Saturday, October 10, 2015

Eye on Miami Saturday Editorial Oct. 10: UDB, Suarez, Jordan, Lobbyist Spawns and Hudstead Investigations. By Geniusofdespair

Miami Herald: Your Saturday Editorial Page is a Faux Editorial Page. More than one person in your household? You're out of luck sharing the paper edition. Only one section of news!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Marco Rubio conferring with his BFF David Rivera when they were in the Fl. House of Representatives.

COMMISSIONER XAVIER SUAREZ (the X man)

The gala is tonight. I haven't figured out what it is REALLY for but I am going. I heard he was not going to announce his bid for Mayor of Miami Dade County, but then I heard he would. Anyway, the $1,000 table costs will go towards his District 7 account. It now has $106,000 in it. It wouldn't be hard to switch it over to a Mayoral run account, he just has to send letters to the contributors.  If he does run for Mayor, Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner and City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff have threatened to run for the District 7 seat.


COMMISSIONER BARBARA JORDAN'S RICHES OVER THE YEARS:



She dumped the house in St. Pete and the house co owned with her her daughter. It appears she got new cars. She has lost value on the Key West retreat/rental.

THE GWEN MARGOLIS STATE SENATE SEAT

Kris Korge's son Andrew is running for Gwen Margolis' State Senate seat. He has no political experience, except being related to his politically connected father. This is just like Lauren Book running with no political experience. All she has is a politically connected father - Ron Book. Does she even have a college degree?

In a campaign letter Andrew said:

If you support transparency and stronger oversight of lobbyists...

Ahem. Have you ever met your father Andrew? Do you know he has been a lobbyist his whole working life, just like Lauren's father?  What is this, a new trend: Lobbyists spawning politicians?

HUDSTEAD INVESTIGATION
 
Steve Shiver with one of his X or current wife.

The investigation into the petition began in June. Assistant State Attorney Luis Perez-Medina and Tim Vander Giesen are conducting it with Karl Ross from ethics.

Shiver Family standing at the MCM table.
There are other investigations going on....who can keep up with Hudstead.

MCM constructions was given three city contracts totaling $50 million in the past 18 months. Steve Shiver was their lobbyist. MCM had a table at the sock hop at the race track. The Sock hop was hosted by the track and run by Sandra Nanni of Cutler Bay who is also a grant writer for the City of Homestead.

The racetrack charged Mayor Porter $435 for a gala there. Mario Diaz-Balart paid $2,000 for the same venue. Also under investigation is Jorge Luis Lopez (he is the track attorney).

THE TOXIC UDB MOVING APPLICATIONS 7 and 8 COMING UP

I don't see them going anywhere. I don't think the unreformable majority is a super majority, what is needed now. And, it would be suicide for the Mayor not to veto them. He needs the voters that find this issue important.

Zapata said he was not a sure vote on these. So who do they have for sure, Jordan, Pepe Diaz, Souto, Bovo? Maybe Monestime but he would be a fool to vote for them, it takes money for infrastructure from his district. The tides are turning. The two applications will be heard before the Planning and Zoning Board October 19th. The key is, the County Commission cannot send these up to Tallahassee for review they have to deny them outright. They have never paid attention to Tallahassee's Department (of whatever it is called now) anyway so what is the point of getting their opinion?

Just what we need, a city on the edge of the Everglades. They call it "green" because they think we are fools.
SHOOTINGS

Movie goers, grade school children, high school children, church members, and now college kids (over and over) -- innocent people are killed and the dopey gun lobby thrives in the Repugnant party. They all support lunatics with guns. Yawn. This story is getting old. Soon they will stop reporting mass shootings.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...


Your photos of Marco and his BFF should remind the readers of what an empty suit he really is. Somehow the rest of the country has not yet figured it out.

Anonymous said...

"They call it green because they think we are fools."

Anonymous said...

The Homestead Miami Speedway operators and lobbyists are a -no pun intended- shifty bunch. They donate tens of thousands to political committees run by Jorge Luis Lopez and Ernesto Martinez. As stated in an earlier report, Jeff and Judy had Mark Goodrich and Carlos Belzaguy as their guests at the track last year. The SOS fundraiser had Art Nanni and Ed Macdougall in attendance both used Mark Goodrich. How they justify charging Diaz-Balart one price and Porter a fraction of that must mean Porter has received a better deal for some reason. Keep pulling at the ball of yarn.

Impeachment Diane said...

I heard Andrew Korge speak at a Democrats of South Dade Club meeting recently and was impressed by his knowledge of the issues and his opinions which totally coincided with mine. He speaks well and will be a great substitute for Gwen. Give the guy a chance. He's intelligent and not trying to mimic his father.

Geniusofdespair said...

Yes, he does seem like he will be a strong candidate, even if he is a lobbyist spawn. He knows I kid around. I think he is a likable guy.

Andrew M. Korge said...

Thank you for bringing light to my desire to root out corruption in Tallahassee. Harvard recently published a study which concluded that "legal corruption" is "very common" in Tallahassee (the link is below). This corruption leads to the special interests getting special treatment, while the rest of us get left behind. Personally, I am FED UP with this nonsense, and on day 1 in office I will propose a bill that creates sunshine in government and stronger oversight of lobbyists and special interests.

Part of my inspiration for running for office is Dante Fascell, who as Michael Putney put it could not be bought by the corporations and special interests. Thanks to my grandfather, who was Dante's campaign treasurer and close friend for many years, I was able to learn quite a bit from Fascell, who was a hero and a legend to many in south Florida. One of my goals is to replicate Dante's legacy of honor and public service in the years ahead, and the anti-corruption bill I will file on day 1 is one small step towards achieving this goal. #Korge4Senate

If you want to root up corruption in Tallahassee, please sign my petition by visiting this link: https://act.myngp.com/Forms/6006377604731439104

The harvard study can be found at: http://ethics.harvard.edu/blog/measuring-illegal-and-legal-corruption-american-states-some-results-safra

Anonymous said...

