'Neutral' activist worked for mayor

The chairwoman of the Miami Voice recall PAC, Vanessa Brito, has repeatedly said she was going to stay neutral in the mayoral race and has been made a media darling -- including a Best Local Activist nod from New Times, which apparently does not vet its best candidates -- for her role (read: paid Norman Braman campaign coordinator) in the historic recall.

But Brito has been working on the campaign for our mayor elect, Carlos Gimenez, for the past few weeks, at least. Maybe longer. Perhaps New Times should have named her Best Professional Activist. Here she is hiding from my camera at the Gimenez victory party, although she jumps at every other media exposure opportunity and even creates them when she can.

Not only did Alex Diaz de la Portilla tell me himself, between insults on Tuesday, that Brito was working with him on some of his campaign tasks -- which we know includes advertising and the absentee ballot drive, and I will bet on the latter -- but a Hialeah firefighter also told me, unwittingly, that he took some financial report from the city to her house (we assume he got permission from Gimenez campaign people) so she could have the "PAC attorney" look them over and see if there was some mismanagement they could attack on. As far as Ladra knows, the PAC attorney is Miami Lakes Mayor Michael "Muscles" Pizzi, whose own town overwhelmingly voted for former Hialeah mayor Julio Robaina, who was narrowly defeated in the mayoral runoff Tuesday. But why would they need Muscles's help with that? Maybe it was supposed to be "PAC accountant." Although, really, anybody with a basic grasp of math can see that there are discrepancies and not a lot of transparency with Hialeah's finances. People have asked questions already and I expect the next city council meeting to be fun. (I'll be in the back row). Anyway, I called Vanessa and left her a message about her getting the financial reports and why she was working for the mayor when she said she was going to stay out of it. She never called me back. But she immediately called the firefighter, because she knew where I had gotten the information, and I was sitting next to him when the call came in on his cellphone.

And while Brito denies being the one behind the emails sent by vb@speakupmiami.us -- who began to praise the Political Cortadito once Ladra started sniffing around this subject, but thanks anyway -- and truthabout@8milliondollarmayor.org and rescuemiami@rescuemiami.info and ben@rescuemiami.info, the IP addresses for all four of those emails come back to the same IP address as brito@miamivoice.org and brito@myamimarketing.com. Let's repeat that: All six emails have the same IP address, which come from the same domain client or host server. And even the emails from Hugo and Ralph Arza, who were working for Robaina, come from the same IP address. Weird, huh? (More on that a little further down) It could even mean they come from the same computer or network of computers at the same physical address. But it could also mean that the same client at go daddy owns the domains or the same host server hosts all those domains and emails. It could be that one consultant opened all those domains for her and also opened the Arza domain. But we don't know because she won't discuss it.

We do know that social media and email blasts are one of Brito's specialties and a staple of her campaign strategies. Despite several replies to these emails, asking these people to come forth, only one email has been returned. I asked the speakupmiami writer -- who began the first missives citing the Miami Voice voter guide -- to please call me so we could establish it was really an independent group, not just another pseudonym for the same old people (like the PACs are). In the reply, the writer cited the movie Inception and said,"If you've seen inception then you'll understand that I although I cannot call you will have to take a leap of faith."

Later, when I insisted, the writer added more: "Look my name is Victor, I haven't been out of college too long, but was really interested in investigative journalism. One of the reasons I follow you is because I thought your questions and writing were right on the mark. A friend of mine got me involved with all this as he brought up politics in the city and county I realized how bad things were and could get. I've just been following the campaigns since the recall but things have gotten too hot I think. I am humbly stepping away but stay in touch," it said. Ladra pressed, and explained the IP discrepancy. "That I have no idea about, I do not work in computer technology or anything I don't know how that works, and I said I was interested in investigative journalism, I am new and do not know much." Ladra pressed again, asking for just 60 seconds by phone. If I could hear Victor's voice, that would certainly go a long way toward easing doubts. His answer: "I'm a little busy right now but if you give me a little bit I will try to give you a call."

That call never came. Subsequent attempts to reach "Victor" have been met with no answer.

Brito did not respond to a telephone message left on her voice mail. She did reply to an email request. "That's absolutely not true. I don't know who those people are and in fact, contacted them about the initials. You can post anything you want. If you haven't contacted the people who own the site, then you're not doing your job. I will ask you once more not to contact me again." But I did. I have to try harder. "You should have a tech help you out with IP research. I will not have anything to do with false accusations regarding this. I am asking, once again, that you do not contact me again - for this or any other issue."

I did try her again today, just before I posted this. I had tried her yesterday, too. But she does not want to -- or cannot -- explain this seeming conflict of interest.

She sent me (under the subject line "good research") the registration of speakupmiami.us to a Tallahassee address who is also behind rescuemiami.org, another pro-Gimenez group. Ladra was thinking the same thing: Flow chart! But it proves nothing because, as everone knows, you can have a registered agent hundreds of miles away and still be sending emails from the computer in your home, which is what the IP address footprint may indicate. At least, according to people who know far more about this than me. I did get tech help. And according to all the forensic computer and people with dedicated host servers, the dedicated server that hosts the Miami Voice email also hosts the other groups. And also hosts emails that come from Hugo and Ralph Arza at ralpharza.com. So all those emails are being routed through the same internet client.

It makes sense that Brito would want to join a winning mayoral campaign, and get a bite at a piece of it so she can later claim credit. Photographed here at the Gimenez victory party, where the self-promoting opportunist got herself a soundbite on WSVN Channel 7, Brito is also a political consultant with a marketing firm and while she has repeatedly insisted that the two hats are separate there seem to be blurry lines. But Ladra can't help but wonder if she worked both sides. The Arza email connection is one weird thing. And then there's this little "Twilight Zone" moment: The Miami Lakes office used as campaign HQ by former candidate Roosevelt Bradley, widely considered a Robaina plant who later endorsed the Hialeah pick, was also listed as the address of a political consultant with an inactive corporate name paid by North Miami Councilman Scott Galvin in his Congressional bid, on which Brito worked last year, and whose expense report has other vendors with inactive corporations or nonexisting addresses (more on later).

All of this might be explained of course. I believe in giving one the benefit of the doubt. But Brito will not give an explanation or even talk about any of these things. And that gives the doubt more benefit.

Meanwhile, the "neutral" Miami Voice chaired by a political consultant did give out one endorsement -- to Sweetwater Mayor Manny Maroño's chief of staff Francisco Lago, a buddy of Brito's from her FIU days, in his unsuccessful bid for the state rep seat vacated by the new Miami-Dade district 13 Commissioner Esteban Bovo, who decidedly won the seat of former Commissioner Natasha Seijas Millan, who was the only one of five targetted commissioners that Brito's efforts -- which she admits were paid for by Norman Braman -- was able to oust. (That's success?) Anyway, Lago's latest campaign finance reports do not show direct payments to her (the final one is not in yet, though), but she could have gotten the trickle effect of the $102,000 or so paid by Lago through Sasha Tirador, who also worked on Robaina's campaign with David Custin. Both Tirador and Custin also worked for Braman on the recall, with Brito.

It's all just too close for comfort. But this business is terribly incestuous. Yesterday's enemies are working on campaigns together today. Take the case of Emiliano Nuñez, a direct mail specialist who was paid more than $3,500 by the Robaina campaign before the primary and then got hired by the Gimenez PAC, Common Sense Now, and made another $5,815 after Robaina's people did not rehire him for the runoff (maybe that was their mistake). Nuñez told me himself that he will work for whoever hires him, which may leave a bit to be desired, but it's honest.

Brito, on the other hand, is fooling the public by saying she is neutral when she is stumping for one of the candidates. And I cannot imagine she is doing it for free, but that shouldn't matter.

This hypocrisy is something that our new mayor needs to distance himself from. He should know better, after he was already burned by her once, when she did the press release and radio spot against Gimenez for the Accountability Project.

