, too, since he asked a month ago and he has still not gotten it. "And it should be a fairly simple matter going to the finance department, opening a file, making a copy and giving it to me." Ladra suspects they may be dragging their feet because the payment is there. As established, Brito is broke all the time and Pizzi, who likes to get freebies at town restaurants, did not yet have his big $200,000-a-year job in Medley. I can't see him taking this out of his own pocket if he can pay for it out of the city's general fund. Cody might want to get that in the discovery with Constant Contact instead.

Among the other things he asked for that Ladra will be eager to see is every email sent out from that same account since January, 2011. Who knows what other evil emails could lurk there? Maybe another email from some other false name, like "Blanca Rosa" who says she lives in the city of Miami and urges her neighbors to vote for Kate Callahan in her recently failed race for city of Miami commission. And if that email doesn't have a political advertisement disclaimer, then Brito may face a whole new slew of election law violation complaints and, maybe, lawsuits.

Ladra called Brito when she learned of the ruling, you know, to gloat, er, I mean get her side of the story. Miami Voice Chief of Security Ivette Lisa Taylor answered Brito's new phone, and I guess that it's new because had my name come out on the contacts list, nobody would have answered. I calmly explained the reason for the call and if she could get a message to Brito -- or Medina for that matter, since she was named in the lawsuit individually as well -- and Taylor was cordial and fine. She suggested I call Michael Pizzi. "He's handling that." Oh, really? In hindsight, I suspect she could have been answering Brito's phone to keep at bay all the people las malas lenguas say Vanessa owes money to from Callahan race. Because in less than five minutes, Taylor called back.

"Vanessa told me to tell you that she wouldn't speak to you if you were the last blogger on Earth," she said, and I almost spit out my Starbuck's. "She says you better stop calling her and her family," referring to Medina, who is also named in the court documents as an account holder at Constant Contact and is treasurer of the Miami Voice PAC. I began to explain to Taylor -- who needs to be spoken to slowly lest she's had a few forbidden cocktails already -- that Brito is, indeed, a public figure and that if she tries to fool said public again for her political gain (or her friends' and allies'), I would have to ethically call her, again, to give her an opportunity to set the record straight or provide context. All she has to do is say no comment. But she hung up on me before I could add that she can say no comment with style, ala "not even if you were the last blogger on Earth." Funny stuff.

Coincidentally, she could now face the same kind of reluctant subject as a blogger herself. Last week, the Huffington Post announced that Brito would be a contributor to their new Miami edition. That was a surprise to most people who know her well, many of whom are taking bets on how many weeks the arrangement will last before she blows it completely after exhausting her many patent excuses.

I wonder if those people at Huffington did any kind of vetting -- or even a simple google search -- of their Miami staff line-up, which also includes Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez, City of Miami Beach Commissioner Jerry Libbin, Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, University of Florida wildlife ecologist Dr. Frank J. Mazzotti, PR guru and queen of the night Tara Solomon; NBC Miami Nitecap host Peter Bailey, "smart growth" blogger Tony Garcia and Miami Museum of Contemporary Art Director Bonnie Clearwater. Because one of Brito's first pieces is an analysis of the politically-connected gaming industry's interest in our community. Hmmm...

I wonder if she's doing any professional political work with or for the multiple lobbyists and consultants involved (more on that later), which would also raise the question of whether or not the blog entries should come with a paid political advertisement disclaimer.

Maybe Brito should have written her blog or column under the name Sandra Lopez.

Kissing the ring at the swearing-in

The swearing-in ceremony at Hialeah City Hall Friday was more like a circus or a carnival than a solemn, vow-taking induction for a new (same as the old) government body. From the Mariachis to the teary-eyed thank you from Su Alcaldito Carlos Hernandez when he mentioned his financial backer, Roberto Cayon to the three-part harmony from three female judges who swore in Hernandez -- more like The Cheetah Girls than the Supremes -- to the photo-ops for a cluster of electeds who came out in masse to kiss the ring.