It's really obvious that you guys are still obsessed with Shiver. The piece wasn't about him being investigated or in anything at all except representing a client and landing them $50m in contracts which is pretty good if you ask me. The pictures of his family and exwife are a bit much. I thought you had a little class GOD.

Anonymous said...

MCM: worst in Miami-Dade. MCM doesn't need Steve Shiver's help. Why would MCM throw Shiver a lifeline?

Anonymous said...

This week has been a busy week for Homestead with A topsy-turvy election .
To make matters worse Councilman Jon Burgess is seeing red after his opponent
Larry Meno made a Records request through the city for all of Jons phone records
Text Messages and e-mails . Jon has threatened to record request the whole council.
Sources say Larry Meno who is running for the same seat as Jon Burgess also made
A record request on the new city hall financials and expenditures to date . Last on the
List of requests is to see the contract for the bowling alley deal and any correspondence
With the realtor Todd Akers.

Anonymous said...

UDB moving applications: they DO NOT need a super-majority to keep them alive. They can be "transmitted" to Tallahassee for comment with a simple majority.

That will force opponents to sprawl and paving over farmland to come back again in 4-6 months to fight it all over again.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Shiver has something on MCM?

Anonymous said...

Good old Homestead. The city that always sleeps.
Meno was in the Bateman camp and then he was in the Waldman camp. Now they are both history. He is in need of a new tent.
Look for some interesting donations to Meno's campaign. The money always tells the story of who wants what.

Anonymous said...

Yes, to the Anon (i.e., Steve Shyster) mentioning the "Topsy-turvy election" in Homestead. We know you dictated what Meno should request from Public Records. There's no way in hell he could have come up with any of that wording. Shyster is up to his old tricks. He's trying to scare the council into opposing the car dealership deal. #SMH

Anonymous said...

Wait, so the chief administrative official of another municipality is actively manipulating a puppet in a city where he was formerly the Mayor?

The Ethics Commission would approve. $500 fine so why not.
Very novel approach. Give Shiver props for creativity. Meanwhile he is suggesting the commissioners that keep him employed in Lalapalooza, sorry OpaLocka give up their city cars while he robs Peter to pay Paul.
Lady Myra Taylor get somebody up in the bullpen, this Shiver won't last, he can't help himself.

Anonymous said...

Is this the same Meno who owes the association nearly $16,000 dollars. Before he wants to represent maybe he should pay his bill to his constituents.

Anonymous said...

GOD I wonder if Art Teele really wanted to take just his life. Just crazy isn't it

Anonymous said...

Tuesday night should be interesting when the special call meeting takes place to discuss whether they're going to move forward with the car dealership or shoot it down. It's interesting someone mentioned follow the money train let's see how things unfold. Why are The attorneys from Holland and Knight Who represent the car dealership supporting Councilman Jon Burgess . People need to open their eyes and really see what's happening in the city. For those of you that are interested in the money train I recommend you go to City Of Homestead online and look at the campaign treasurer reports.

GarlPink said...

In re the Gwen Margolis Senate seat...yes, Lauren Book does have a college degree; in fact, she has two of them. Isn't it fascinating that we are conditioned to feel disdain for politicians, but, now that someone is making her first bid for elective office, we feel disdain that she is not already a politician? And that makes sense how? By the way, this 31 year old has taught school, written two books, co-created curricula for multiple age groups, run a foundation, advocated in behalf of children before the Florida legislature for nearly a decade... and she has no relevant life experience? Her only claim to fame is her parentage? What, pray tell, must this woman do to be considered worthy to run for office in Broward County...or anywhere, for that matter?

Geniusofdespair said...

Stop co-mingling funds with dad's law firm. get out of his office and get your own, stop feeding from the public trough and raise your own money. I give to the charity of my choice I don't like my tax money used to give to charities I don't want to give to. Get out from under your father's shadow and kick him out of your charity unless he raises money that isn't our tax dollars. And if you want to be taken seriously, take off the baseball cap. If I believed for a minute Lauren was running things I would have more respect for her. But I do believe it is the other way around Ron. I believe you are running her life.

Anonymous said...

Well Said! Total Agreement Here!

Anonymous said...

What happened to fascination with Zapata. Seems like he was being built up by EOM as this great reformer. Watch how he votes on the UDB. He supports moving the line. Always has. How could you let him fool you?

GarlPink said...


Genius, while I generally do not condone responding to the comments of a fellow commenter, in this case I make an exception. It is serious, indeed, to accuse Lauren Book and Ron Book of, essentially, co-mingling public, private and charitable dollars. You have to know the gravity of what you suggest. You can surely say whatever you wish about any of this -- the office, the baseball cap or whatever other silliness you focus on -- but to suggest that they are engaged in what amounts to a criminal enterprise is beyond the pale, truly.

Geniusofdespair said...

I printed the Lauren's Kids tax return. There was rent on it. Lauren's kids and Book's law office share the same address, in fact they share the same room number. Whose paper clips are they? Do they have separate everything in one office? Instead of the appearance of impropriety I am suggesting that Lauren fly on her own. I am suggesting she take on her charity on her own out of her father's office and out of his sticky controlling fingers and be the adult she purports to be by you.

Things could also be paid for by Book's law office. It is hard to know what is going on when they share everything. He should get out of her charity. Let the girl be the woman she was meant to be. She has been controlled too much over the years. I like her. A lot. I just don't like what is happening to her unwittingly perhaps.