And he should distance himself from her if he wants to continue to be known as honest and transparent. Because she is all about smoke and mirrors.

"Sandra Lopez" to be unmasked

Ladra has a message for whoever hid behind the name Sandra Lopez to send out an email to Miami Lakes residents last month bashing a local dentist who is leading an effort to recall Mayor Michael "Muscles" Pizzi: Come out, come out, where ever you are.

You are going to be outed anyway, so you may as well come out now and save some face.

Melissa Ayers, a spokeswoman for Constant Contact, called me back today about the lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court seeking damages for defamation in an email blast they sent March 8. But even though David Bennett, president of the Concerned Citizens for Better Government PAC formed to recall Pizzi, sued the company, what he really believes is that Pizzi was somehow behind the email.

Ladra isn't so sure. I mean, he's an attorney first. He must know that the records can be retrieved via subpoena. And Constant Contact does not fight subpoenas, Ayers told me, so it's just a matter of time before everything is revealed.

I am willing to bet Sandra is a pseudonym for Miami Voice PAC Chair Vanessa Brito, who we suspect also hides behind the pages of actual sitting elected officials whose facebook accounts she administers or manages (ala "Vanessa Brito!" is who won in the Coral Gables elections and also who someone wants for mayor. "Vanessa Brito!" The elected has denied making those posts to someone else. He still has not called me back, but I will post it anyway. More on that later).

The email in question was sent after Bennett registered Miami Voice, Inc., under his name in Florida's Division of Corporations (Brito had not secured it and only registered at the county. Why?). "Sandra Lopez" called what Bennett did fraud and questioned his motives, alleging he was going to use the "good name" of the fraudulent PAC (sue me for defamation, I dare you) to raise funds. Of course, "Sandra Lopez" took the opportunity to campaign for the recall of commissioner Natacha Seijas in this email, which by the way had no political advertisement disclaimer. I mean, if it is not a PAC plant, who or where is this suddenly very vocal and active Miami Lakes resident "Sandra Lopez," who still has not returned two emails sent from me to her at miamilakesconcernedresidents@gmail.com, and why is she so outraged on behalf of Miami Vice? She goes so far as to say that "No greater fraud of deceit has been perpetrated than Dr. Bennett creating an organization named Miami Voice." That is very extreme, no?, if she is not a board member. She has not been quoted or seen at any Miami Vice rallies or court appearances. Ah, maybe she is just a Pizzi fan. "Sandra Lopez" did two days earlier send another Constant Contact email -- with more misspellings -- that praised Pizzi for serving as pro-bono attorney for Miami Vice against a lawsuit from Seijas' supporters that challenged hundreds of questionable petitions. Maybe this is the bono in pro-bono.

"I am a resident of Miami Lakes and Miami-Dade County. I want to congratulate Mayor Michael Pizzi for being the only mayor in Miami-Dade to have the courage to publicly support the voters in their quest to recall Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas.

"This past September, Mayor Pizzi appeared before the County commission and urged them not to raise taxes and he set an example by lowering taxes in his own city. In fact, Pizzi was the first mayor to sign Mr. Braman's recall peition and staged a rally in Miami Lakes to protest agaisnt raising taxes.

"Michale Pizzi then foguht in court pro-bono to make sure that voters have the right to vote in the recall election. Finally, in March, Mayor Pizzi completed his fight for the people when he cast his "YES" vote on the recall of both Seijas and Alvarez."

This email included a photo of Pizzi at a pro-recall rally with "hundreds of residents" before casting his vote. But the photo expired from the Constant Contact system and Ladra could not see if they were truly residents or Miami Vice's paid sign-holders. And that email, as well as any other email sent by "Sandra Lopez" or the client who paid for it under different names, will be part of what Bennett's attorney, Stephen Cody, will demand in court. He also wants every single email that it went to and suspects the email addresses were provided by Pizzi, or someone at the city at Pizzi's request. Ladra says they were provided by Miami Voice, who already had gotten them from Pizzi. It doesn't matter, what is left of their credibility will be tarnished unless, and I can hold a tiny little shadow of a doubt better than anyone, "Sandra Lopez" comes forward.

Ladra can't wait for this to play out in court. Cody is going to ask for two years worth of the "Sandra Lopez" client's email records and we suspect other political campaigns might be, shall we say, embarrassed. by some of the things he may find.

Ayers, the Constant Contact spokeswoman, said this type of defamation claim on emails "comes up all the time" and that the company is not liable. "We don't control the content and our policy is very clear. The content is the responsibility of the client." She confirmed Cody's report that they had talked to the client. "We do reach out to the customer, we tell them a concern has been raised and make sure they are notified that they can't do that. The person who sent this email has been contacted and that person said they would not do it again."

Okay, but since we don't think that person is really honest, you can't just believe it, Melissa. And since it is being used as a manipulative tool to malign someone for political benefit, with none of the regulatory checks in place like campaign finance reporting or political disclaimers, you need to do more, Melissa. Or we are going to see more of these pseudonymous bashing email blasts.

Cody suggests a screening filter for words like "fraud" or "criminal" and maybe "rapist" -- let me add "pedophile" -- to a spam filter so someone can review them if they are flagged. It should not be so difficult. And it might save you the cost of going to court when it "comes up all the time."

Because, trust me, if changes aren't made, it will come up again from another "Sandra Lopez."

Email for Voice PAC in lawsuit

The Miami Lakes dentist leading the recall effort against Mayor Michael "Muscles" Pizzi filed yet another lawsuit Monday stemming from his ongoing public battle with the one-time activist lawyer.

But instead of Pizzi, (standing in the photo at the Miami Lakes library with a misspelled PAC sign), David Bennett this time sued Constant Contact for libel and/or slander because of an email sent to Miami Lakes residents. The author is a "Sandra Lopez," but Bennett and his attorney, Stephen Cody, believe is a pseudonym for someone else. That email said the dentist committed fraud when he registered a Florida corporation under the name Miami Voice, which is the name of the opportunistic PAC born from the mayoral recall fever, a group that ultimately ousted veteran commissioner Natacha Seijas. They were loudly outraged by the move. So what Bennett and Cody -- who represented Seijas in the lawsuit to stop the recall and PAC chair Vanessa Brito in a lawsuit against her by Miami Gardens Councilman Andre Williams -- really want is for the trail to lead back to Miami Voice and Pizzi, who represented the PAC pro bono.

And what they really hope is that Pizzi used a city credit card or account to pay for it. That would be unethical, illegal and, possibly, actionable.

Cody said someone at Constant Contact practically admitted the email author was not Sandra Lopez. "They said that they warned the person not to do it again. She said 'They've been put on notice,'" he quoted someone as saying. "But that's not good enough," Cody said. So Bennett sued them for intentional and negligent defamation.

In the motion, it says Constant Contact "is aware of the true identity of the person using the pseudonym 'Sandra Lopez' but permitted that person to hide their identity." It also says the company "failed to take reasonable steps" to make sure that the content they were sending on behalf of a third person was not "false, scandalous and defamatory."

Here's some of the email, titled "Urgent: Dr. Bennett Commits Fraud by Misrepresenting Miami Vice, sent March 8 to "friends and Miami Lakes residents" from Ms. Sandra Lopez:

"As shocking as it may sound, Natacha Seijas supporter and main campaigner, David Bennett, has registered a Non-Profit with the State of Florida under the name “Miami Voice.” As we know, Miami Voice PAC has led the fight to oust Commissioner Natacha Seijas and Dr. Bennett has nothing to do with the recall. In fact, he has attacked the original Miami Voice numerous times in his emails and efforts to fight the recall," the email author wrote, adding the link to the Florida Division of Corporation website where the record of the incorporation of the name can be found. "Their organization is aimed at destroying the real Miami Voice's efforts and has secretly and without permission registered an organization called Miami Voice. Bennett's Miami Voice organization is going to be soliciting emails from people in an attempt to continue his rampages against Miami Lakes residents and government and more significantly, to raise money."