Former State Sen. Rudy Garcia -- the third place finisher in the first mayoral race round who later endorsed the man he had heavily maligned for months -- waved to the crowd as if from a parade in a valiant effort to stay relevant (more on that later). Also in the audience were Miami-Dade Commissioners Jose "Pepe" Diaz and Rebeca Sosa -- whose proposed absentee ballot fraud prevention amendment last month suddenly looks like an opportunistic move for political appearances, since she posed for pics with the guilty parties. She has to know there are concerns about that process in the City of Progress. But, heck, who is she to stand in the way of a good party? Other political hangers on in attendance included Miami Lakes Mayor Michael "Muscles" Pizzi and Councilman Cesar Mestre, Hialeah Gardens Mayor Yosiel de la Cruz and Medley Mayor Ramon Rodriguez, Hialeah Chamber of Commerce Chair Mandy Llanes, Hialeah Housing Authority Director (and AB pirate extraordinaire) Julio Ponce, Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia, Miami-Dade School Board Member Perla Tabares Hantman (District 4), State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera (R, District 113) and representatives from the offices of State Reps. Jose Oliva (R, District 110) and Eddy Gonzalez (R, District 102) and State Sen. Rene Garcia (R, District 40), Alina Garcia from the office of U.S. Rep. David Rivera's office, and a letter of congratulations with a pledge of support for Hernandez from U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R, District 21), who had endorsed su alcaldito some days earlier despite Hernandez backing former Mayor Raul Martinez, who he beat last Tuesday, in the 2008 race for the seat against brother Lincoln Diaz-Balart (who resigned shortly after for "personal" reasons).

It should have been a smorgasbord for a political junkie like Ladra. But I was disgusted by what seemed, instead, like a trough of slop for the political piggies.

Speaking of swine, the most exciting cameo appearance for the pro-alcaldito crowd was former mayor Julio Robaina, who came in through the city clerk's office and shook a host of hands before he took a lonely spot on the platform next to the dais. "Julio, Julio, Julio," the crowd chanted, encouraging his run for county mayor in 2012 -- as if he needs encouragement. 

But the circus clearly defined su alcaldito as the new ringleader, or king of the Hialeah political hierchy, who just happened to be embracing Robaina as the Mariachis played "El Rey." While Robaina may have caused a bigger stir, su alcaldito was absolutely cast as the new leading man in the telenovela, As Hialeah Churns. Robaina stood back against the dais, pretty much alone. Police Chief Abuser Mark Overton stood close by. Councilwoman Vivian Casals-Muñoz -- who surprisingly cheek-kissed and hugged archrival Council President Isis "Gavelgirl" Garcia-Martinez, despite some deep mutual disrespect -- sat in her regained chair behind Robaina, but wasn't very chatty with her one-time brother-in-law and political mentor/master. In fact, the words she had for the audience that also seemed directed sort of to him and to su alcaldito -- una galleta sin mano, or a slap in the face without using hands -- was, again (like she is trying to convince herself), about running her own campaign, independent of any mayoral candidate.

"And I want to thank former Mayor Julio Robaina and Mayor Carlos Hernandez for respecting my decision," she said, also thanking the council members for accepting her choice "without thinking my decision was against anyone." But now that she is the odd woman out -- the only candidate not on su alcaldito's Seguro Que Yes slate, and possibly rendered  ineffective -- maybe that was more damage control than declaration. "It was a personal decision. I never made negative comments about anyone here," she said, sort of begging to be let into the cool group. But give that woman an Academy Award for what was perhaps the best performance of the afternoon show as she individually congratulated each of the council members who won, in effusive enthusiasm. "Congratulations first to Carlos Hernandez, for such an excellent victory," she said, before going down the list. She also thanked Council Vice President Luis Gonzalez and Councilwoman Katherine Cue for their support. Gotta hit them all if you want to start building your faction.

Gavelgirl -- who kept her gavel and her title at the last council meeting after she was re-elected -- also strutted her stuff, but went in a completely different direction and her act was harder to swallow. "Thanks to all who supported me," Gavelgirl said. "It was a very difficult election and it wouldn't be possible without the friends and supporters. The best thing about this campaign is that they did it from the heart." Well, we know that some of them got paid up to $100 a day. She thanked her family and -- after the crowd sang Happy Birthday to her mom -- she did some ring-kissing of her own. "I have had the opportunity to work with many leaders in this community," Gavelgirl said, naming former Senators Rudy and Rene Garcia, Commissioner Bovo and State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez. "But there is one person who showed me what higher office is, and that is Mr. and Mayor Julio Robaina. It's important to recognize his work here. We must recognize the pride we have in the work of Julio Robaina," she said taking the alcaldito's favorite word for her own.