They haven't raised money and he didn't need anybody's permission. Sandra Lopez, or whoever, also says that when television stations showed up at the address listed for the corporation (but she doesn't say at whose request or suggestion), they found a church (but she didn't say that David Southern, the other corporate officer, is a pastor at that church). But read on, please:

"No greater fraud of [sic] deceit has been perpetrated than Dr. Bennett creating an organization named Miami Voice."

Really? No greater fraud in Miami or Miami-Dade? Ever? Sandra Lopez has been asleep under a rock. Or, more likely, she is one of the Miami Voice promoters and boosters, perhaps PAC chair Vanessa Brito herself, who uses Constant Contact on a regular basis and has quite the flair with emails (more on that later). Or judge for yourself.

"Why would David Bennett solicit money from people pretending to be Miami Voice? Is this an attempt by Bennett to mislead people and misuse the Miami Voice name? Is there a valid explanation for all this? More likely, this is part of Bennet's [sic] ongoing and disgusting efforts to help Natacha Seijas by spreading lies, misinformation and deception throughout Miami Lakes in a desperate attempt to try and divert attention from his friend Seijas. Dr. Bennet [sic], let the residents put you on notice: You can send 20 emails a day spreading lies and deceit about Miami Lakes officials and other honorable people. It is not working. The voters of Miami Lakes are going to recall Natacha Seijas because of the tax increases and her vile conduct. No red herrings about Miami Lakes officials are going to change that."

Neither Pizzi nor Brito returned calls and emails to get their comments. An email sent to Sandra Lopez at her email address, miamilakesconcernedresidents@gmail.com, but nobody wrote back or called at the number I provided. (Can't someone track down that ip address?) Ladra was also unable to reach Lisa Sparks, regional development director at Constant Contact. But I will keep calling to try to see what the company says about the email.

But Ladra recognizes Brito's hand all over it for several reasons. (1) It's obviously written by someone who thinks Miami Voice is much more important than it is. (2) There are misspellings throughout. (3) It opportunistically takes shots at Seijas in the midst of the campaign to oust her. (4) We wonder if that is a violation of campaign finance laws because there was no political disclaimer (and we know from past posts that she laughs in the face of campaign finance laws). (5) She has those starving-for-scoops Spanish language news stations on her speed dial. And (6) She uses the term "red herring" three days after Ladra used it to describe the woman's excuse tactics for being more than a week late with financial reports.

As for Bennett swiping the Miami Voice, Inc., name: It might have been silly and immature, or hilarious and heroically pre-emptive, depending on who you ask. But it certainly wasn't fraud. Bennett and his friend, David Southern, registered the name legally through the proper channels because the Miami Voice people had not secured it. They may have intended to confuse voters and get some traction from the quickly-changing-from-good-to-bad name recognition for their own recall effort against Pizzi. That might be sneaky (and, Ladra believes, counterproductive), but it ain't illegal. In fact, Ladra likes the move if only because of the email which, if it turns out Sandra Lopez did not exist, shows how Miami Vice operates (email campaigns are a staple).

And it would also be silly and immature if it was a Sandra Whoever who wrote that letter. But just silly and immature. It's still silly and immature if it was Pizzi or Brito. But it's also evidence of how they manipulate the public trust. Even if it wasn't public dollars used, it still smacks of self-promoting propaganda. And by using someone else's name, it shows a pattern of deceit (which I can spell).

Ladra has a suggestion for Dr. Bennett, who said he would give the name away to a non-profit for free if one wanted it. Let Ladra buy the corporation for $1 and hold on to it until that non-profit comes along (and is vetted). That way nobody can say Bennett is using the name inappropriately for this or that. And I can promise you, dear readers, that I'm not going to use it for anything.

Like people with no hidden agenda or liar's guilt, I always use my real name: Ladra.

Brito's attack apology lame

We need to get out of here for another hot scoop on a state rep race but must post this first:

After Ladra noted earlier today that Miami Voice PAC chair Vanessa Brito, who led the recall against former commissioner Natacha Seijas, had allegedly denied her involvement in another PAC's negative attack ad against Commissioner and mayoral candidate Carlos Gimenez, Brito has apparently made those denials public.

And she quit her post as "media director" of The Accountability Project, formed by political consultant Keith Donner and funded, in part, by yet another PAC supporting Hialeah Mayor and county mayoral candidate Julio Robaina.

Brito did not return several calls from Ladra, but we got her statement from the other blog:

"Sometimes, people like myself who are relatively new to the 'scene' do not realize the background or baggage that comes with a professional request. I believe in transparency and accountability, one of the reasons I agreed to serve as a media contact for the Accountability Project. I did not form the PAC and I apparently did not do my due diligence on their motive for bringing me on board," she said. But she does not say that she, indeed, knows Donner. They have talked about campaigns before. She also knew Donner was working with Dario Moreno on a Gables candidate campaign and had used the [Non]Accountability PAC to smear an opponent in that race. And she forgot to mention that Moreno, who was her boss at FIU's Metropolitan Center, was her mentor and friend.

"I never thought the attacks emanating from this PAC would be so out of line and targeted at one candidate. I never thought my quotes would be misconstrued to an attack on one candidate for mayor."

Really? Okay, Vanessa (she always says I misconstrue her quotes also, very convenient), please explain exactly how they misconstrued this quote or what in it is misconstrued: "Commissioner Gimenez just doesn't get it. He's simply ignoring the will of the people." Or this quote: "Commissioner Gimenez is a career politician and bureaucrat with a long record of voting to raise his pay and benefits at voters' expense. He's the poster child for what's wrong with county government." (She loves that poster child quote, it is classic Vanessa). Or this quote: "We hope that the radio spot and website will allow voters to learn more about Commissioner Gimenez so they can make an informed decision about the candidates running for Miami-Dade mayor."

These are all from the press release and indicate that she knew about the radio piece and the website and that she knew it was geared against Gimenez. So is she lying yet again? I am willing to hear her out, but she won't speak up. She won't call me back. She just issues this non-apology that takes no responsibility for her mistake but places the blame, yet again, on everybody else.

"Political Action Committees serve a purpose in a community," she said, because she knows this whole episode helped Ladra show just how dangerous PACs and EOCs can be. "I am sorry I got involved with this PAC as I feel my name was sullied by the actions of the PAC. At this time, I only wish to be associated with my own PAC - Miami Voice, where I have control of the message." Wait a minute... isn't it the "voice of the people." Yeah, riiiiiight.

"As stated several times before, Miami Voice PAC will not endorse in the Mayoral or District 13 Commission races, but will provide a voter guide to voters with relevant issues to help them decide who will be the best candidate - for them, the people." Can't wait to see these "voter guides" and just how transparent they are going to be. Yeah, riiiiiight.

"As always, my professional private work will remain as such," (which could be another way of saying she got caught and will be more careful next time, but don't worry, dear readers, Ladra is good at finding the trail). "This specific case, however, is one I wish to clarify and to apologize to County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez for any statements attributed to me released by Accountability Project."

Gimenez told me this morning that she had texted him apologizing for the comments just before we spoke around 9:30 a.m. "But if she doesn't make that apology public..." he didn't finish the thought, but he didn't have to. It would mean nothing if she did not doing it publicly. And this self-serving justification is not even close. Please, commissioner Gimenez, don't buy it.

And start separating yourself from these Bramanite spin doctors who might be sabotaging your race.

Brito's love/hate with Gimenez

Miami-Dade Commissioner and mayoral candidate Carlos Gimenez has learned the hard way, like Ladra did, that you just can't trust Vanessa Brito, chair of the Miami Voice PAC that led the recall effort against former commissioner Natacha Seijas.