Alas, while the ring is kissed on King Alcaldito's finger, he got busy kissing someone else's you-know-what. Before he thanked Robaina and before he thanked Roberto Cayon -- a  main contributor to his campaign -- and before he thanked Rudy Garcia or Robaina or Mestre, Hernandez made a point of kissing up to AB Fraud Queen Sasha Tirador. She was the very first person he thanked. And rightfully so, since he likely owes his re-election to her questionable AB and get-out-the-vote tactics. He introduced her as "a grand part of the reason I am here today," in an uncharacteristic moment of honesty. "I respect and love her so much. My friend, Sasha Tirador." But he didn't break into tears (that came when he began to mention Cayon and Councilman Cesar Mestre, a fellow former Hialeah cop). But while she may not get tears, Tirador got VIP treatment. Ladra hadn't realized until then, when she rose halfway to the audience applause, that the AB fraud specialist was sitting on the platform, behind the council's dais, as if she owns the place. Well, maybe she does. She's put everyone in office there. Again and again. Back there, alongside Tirador -- which can be translated into the "thrower" as in throwing a race -- were Alex Martinez, Gavelgirl's poor wife, and Felix Lasarte, the city's main lobbyist and boss to Councilman Paul "Huh?" Hernandez, who has to recuse himself from multiple important votes because LaSarte's firm has one or another thing to do with it.

The three of them seemed to have supporting roles that are much more important than the other council members who were sworn in at the grande finale of this dramatic electoral farse. But the telenovela plays on -- and Ladra can't wait for the next episode. 

Su alcaldito's reign of terror begins

Hours after he felt the confidence boost of his election -- through fraud, lies and trickery -- to the mayor's seat he has exploited for months, Hialeah's alcaldito Carlos Hernandez again abused his power Tuesday night. From a booth at Flannigan's. And he may abuse his power against employees he will likely now target because they supported former mayor Raul Martinez in the race.

It's not like he hasn't done it before. During this campaign, he fired two part-timers and transferred one full-time civil service employee to a more difficult position -- all because they support Martinez or did not report him when he visited a resident at public housing building at the resident's request.

He has had his thugs, including his chief enforcer Glen "The Goon" Rice take photos and/or video of them during early voting. Some employees told me he even asks them to smile for the camera. They have such total, arrogant confidence that nobody will police them that they think they can get away with anything, including violating people's rights. And roughing up an independent journalist blogger. Rice pushed me around Tuesday night inside Flannigan's on West 84th Street, where the mayor and some unidentified friends (photos here) had a celebratory meal. He stomped on my foot and stayed on it, applying painful pressure in an apparent effort to provoke me and keep me from taking photographs of the mayor enjoying dinner with friends while four officers -- three of them on duty -- were babysitting right outside Flannigan's. That's why Ladra was there, to document the misuse of city resources by an abusive dictator who thinks he owns the city. Rice even started saying that I hit him in the stomach, which is what he wanted but which never happened -- unless he means when he physically and forcefully bumped into me several times to move me physically away from su alcaldito's table.

He then had Sgt. Manny Montalvo, who was officially the only one of the four police officers out in the parking lot who was off-duty, issue me a trespass warning in the parking lot (again) after Rice, a disgraced former cop forced to resign, basically demanded that the manager have me trespassed. After I was already in the parking lot. Because I had left of my own accord after Goon Rice made a scene. Another illegal trespass warning by the disgrace of a police department that the Hialeah PD has become. And I do not mean the rank and file who support what I am doing and tell me so regularly and are ashamed of what they are forced to put up with and put me to at the behest of their command staff, which is acting on the orders of su alcaldito.
This is what makes it a criminal rather than civil matter. An elected official is misusing city resources to harass, intimidate and silence a political blogger. He must be so orgulloso!
And while I have tried to get other authorities involved, I am getting the runaround. The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office has not taken this complaint serioiusly and the Florida Inspector General and Attorney General say they have no jurisdiction. Craig O'Connell at the FDLE in Tallahassee, at the Inspector General's office, said they would have to refer the complaint to Hialeah Police Chief Abuser Mark Overton. Like that is going to go anywhere. He is the one who battered me last week at the Goodlet Adult Center when I went to cover an endorsement circus event. He is the chief of the department that is harassing me and intimidating me and investigating me illegally.

But Ladra is not worried about herself. Not too much, anyway. What can they do? Issue me trespass warnings? Illegal ones at that. Eventually, they will be seen for the thugs they are. So go to it. Any attempt to violate my rights and curtail my freedom temporarily will fail and will be fought hard. The law and my rights are on my side. Ladra worries more about the dozens of employees who may face retaliation as early as today from a vindictive thug mayor who will stop at nothing to retain his power and build his pension and continue to provide his friends and campaign supporters with juicy no-bid contracts (read: kickback opportunities) and botella positions. I personally heard su alcaldito -- who would not answer the phone or return calls to comment on this behavior --ask his Lady in Waiting Arnie Alonso and Goon Rice to take photos "of every single employee out here" supporting his opponent. during the first round of early voting. Even Council President Isis "Gavelgirl" Garcia-Martinez got in on the intimidation. Check out the smirk on her face as she takes photos of employees with Raul Martinz shirts and signs below.

Just ask Roberto Santos, a 15-year fleet management employee who was told by su alcaldito at the Moose Lodge polling place Tuesday "I'll see you very soon!" with two thumbs up in a threatening manner. "Like he was trying to scare me," Santos told me. During the second round of early voting, he said Councilman Jose Caragol, who won in the first round, told him, "I squashed you." Some of the employees told Ladra that they were warned by their supervisors not to go to early voting sites or to the precincts on election day. "They are always taking photos of us. A neighbor even told me that a police officer showed up looking for me at my house," said one parks worker. "Arnie [Alonso] told my supervisor he wanted to see me buried." As he said that, Council President Isis "Gavelgirl" Garcia-Martinez laughed and waved at him. "Look at her. She thinks she's a joker." Another employee said: "It is a way to intimidate and try to put us on the floor. But I know I am not doing anything wrong supporting another candidate." A firefighter told me that Alonso but his hand across his neck and told him "You will be gone in two weeks," referring to the threat to fire 105 firefighters -- 70 of them on Thursday -- for taking a stand against the administration's strong-arm tactics. Or the employees in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj2nxLZfhEg

Barbara Hernandez, the president of the general employees union, said that many of the employees feel they will be retaliated against now that Hernandez has been elected. "He has shown in the past that he is not above firing people or transfering or disciplining them for political retribution," Hernandez said. "We have filed grievances on behalf of employees who have been targetted."

They feel intimidated. They feel threatened. They are scared. And they are right to be. This alcaldito and this administration is abusive and, as I said, will stop at nothing to stay in power.

Will nobody stop them?

Martinez concedes, but it ain't over

Former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez conceded early Tuesday night as soon as the absentee ballot machinery of su alcaldito Carlos Hernandez showed it had almost a 4,000 vote lead. A suspicious 4,363 vote lead counting ABs and early voting numbers.
"Se acabo," Martinez told supporters as he made his way outside to the TV cameras. "It's over."

He later lost by a total of 6,689 votes, which means that 2,326 people at the polls voted against him on Election Day. That's almost half of those who voted against him absentee. Really? Really? And if it is supposed to be a true reflection of the whole community, why is it that absentee ballots were disproportionately high, at about double the in personal votes? And uncannily equal among the alcaldito's slate. Let's review the early voting and AB counts. There were 10,408 votes for Hernandez (compared to 6,045 for Martinez), 9,943 for council candidate Lourdes "Who?" Lozano, 9,883 for Vivian Casals-Muñoz and 9,352 for Pablito "Huh?" Hernandez. Too close for comfort, just like in the first round. Ladra says. And more circumstantial evidence that the ballot brokers were successful. In comparison, the Back to the Future slates absentee numbers differered much more: 6,045 for Martinez, 5,690 for former councilman Alex "The Professor" Morales, 6,202 for Frank Lago, and 4,537 for former cop turned Hialeah Housing Authority employee Danny Bolaños. Only the Professor's and Martinez's votes are close, which is a natural thing.