Less than two weeks ago, Brito (photographed here at a 2009 event picking names for a door prize out of a bucket, much like Ladra supposes she picks names of who to support next) lauded Gimenez publicly. She was either working or volunteering for the Gimenez campaign along with pollster/consultant Dario Moreno, who worked at FIU and is Brito's mentor and political father. "Not anymore," said a campaign insider, confirmed by another Gimenez supporter.

That's because Brito seems to have switched sides and gone on attack.

Brito, who told Ladra Monday that she was doing voter data research for Norman Braman through an Arizona company called Silver Bullet that Braman has paid thousands to through his three PACs (more on that later), is named in an April 5 press release as the head of The Accountability Project, another PAC ("electioneering organization is a different way to say PAC) formed by political junkmail guru-turned-consultant Keith Donner. Both have said they are not working for any mayoral candidate, but the [Non]Accountability Project has received $10,000 from another PAC (it's a plague) chaired by Julio Ponce, director of the Hialeah Housing Authority (which is always good for a few thousand votes) and a close ally of the Mayor Julio Robaina, also running for county mayor. Donner, who also used the PAC to smear a Coral Gables commission candidate, formed several PACs in Miami Beach while he worked a candidate's campaign there and Brito dreamt up the TaxPayer Coalition PAC when she ran Mimi Planas commission bid in district 10 and was helping Johnny Farias in a state house race, so they share this strategy.

Ladra was not terribly surprised to find Brito -- who earlier said that Gimenez was on the ball -- switch sides and call him "the poster child for what is wrong with Miami-Dade" in a press release from the PAC announcing a "public education campaign aimed at exposing the truth about" Gimenez. Truth? Brito's truth depends on who is writing her check. In addition to the 60-second radio spot aired on Cuban AM radio, the campaign also has a website, www.gimenez-truth.com, with the possibly PBA-funded jingles poking fun at the commissioner and a tabloid like graphic similar to other smear mailers from Donner's templates with exclamation points, quotes taken out of context, and criticism on his pension and 25 years as a public employee. The release notes that Gimenez has two pensions, but fails to say that he contributed to them for over 25 years and says that "Brito also noted" Gimenez voted against term limits but failed to mention he voted against 12-year term limits because he favored 8-year limits. That's just disingenuous, Vanessa. You were there at the meeting. Gimenez also wanted to put the $95,000 salary and no outside employment provisions to be as separate measures. (Ladra is voting against limits with a salary and the language currently written, which we think was intentional sabotage).

Brito, who has been seen with charter committee chairman and Bramanite Victor Diaz, did not mention that Gimenez put all the 2008 charter review reform recommendations on the agenda and has brought up term limits four times in six years on the dais.

Truth? How can we tell when Vanessa Brito is telling the truth?

Is it when she thanks Gimenez on his profile page a day after the vote for [non]reform? Or when she posts this on her page later on March 25? "Thank you Commissioner Rebeca Sosa and Carlos Gimenez for recognizing what the people of Miami-Dade really want."

Now, 11 days later: "Commissioner Gimenez just doesn't get it. He's simply ignoring the will of the people."

Well, first he recognized what the people want. Now he ignores those people. What is going to be the "truth" tomorrow?

"We hope that the radio spot and website will allow voters to learn more about Commissioner Gimenez so they can make an informed decision about the candidates running for Miami-Dade mayor," Brito said to end the press release she probably wrote herself.

Informed? Don't you mean manipulated? Why don't you inform the voters that your PAC is being funded by Robaina?

Ladra also learned the hard way that Brito will say what is convenient to her and has not two but three sides to her mouth. And we are sure that, like Gimenez and his people, others Vanessicans will see Brito's true colors and begin to jump ship.

Maybe then they'll recall her.

PAC Chair's police call detailed

Here's a fine example of how the Miami Voice PAC, who used the property tax increase to sway voters to recall a veteran county commissioner and mayor, use taxpayer dollars: making false police calls, tying up patrol officers for kicks.

Ladra finally got the Miami-Dade Police incident report from the dispatch call to the Miami Lakes library last month on an early voting Saturday. Oh, didn't we mention that PAC Chair Vanessa Brito had called the police on us? It's a bit of a disappointment, however, that we are not actually named in the report (which might have made this actionable, gosh darn it!). But we know it's Ladra.

Brito told me that March 3 morning -- no, warned me is better -- after refusing to answer why she still had not filed financial disclosures that were more than a week late. She yelled something and then said she was "calling the police" and whipped out a cell phone. Wonder if she dialed 911. (And if I can get that tape.)

From the "offense-incident report," obtained through the police department via a public records request: "This unit responded to the listed location reference a complainant, "Vanesa" [sic], saying that a white female reporter was harassing voters. Upon arrival, complainant was GOA [gone on arrival]. All appeared to be under control. No one was breaching the peace."

That's cop speak for false call, basically. And at least 30 wasted minutes for at least two officers, S. Walker and the officer who wrote the report, Officer R. Viera. The call was made at 9:59 a.m. according to the report and dispatched as a "dispute" at 10:04. Officers arrived at 10:12 and cleared the scene at 10:42. (I wanted to post the pdf of the report, but couldn't here. Contact me if you want it and I will forward it to you.) The "vic" was named only as "Vanesa," but Ladra did not recognize the phone number as the PAC contact number. So I dialed. Miami Vice Head of Insecurity Ivette Lisa Taylor answered the phone and said that the organization stands by the report. I asked how many other times PACkers had called police during the recall election. Taylor's first answer: "That is information that you don't need to know." When I started reading back her quote from my notebook as I wrote it down, she balked and said Ladra put words in her mouth. (Really? Those words are the best words Ladra can think of to put in your mouth? 'That is information that you don't need to know.'? Am I a Russian spy?). Anyway, I said, okay, let me ask again. Her second answer was: "That's none of your business." I didn't put those words in her mouth either. Because, basically, she said the same thing twice (albeit the former was more poetic).

Brito offered far more creative and cryptic answers, as usual. "I have not been in the presence of any police report being written," she said, and now that I read it again and type it here, this sounds like maybe it was intentional, rehearsed, like maybe her attorney (and he was present) suggested it. "Don't be here when the cops come." Makes sense. Anyway, when I asked if she or any PACkers called police at any other voting sites during the heavy campaign for the recall in district 13, she specifically said she herself had not. "I don't know if anybody else called the police." Ah, and now perhaps that is why it was Taylor's phone number on the report: Unaccountability. She did say that "yes, several complaints were made" at voting sites during the November elections, when the PAC was still collecting signatures. (Ladra has requested public records on calls made to the voting precincts during the more recent election cycle, as well as the tape and transcript from this March 3 call. We will follow up with any findings.)

Ladra wasn't there at those "incidents" last year, but she is sure I am the "white, female reporter" that "Vanesa" called police on in this report. We had gone to the public library parking lot because Brito would not answer phone calls to ask about the lateness of the financial disclosure, which lists contributions and costs made by the PAC in their campaign to recall former commissioner Natacha Seijas (whose name is spelled wrong in their placards. So they can't do math and they can't spell either?). Not that it's needed (her credibility being what it is, even among those who continue to support her), but I know there are several witnesses, including a police major volunteering to hold an anti-recall campaign sign (with correct spelling), who will tell anybody that I was the one being harassed and heckled by the Vanessicans, including Miami Lakes Mayor Muscles Pizzi. Maybe we should also take an account from Police Officer S. Walker, who is not mentioned in the report but also responded to the call and spoke with me in front of electrical union guys supporting Seijas (I'm an equal opportunity "harasser" I guess). She said someone "over there" [points to the parking lot area where PACkers were] told her I was the one she wanted to talk to. Probably another PACker since "Vanesa" was GOA. Walker asked me what was going on and, identifying myself, I told her why I was there and that she would likely want to speak to a woman "over there" [now I point] named Vanessa Brito who told me she was calling the police because she did not want me there asking uncomfortable questions... oh, wait a minute... could that be why the complainant on the report is only known as "Vanesa"? Because none among the PAC would go on with her criminal false call? I never talked to Walker again, but there were two patrol cars parked next to PACkers area for, apparently, about half an hour. And none of the PAC people had the gumption to speak on behalf of their leader and back up the police call by providing information? I wish I had known. I would have been happy to provide them with the details. I was there for at least an hour after the officers left.