Wednesday, Ladra, Martinez, former Miami Mayor Joe Carollo and some other concerned citizens turned fellow volunteer watchdogs will be making formal, written  complaints with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office as well as the FDLE and the Miami-Dade Police public corruption unit so they investigate the irregularities you readers have seen here in this blog and in other media outlets. We will take the photos we have of Hernandez campaign workers helping incapacitated ALF residents to vote, video of known boletera picking up ballots at a public housing building and other documentation, like a woman who volunteered for the Hernandez campaign because she was promised housing. We will ask Miami-Dade State Attorney Kathy Fernandez-Rundle to recuse herself from the investigation and have the state appoint a new prosecutor from a different jurisdiction. I'm hoping for some old gringo from Lee County who would be outraged by these incidents. Fernandez-Rundle was accused Tuesday of having taken campaign contributions from Hernandez and bundles from his support base (read: illegal maquinita industry) and of having invested in the ponzi scheme by Luis Felipe Perez, whose loans from former Mayor Julio Robaina and Hernandez. Former Miami Mayor Joe Carollo -- who might be the only person in South Florida who knows more about absentee ballots than Ladra -- made the allegatoins on MegaTV's Los Implicados Tuesday night to denounce what is obviously a fraudulent absentee ballot operation and then he dropped the bomb about Felipito. We will both be at the State Attorney's tomorrow to make the stink public.

This is not about sour grapes. If su alcaldito would have won the absentees with a proportionate amount of votes, instead of double the amount cast at the polls, if we didn't already have documentation of known boletera, or ballot runner, Emelina Llanes knocking on doors last week in a public housing unit to collect ballots, if his campaign manager weren't Absentee Ballot Fraud Queen Sasha Tirador, if we didn't already have more than eight cases of ALF residents who voted with "assistance" from Hernandez supporters or campaign workers, then su alcaldito would have a mandate and the people would have, indeed, spoken, like Martinez said in his quick, spontaneous, respectful speech to accept defeat.

But while I have supported Martinez -- and only because I do not want to see Hernandez continue to rape this city and its employees, who have been threatened and intimidated (more on that later) for his own personal gain -- I disagree with him (again) when he said "the people have spoken." The people have not spoken. The people were spoken for. Big difference. Votes were stolen. Votes may have been paid for. We know at least one vote was promised public housing to support his candidacy -- and she was arrested at the Hernandez campaign office after the first round victory when she approached the media to complain about the housing situation. Of course they did not want her to do that. Who knows what they were trying to cover up. That is one of the other incidents Ladra will take to the state attorney and the authorities.

Because this is not over people. I want the residents and employees of this city -- and su alcaldito and his Seguro Que Yes rubber-stamping board --  should know also that I am not going away because he won. In fact, I am going to continue even more with my investigations first into the ALF fraud, then into the botella positions, then into the no-bid contracts and, maybe, into his moonlight job as an individual bank for loans to Felipito.

This is not over. Ladra is far from being done here. Someone else might be done. But not me. Not Carollo. Not former Mayor Julio Martinez, who wants to form a watchdog committee and propose changes in the AB process."I went to war to protect democracy and what these people did is a sham," Martinez told me.

This election might be over. But the investigation has just begun.

Election Day turnout low in Hialeah

The election in Hialeah is today but the results have likely already been decided.


Voters trickled in one and two at a time Tuesday morning at three of the bigger polling places: The Salvation Army, the Moose Lodge and the JFK Library. And that spells doom for former Mayor Raul Martinez, who is in the fight of his life against a scheming alcaldito Carlos Hernandez. Unless those who got outraged and became indignant over the abuse of absentee ballots and AFL residents come out en masse, the election will be decided by the more than 13,000 mailed-in ballots -- and we all know who has more control (read: fraud) over those.

Less than 3,000 voters cast ballots during the shortened 3-day early voting period last week so that will hardly make a dent. If at least 10,000 people do not vote today, the process was circumvented by fraud and trickery and the voters let the machine -- operated by the candidates and their campaign operatives, which includes Absentee Ballot Fraud Queen Sasha Tirador -- decide the fate of their city for them.

It's also a shame that it seems more people are voting against Martinez than necessarily for Hernandez. He may become mayor by default again. One man told me at the Moose Lodge, "I would be dead first before I vote for him," referring to Martinez, who has been cast as a bad guy because of past attacks on him -- all of which he has legally deflected. That's some mandate, alcaldito. You got the default votes.

There is still time, however, and what the people of Hialeah and the Martinez Back to the Future slate of council candidates -- which includes former Councilman Alex Morales, former cop and Hialeah Housing Authority employee Danny Bolaños and Frank Lago, who lost a bid for state rep in May and is the former chief of staff for Sweetwater Mayor Manny Maroño -- need is for all teachers, municipal workers, and gente con mas de dos dedos de frente to come out this afternoon and vote.

And stop the theft of an election.