Now, why is this important? What I want to know -- and I bet Brito will say this is more "harassment" -- is how much that call to police cost. And what about the cost of the time that a supervisory officer by the name Pichardo reviewed it and closed it, marking the reason "exceptional." Yes, exceptional, indeed. Exceptionally false. And are there any more such police calls costing how much? And what is the penalty for making a false police call and filing a false report? If I read the state law correctly, it could be a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. According to Florida Statute 817.49, "whoever willfully imparts, conveys or causes to be imparted or conveyed to any law enforcement officer false information or reports concerning the alleged commission of any crime... knowing such information or report to be false, in that no such crime had actually been committed," could be charged with a misdemeanor of the first degree. This means you don't have to be there to see the report being written, "Vanesa". You just have to call to report a crime that you know is not actually being committed. Like, you did March 3.

Maybe there is indeed a crime that needs to be reported now, after all. But Ladra's instinct is to blow it off or wear it proudly as a badge. Unless, of course, the records I requested come back and show more calls to police made from complainants who disappeared from voting precincts from phones that are linked back to the PAC. That might be something Ladra forwards to the state attorney's office.

Or at least writes far too much about in a future post.

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.

Win/win/lose and some predictions

Just because a group of people get seemingly majority support, doesn't mean they are right. Remember slavery, Nazi Germany or, closer to home, Havana 1959?

But while I strongly opposed the recall efforts for both Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas, now that the political committees and special interest groups behind both efforts were successful (win), Ladra is wagging her tail, too. We realized on Election Eve that we would be happy either way because we could have a lot of fun blogging (win) in the next two months or so leading up to the special election to replace them. Campaigning had already started even before the votes were counted. And all the front running candidates are doing their best to capitalize on the recall fever. Ladra doesn't think the commission will dare appoint anyone, so there will be another chance to make changes as early as May 16.

Or not. Seijas' people had already said they were going to focus on the campaign for the office, since the recall was pretty much hijacked and out of control already. And Alvarez can also run again, but he might not. But I challenge anyone to tell me how the candidates that have jumped at the chance to ride the voter wave of outrage are any different. What really changes? Nothing (lose). Because the new people can do the same things that Alvarez did to earn the voters' wrath.

Nine people have filed to take the mayor's seat, including rap pioneer/music mogul Luther Campbell. While Marcelo Llorente may have started his campaign first, Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina and Miami-Dade Commissioner Carlos Gimenez are considered the frontrunners. State Rep. Esteban Bovo (Rep. District 110 and an old friend of Miami Voice PAC chair Vanessa Brito) has been reported to be fundraising and some people think he would be a shoe-in for Seijas' seat. But Ladra will watch for a few others to jump in and bets at least one has ties to the secretly funded PAC that drove the Yes vote with outright lies, attacks on Seijas' weight issues and unsubstantiated claims of personal attacks.

A few more predictions to watch for:

Miami Voice will continue to play a role in this election, supporting one of the candidates or candidates in both seats, because PACs can take larger contributions than candidates (and from unknown sources the candidate would not want to be connected to) and spend it on a slew of things like dirty campaigns without the candidate actually being the bad guy.

A bunch of candidates, five or six at least, will run in District 13, some even placed there intentionally to split votes among certain blocs. Seijas wins.

More commissioners will be seen as ripe for recall by thisPAC or other PACs funded by these special interests or new special interests. Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz might be the weakest of the herd, after reports that the firm he consults for benefited from his votes on the dais. But nobody is immune. Commissioners may start voting to avoid recalls, not to do what's right.

Recalls pop up in municipalities, too, whether the electeds deserve it or not, because professional political consultants and business people (now "recall experts") whose livelihoods depend on campaigns will identify these opportunities and take them to well-funded palanca people who can't win on their own in a general election.

Norman Braman loses interest and does not pour the same resources and stamina into the campaign for "Step 2", the real reform that should have come before the cart. That was just something thrown in at the end to appease smart voters. Like dressing on salad. Ladra doubts he ever intended to follow up on those measures for term limits and countywide seats.

Now, Ladra is no Walter Mercado. But if this were a game in Vegas (which it should be), that's how I would bet.

Recall backer gets his own

Miami Lakes Mayor Michael "Muscle" Pizzi, attorney for the Miami Voice PAC mounting the recall effort against his arch nemesis Miami-Dade Commissioner Natasha Seijas, might face a recall drive of his own.

Longtime Pizzi critic David Bennett, resident and dentist, has formed a political action committee to start the recall process against Pizzi, who by now is an expert (this is his second attempt against Seijas). Supporters have been collecting names at the polls during early voting to create a data base of emails to later use to get petitions signed. Bennett said that the PAC wanted to gain momentum and access to thousands of voters at sites for the March 15 recall election on Seijas and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez but did not yet have a petition with approved language. The petition is limited to a certain number of words and the PAC members have to choose which of the alleged violations to the mayor's office they want to cite as their reasons.

But, when asked, Bennett admitted to Ladra that this also keeps Pizzi's prying eyes, and those of the professional political spin doctors surrounding him, from the lists. (The Miami Voice people stalked the elections department in Doral looking at the mayoral recall petitions to find sales leads, er, potential petition signers for their submovements). But email lists compiled by a PAC are not public documents that must be filed with the elections department, like signed petitions. And Bennett is also afraid the mayor would retaliate against anybody who signs.

Pizzi told Ladra he knew nothing about the recall effort -- he said this standing in front of a car at the Miami Lakes library that had a big "recall Pizzi" message on the back window (look over his shoulder in the photo here). Maybe he's not too observant. He was also seen talking to and being very friendly to the grandmotherly lady who was collecting emails from interested parties. We also think he's heard something about it because he and/or his supporters have been seen handing out flyers telling voters what a great guy he is (which, by the way, has no paid political ad disclaimer). And Miami Voice PAC Vanessa Brito has been shooting emails to Miami Lakes residents that at least acknowledge the claim of a recall drive. (an email in which she says "we the people of Miami Lakes," a few times so maybe she's establishing residency there to run for Seijas' seat). In any case, we are sure she may have mentioned it to him at some point.

Of course, Pizzi and his PAC (ooh, sounds like the name of a band) have already said that this is just an offshoot of the Seijas recall and that Bennett is on the commissioner's payroll. The alleged proof: Seijas' attorney Stephen Cody is also attorney for the Bennett PAC. Well, if that was all one needs for a connection then Seijas and Brito are buddies: Cody also represents Brito in a lawsuit against her filed by Miami Gardens Councilman Andre Williams (http://www2.miami-dadeclerk.com/civil/Search.aspx, case number 2009-2=68379-CA-01) to recover $11,000 for campaign work and costs that Williams argues were never done or incurred.

Or, rather, was Brito's attorney. Cody withdrew earlier this month after Brito called him corrupt in one of her rambling, smoke and mirrors emails. I guess she forgot he was her attorney, too.

Maybe Pizzi can take over representation. Especially if he is going to have more free time.


.

PAC has more trouble with math

While she submits late reports and funnels an illegal $5,000 from a third party to her own PAC, the main organizer of recall of Miami-Dade Commissioner Natacha Seijas has yet again cast aspersions to confuse voters and push buttons. It's the best way for her to guarantee a win.

Miami Voice PAC chairwoman Vanessa Brito wrote an open letter on facebook to the other county commissioners to question Seijas use of her discretionary funds for constituents she has given funds to in other years. Yeah, Vanessa, Seijas is using Girl Scouts and priests to stump votes for her.

It's not so bad that she can't do the math, accusing Seijas of spending "almost half a million dollars" of her discretionary funds" when it's actually half at $245,000 that she has asked for approval to disburse. Maybe that's why Brito didn't file the PAC's financial records on time... she couldn't figure out the math.

"Whether this is a move by Commissioner Seijas to use County afforded resources to purchase votes at the last minute, or leave her successor with a deteriorated budget, I do not know," she wrote, calling it a "disgrace to local government," unethical and further justification for the recall, and quickly following it with advertising (this woman owns a marketing firm): "While Miami Voice did not pick and choose which commissioners to collect signatures for during this process, it has become clear as to why District 13 voters rose up in mass against their Commissioner."

Let's again add context: There was no grassroots effort. Miami Vice went to recall five commissioners, like a roll of the dice, and got lucky, or bent the rules to get it done, depending on who you ask. It is neither unethical nor justification for recall, and there was no "recall movement against her." Again, to remind voters, Brito came up with the PAC idea from her home in West Dade (either Pepe Diaz's or Joe Martinez's district) after her candidate lost a gimme race against 16-year commissioner Javier Souto. She seizes on the heat of the moment to ride the coat tails of the Braman-funded recall of an unpopular mayor and tries to oust five commissioners (hey, one's gotta stick, right?), making a name for herself meanwhile (watch her run for something in 2012), some money ($3,600 so far) and friends in low places.

The gifts make Ladra snarl, too, mostly because they are discretionary funds and we generally growl at discretionary funds. What Brito doesn't say is all commissioners get more than $800,000 to spend however they want with very little oversight. Those funds would have reverted back to the general fund (don't worry, Vane, your pal will get a brand new $800,000) and Seijas could have spent another $150,000 or so more. Also, she is "bewildered and disappointed" that Seijas would choose election day to request this approval. But it just so happens that two other commissioners -- including Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, who pulled Seijas request for discussion before voting on it (but the Herald story doesn't tell you he is running for mayor. Tsk, tsk.) -- also have approvals for disbursements on the agenda.

The mayoral candidate is asking for less, but I don't know what his balance is (what he has doled out already): there's $2,500 each for a Christopher Colombus sports tournament (isn't the school out of his district?), a City Year gala (really? I would rather fund Girl Scouts) and the Coconut Grove Village Council. There's also a request for $7,000 for Voices For Children.

Chairman Joe Martinez (Ladra wagged her tail when he said he would not run until 2012, recall or no recall) is frugal with only $820 for a seniors program and for a movie night at the park.

Or only Seijas is buying votes? Girl Scouts ($40,000 for 2 troops and a literacy program), band kids and boosters at American High ($15,000 for band equipment), nuns at Orthodox Church of Christ the Savior ($20,000 for a senior companionship program), the counselors at the Children's Psychiatric Center or the kids and their parents at Miami-Dade schools who got an extra boost for after-school programs that likely suffered in the budget (each got $25,000) should be outraged at the insinuation.

Ladra suspects that Seijas has given funds to these groups in the past and I've asked for copies of her disbursements of funds last year to see if she has changed much. We should ask for the allocation of discretionary funds for all commissioners. Ladra is wagging her tail again.

But whether Seijas saw the writing on the wall and made these grants while she still had the chance or it is a last minute hail Mary pass to get a few more "no" votes, discretionary accounts for all commissioners should go. Nevermind that it's a terrible practice from the good ol' boy days that gives incumbents an advantage at election time. And it is certainly not because the administration can better spend the $10.5 million (yes, I can do the math) than elected officials who distribute the funds in their neighborhoods to constituents who could lose programs. (Okay, stop laughing now.)

It gives leaders an excuse and a cop-out for really balancing the budget and it provides the professional campaign industry with an easy hot button issue to point at and make unproven allegations about (read: smoke and mirrors) in order to get their way.

Recall finance report 10 days late

Miami Voice, the PAC that is behind the recall effort against Miami-Dade Commissioner Natacha Seijas, has finally filed their campaign finance disclosures -- 10 days late.

And they now face a $900 fine.

What was the delay for the report? It is relatively short, compared to may reports, and should have been easily completed in an hour. Or certainly a day. It does not take 10 days to list just 28 expenses and 8 contributions, including a $2,000 check from developer Lowell Dunn, whose name Ladra keeps hearing from different sources as someone tied to reported ethics complaints and investigations into Miami Lakes Mayor Michael "Muscle" Pizzi, an established Seijas foe who represents the PAC as attorney. (But more on that later).

We don't know why it wasn't filed Feb. 25, on the deadline, which would have been before voting started. The intent of the law is to let voters know, before they cast their ballots, who is bankrolling the effort and where they are putting their resources.

But PAC Chairwoman Vanessa Brito won't apologize for the delay. She justifies it with lies (like that she had sent it to all media outlets) and excuses like her being "just one person" and her uncle being in the hospital. But her uncle wasn't rushed to ER until five days after the report was due. And she has since spent more time posing for photos at voting sites (ear-to-ear smile), writing emails, commenting on blogs and granting TV and radio interviews than by his hospital bed.

I can't wait to get the NEXT finance report to see what checks she made to herself or what she was out collecting while her uncle was in the hospital and while she delayed submitting the legally-required report.

Maria Acosta, a clerk in the Miami-Dade Elections Department, said that the data was input into the computer on Monday, but that Miami Voice will be fined $890 for violating the law and filing late -- which is exactly 25 percent, or a quarter, of their donations for that period.

Ladra is quite sure that they do not care. That is a small price to pay to keep the voters blind as to where their money is coming from and where it's going. We must demand some kind of reform or change to campaign finance laws. Otherwise, fines like this will just become part of the campaign budget.

The report, reflecting contributions and expenses from Jan. 1 to Feb. 18, shows $3,560 in contributions, including the $2,000 from Dunn -- who recently got a big break on development (they can build for 10 years using current traffic data) from the town council, a reverse from a 2005 vote -- and a $1,000 donation from Hialeah attorney Lucy Pineiro, as well as some smaller checks that are all from outside the district.

But the $3,100 or so in expenses are also interesting. Especially since a third of that, about $1,000 in five different payments, went to to Marsellous Eaford for "campaign work." Ladra smells something wrong here. Eaford is one of the petition circulators whose petitions were questioned by Seijas supporters for irregularities -- like her name spelled wrong. Seijas supporters insist that many of the Eaford petitions should have been thrown out as invalid. I suppose that Miami Voice, on the other hand, felt that Eaford should be rewarded.

Brito rewarded herself, too. Another $500 went to her, for a total of $3,600 so far for her work on the recall (even though she tells people she is not getting paid one penny to do this). Her right hand woman, Head of Insecurity Ivette Lisa Taylor, was also paid $600, though itemization for that says less than half was for campaign work. There was $100 for reimbursement for flyers and $300 to "reimburse" something else. What? It doesn't say. Maybe "reimbursement" is a good code word for whatever they can't really, legally pay for or don't want voters to know.

Maybe those are the creative touches that made the report 10 days late.

PAC Chair speaks, says nothing

Finally got a response from Vanessa Brito, chairwoman of the Miami Voice PAC trying to oust Miami-Dade Commissioner Natasha Seijas, when I asked for details about LGBT discrimination claims she is making against Seijas' camp and another political enemy of hers.

Or a non-response (this falls under the Bait & Switch Trick type excuse).

"Please cease and desist," Brito wrote today. "Please do not contact my family or myself any further. Any claims made will see the result through appropriate legal means.

"Again, please do not email, call, or correspond with any of my family members, including my partner, our children, or my immediately family," she wrote, ending on a light note: "Best, Vanessa Brito."

Well, first, congratulations. I did not know you had children. But I also think that's a bit inflammatory and disingenuous, if not just silly, because everyone knows I wouldn't ask children about the campaign finance disclosure forms overdue from a rogue PAC. I'm a mom and I know the only PAC my daughter would have interest in is a Vote Bieber PAC.

Secondly, I have never contacted anyone in your family about the PAC and its finances, or anything. I contacted your life partner, Heidy Medina, but only because she is also the treasurer of the PAC. Or at least she was paid $300 for "treasurer compensation" in the only campaign finance report you have filed, which records activity through Dec. 31, which is a long time ago and also reflects your illegal third party $5,000 contribution from your marketing firm on behalf of a "secret" donor (read: special interest). Are you saying that because your treasurer is also your partner she is off limits to the press and unaccountable? Why wouldn't all PAC chairs appoint relatives to get that defacto gag going on? More silliness. If the treasurer had been someone outside the family, I would not have approached Medina in a public parking lot where she was stumping for "yes" votes and ask her about the failure to file the financial disclosures, which I only did after you repeatedly refused to address the issue in an adult, civilized, dignified and transparent way. And which only resulted in her aggressive physical threats. Tsk, tsk.

One more thing, I am not making claims. I am asking questions, reporting on location and from public documents as well as personal knowledge and history and connecting the dots. It's a good thing. I have no ulterior motives. Nobody is paying me under the table. What claims have I made that are untrue? Or, wait, just end it at what claims have I made? Can't say? (read: red herring). I am transparent. Why aren't you?

I can cease today on this one topic but I cannot desist because, you are, indeed, a public figure (even though you keep saying you are not when it is convenient) and I am a journalist who blogs on local political matters that others would want to keep in the dark. As chair of a PAC that is seeking the ouster of a democratically-elected official, and apparently violating state law to do it, you are very much a public figure and I will need to call or email you to ask questions as stories arise or give you an opportunity, as I do for others, to offer a different perspective. I do not participate in sabotage journalism. You can always decline to comment. This is Journalism 101. Many electeds, including your friend Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi and your foe Seijas, would love to tell journalists to "cease and desist" and make no further contact. (I'm sure that was considered by some when I covered Coral Gables government for the Miami Herald). Though convenient, that's not how it works.

You cannot repeatedly go on TV and radio and social media avenues and say you are the "voice of the people" and then say you are not a public figure that should be held accountable for what that voice says. Your friends and supporters have been urging you to run for office on your facebook wall (or you have been urging people to urge you to run for office; remember, I have sat next to you). You have been promoting yourself as a public figure in the LGBT community for years. You even have a fan page on facebook as a "community activist," but surprisingly only 134 fans. What's up with that? I know, you're busy. Busy being a public figure. And you cannot stick your head in the sand now because it's getting a little uncomfortable out in that public you sought and love so much. That is not how it works.

This time, I will quote you in what you say here as your flippant response to my serious query (it's kind of a colorful "no comment"), even though I am quite adamant about holding people responsible for their words and actions when it involves prejudice. Everyone who knows me knows that I will not tolerate any hate speech or discrimination toward anyone. (Here we are photographed on a happier day as founding members of the SaveDade Women's Committee with fellow Miami Vice member Ivette Lisa Taylor in November or December of 2009 when we once worked together for the LGBT community before I separated myself from you professionally and personally after what I consider several ethical breaches). So if you have specific details, names, witnesses, documentation of any kind -- digital, anecdotal, circumstantial -- about this alleged injustice, please, again, share it with me or other members of the media or LGBT community leaders (who were copied on our email exchange and were also urged to use their judgement and seek independent confirmation of any future claims made).

Otherwise, they look like wild accusations -- the gay card, if you will -- thrown out to intentionally inflame voters for the wrong, false, reasons. It's called scare tactics. And it's a red herring. If you are really concerned about the LGBT community and the alleged discriminatory remarks, why wouldn't you want me and others to have more details so I can go to bat for you (just this once, because, we are on the same side this time). I suspect that you do not follow up on the very serious claims (and you talk so much about defamation of character, eh?) because you know they are either made up or generously exaggerated.

Again, your theme is a lack of transparency. And this is what you want for the residents of Miami Dade? Smoke and mirrors and red herrings? I hope they are spared.

Lakes Mayor "Muscle" Pizzi Flexes

Ladra expected the Miami Voice PAC crowd behind the recall of Miami-Dade Commissioner Natasha Seijas to shout insults (read: red herring) when we walked by Saturday to ask in person -- now that neither the PAC chairwoman nor group's attorney would return my calls -- why they have not filed campaign finance reports due more than a week earlier.

I could not have predicted Mayor Michael Pizzi, who honestly I did not recognize at first, would try to intimidate me and me me feel tiny. That was a pleasant surprise!

Pizzi was with the PAC chairwoman Vanessa Brito when I asked her to tell us why she has not filed required financial disclosure forms that would tell the world where they get the money for their campaign. She didn't answer, except to yell that her uncle was in the hospital and that I had personally attacked her and her family (read: red herring). For the record, I have not attacked anyone and this is not personal. It is my job to ask questions about her job.

Pizzi took her aside and told her several times not to talk to me. She then says that she is going to call the police (red herring) because I am harassing her, standing in the same public library parking lot asking her questions. I took photographs when I remembered to, because it is not second nature to me yet.

"Look at her hands shaking," Pizzi yelled and started laughing and egging others to join. "Are you scared? You nervous? You are trembling like a leaf."

And, indeed, I was shaking. The camera was visibly and quickly moving up and down -- but thankfully I was able to click off some shots.

I told Pizzi with no shame that, yes, I felt nervous and intimidated standing there by myself with a dozen people shouting insults aggressively at me as someone who dislikes me very much calls the police to make a false report against me when I am just trying to ask a question, do my job.

But I didn't even know it was Pizzi himself (elected office has aged him like Obama) talking to me like some street thug. I thought it was a low-brow Miami Vice bodyguard heckling me and trying to embarrass me and intimidate me. That's what it looked like. Until I asked someone who the seguridoso type with the dark glasses and the white polo shirt was and got "that's the mayor." Isn't that something? The mayor himself tried to make me feel foolish (a very difficult feat that only I can do myself, people, so stop trying.).

But, as honored as I feel about it personally (and, yes, I do get a tiny thrill when electeds or city managers or police chiefs get mad at me because it usually means I am on the right track), it is really behavior that is unbecoming of a sitting mayor. Especially one with apparent aspirations to higher seats.

Maybe if he didn't act so arrogantly and treat people in a disparaging way then he might not be facing a recall drive of his own. But that is a whole other post. Coming soon.

For now I will finish with a public thank you to Mayor Muscle Pizzi for adding his name to the list of public official jokers who think they can shout me down and shut me up. Makes my day.

Multiple Choice Quiz: Why is PAC late with disclosure?

Looks like Vanessa Brito, who chairs the PAC recalling Commissioner Natacha Seijas, has a reason for not filing the campaign finance report that tells voters how they get and spend their funds (read: who pulls the strings). Actually, several.

The practiced liar is turning to a few favorites and trying on a few different excuses for size before deciding which to go with.

Let's provide a little assistance. I'll list the multiple excuses Brito has made so far for violating state law and being, to date, nine days late with the reports, which are intended to tell voters -- before they cast their ballots -- who is bankrolling the effort. Here we go:

(A) The Tech Defense, aka, "My computer made me do it": Brito told Miami-Dade Elections Clerk Maria Acosta (in an email) that she could not enter the data into the system, Acosta told me. "I gave them a new password," Acosta then said. And still no report. People who know Brito have heard versions of this before. My favorite was when someone "hijacked" her email, no... wait. It was the sitting state house rep who somehow hacked into the White House phone system to crank call her and also used the same spyware to send inappropriate, text messages with sexual innuendos from to people and make it look like it came from her own phone. (This really happened. There are others who know about it.) What are your favorite Brito tech defenses? Feel free to share in the comments below.

(B) The Medical Emergency Evasion: This time, her uncle is in the hospital, which makes anybody who tries to challenge the group's lack of transparency an unsympathetic bastard. I will try to explain it without sounding like a cold, uncaring bitch, because I am really a warm, caring bitch and do not mean any ill will to Brito's patient, tired and overburdened family. None of this is their fault. But she yelled "My uncle is in the hospital!" as she stood in the parking lot at the Miami Lakes library Saturday morning, stumping for Yes votes. And her uncle was not rushed to ER, according to her facebook posts, until March 3, six days after the report was due. She also has been working on other campaign duties, "running between hospital and [voting] site," as she said on facebook (where she has also logged many hours), commenting on blogs and sending long, rambling and pointless emails to political enemies and Miami Lakes residents. On March 2, five days after the reporting deadline, she challenged Natacha Seijas to a debate. A day earlier, only four days late with the report, she posted "another sunny day at early voting." The night of Feb. 28 after spending a "long and hot day" in Hialeah on the first day of early voting, she stayed up into the wee hours of March 1 "validating" she-doesn't-say-what on facebook (maybe absentee ballot requests?). She also notes that Ivette Lisa Taylor, another Miami Vice founding member and I am going to call her Head of Insecurity, was there and that they both wanted Cuban coffee. But I guess neither of them had enough energy left to finish the report, which was only three days late back then. The day it the report was due, Brito was scheduled to be on Actualidad 1020 AM radio. One week after the report was due, she asked her facebook friends to join her on Saturday at the Lakes library. So I took the opportunity, since she won't return my phone calls, to go and ask her why the report was still not in. "My uncle is in the hospital," she yelled, followed by expletives she does not use with the journalists from GenTV. But she had time in the morning to email an opposing activist and invite him to the library to address her concerns with him "in PUBLIC." (More on that exchange later. There is too much going on behind the scenes to put it all in one post.) And, again, no ill will here, just an observation, but Brito herself or her family seem to have had a lot of close calls and ER runs this year, sometimes around her deadlines. Doesn't anybody else notice? Maybe she needs un despojo? (I truly hope her uncle gets better. Both for his sake and that of the voters.)

(C) The Bait-And-Switch Trick: When Brito is forced into a corner, she answers questions with questions and throws smoke and mirrors out to confuse the issues. In the Saturday morning email sent before heading to the voting sites, she said "every media outlet has a copy of my financial report." Well, state law does not require making it available to the media outlets she finds friendly. It requires the PAC to file the report with a clerk at the Elections Department, which would then make it available to anyone. I didn't get a copy. I've asked my friends at other media outlets to see if they were the lucky ones who got to see the report. Haven't heard back yet from any. But that's irrelevant. It has to be made available to the public at large, by law.

(D) Short-handed subterfuge: Brito commented on another blog, when she could have used the time to finish the report due five days earlier, that she was "only one person." But aren't there legions of people in her organization? How can she represent the "voice of the people" if she is all alone? From one of those emails she apparently had the time to write: "I'm not one to pay people to do my work - if you don't know, my uncle is dying and it's been just a tad difficult to do everything." But, isn't the treasurer of the PAC capable of handling that task? Or is the only criteria for that job prior girlfriend duty. (Note to readers: Brito has said that my identification of PAC treasurer Heidy Medina as her life partner in a previous post is discrimination against the LGBT community. I did it to respect the truth, which diversity seminars have taught me to do as often as possible, "mainstream the community" as it were, and also because it's relevant in this context. I would have noted it as well if the treasurer were a husband instead. And, for the record, I am a member of the LGBT community, so how could it be an insult? ... which leads to...

(E) The Fish Story. Red herrings abound. Try this experiment at home: Ask Brito a straight question and watch her turn it around on you or go off on an irrelevant tangent or simply change subjects. And think about it. The only arguably reasonable motive of any substance the group has for Seijas' ouster is that she was one of a majority who voted for the tax increase, which they take out of context because it is a great emotional button to push in this economic climate. There's a lot of talk about Seijas style, or lack of, and her aggressive demeanor (very often used to describe plus-sized girls). Ok, so I'll agree the woman needs an image consultant at least as much as Charlie Sheen. But that's a red herring. There are undocumented allegations that Seijas and/or supporters made disparaging remarks about the LGBT community (look for this to become a recurring theme) and she posted warning "those in Hialeah commedores about people being swayed," which means absolutely nothing but sounds really bad, right? Red herrings are defined as "something to distract attention from the real problem or matter at hand; a misleading clue." And red herrings abound.

(F) All of the above.

Of course, because I love excess (couldn't you tell by the wordcount?) and have a hard time making such important decisions outside the committee (my sister and our PTA friends), I go with F. But I think it's also a good strategy for Brito. Why stick to one excuse when this kind of lateness looks really intentional already? More excuses can fill up that timeline: First this, then that, then this happened.

In the meantime, while she runs from voting site to voting site, writes long, rambling and off-point red herring emails, gives TV and radio interviews, validates, posts, comments and does everything except file the financial disclosure report, thousands of people cast ballots to decide the fate of a democratically-elected commissioner that nobody has been able to beat for years in a traditional election, and nobody knows who is funding the effort behind this non-traditional stab.

Should that be acceptable?

Maybe Brito will come up with a few more creative cop-outs and won't have time to file until after the election is over completely. I mean, she only has a few days left to stall.

The silence of the sheep (ala Cuba)

Ladra just returned from a walk in lovely Miami Lakes where we strolled by the library to ask organizers behind the Miami-Dade Commissioner Natacha Seijas recall drive why they have still not filed legally required campaign financial reports due eight days ago, before voting started.

More on that later. There was no answer, of course, except to call the police (read: intimidation) on what I suspect is a false report, but I will go get that report Monday and let you know).

First, I have to just say how creepy it was to stand in Miami Lakes cow country and be mentally transported to the streets of Havana, where people are afraid to talk about politics. So, while it seems a bit extreme, I see shades of Fidel Castro in the Miami Voice PAC.

But I bet even Castro would love to have Ivette Lisa Taylor on his staff.

Taylor, a member of the Miami Vice team (no, that is not a typo), interrupted right after I asked a young, tall man who spoke no English his reasons for being there and urging votes against Seijas.

"I don't know her. I was brought here to help her out," he said, pointing to the PAC group. We tried to get the young man's name and asked if he was being paid for his time, but before he could answer, Taylor hurriedly ran up and told him not to talk to me and she took him by the arm and physically led him away.

Then she went one by one to the people with a pro recall sign and told them also not to answer any questions from me. And they didn't. One woman, pictured below before she could hide her face behind the sign, said it was because she didn't know who I was. But after I identified myself, she wouldn't talk to me still. At least she spoke. Nobody else apparently even felt free enough.

It wasn't like I was going to ask them about financial disclosure. I asked PAC attorney and Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi, who ignored my questions, and PAC treasurer Heidy Medina, who shouted four letter words to me and was physically held back by the crowd. (Wish I had gotten that on candid camera).

Oh, but nowhere among the f--k and bi--h, did she say why she hasn't filed the report.'

But the volunteers might not know that. I just wanted to ask them what motivated them to take that side and get involved (and, yes, okay, if they were being paid and knew who was behind it). Not one person who had anti recall signs was told not to speak to me. Many did. Some had good reasons to vote no. For others it was obviously more personal. Some were county employees. Some were non-county union members. Some were "concerned citizens" that didn't want to give their name. (Maybe they fear the repressive nature of Miami Vice).

But the point is that none of them were told not to talk to me.

Now, Miami Vice leaders are constantly whining about them being victims of intimidation. But I don't believe it. They tried to intimidate me and their own "volunteers" are intimidated by them. What the sign holders should do is ask questions themselves.

Unless, of course, they are just there to "help her out" -- whatever that means.