Political Lobbyists

Jeb Bush Jr. Shot Down for MDX Board Slot

Norman Braman's Contributions Dried Up For the Nov. 6 County Commission Run-Offs

After raising nearly a million bucks to unseat four Miami-Dade County Commissioners in the August 14 primary, it seems billionaire auto magnate Norman Braman threw in the towel. According to the last three financial reports for his political action committee Change Miami Dade Now, Braman only chippe ... More >>

Miami Marlins and Dolphins Give Big to Political Action Committees

Ron Book Has Made $1 Million Lobbying This Year; Lincoln Diaz-Balart Got Rich Off Genting

It's only May, but South Florida super-lobbyist Ron Book is already having one hell of a year in Tallahassee. This week, lobbyists filed their reports for 2012's first quarter and since January, Book has already topped $1 million in fees. Who's paying him all that cash? Along with every other city i ... More >>

Carlos Gimenez Has Raised Nearly Twice As Much As Challenger Joe Martinez

Campaign finance reports for January, February, and March are in for the local county races. So who's funneling cash to Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and his main opponent, County Commission Chairman Joe Martinez?If money is any indicator, Martinez has a long haul ahead of him. For the past three ... More >>

Carlos Gimenez Is No Longer Looking Out For Akerman Senterfitt, Lobbyists Who Funded His Campaign

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has vetoed a controversial lobbying contract that included a law firm that has generously supported his political campaign for the county's top elected position. Citing the county commission's failure to cut the cost of Miami-Dade's lobbying services, Gimenez killed t ... More >>

Carlo Gimenez and Akerman Senterfitt Are Looking Out For Each Other

Carlos Gimenez gives $60,000 contract to law firm that raised $30,000 for him. ​A local law firm that raised at least $30,000 in campaign funds for Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez is seeing its investment pay off. On Monday, the county commission approved Gimenez's request to split Miami-Dade's st ... More >>

Rick Scott Wants to Kill Citizens Property Insurance

​Rick Scott wants to run Florida like a business, but he seems ideologically driven to make sure the state isn't in the business of much. Fresh off a Pulitzer win for investigative reporting, Paige St. John of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune yesterday filed a shocker claiming Scott aims to k ... More >>

Miami Voice Celebrates the End of Natacha

​Natacha Seijas was right to worry about her name appearing on the same recall ballot as Carlos Alvarez. She was swept up in the voter tsunami that also took out the now former county mayor. Many local political pundits didn't give Miami Voice, the political action committee that sought Seijas's r ... More >>

Five candidates you want to vote against

Video: Think Tank Reps Omni Heavy in "Gun In My Hand"

Think Tank, a project of the Llamabeats and Parable MC, have a new video out for their song "Gun In My Hand" all shot in the City Of Miami in and around the Omni area of Biscayne and NE 2nd Ave South of 36th street. Recognize the landmarks, graffiti, pawn shops? This and other recent videos signal ... More >>

David Rivera Takes Lobbyist Cash During Legislative Session

Former Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chairman Joe Garcia is wasting no time knuckling up for  Via David Rivera's FacebookAt a recent fundraiser, Rep. David Rivera (left) serenades supporters with the help of actor Steven Bauer, whom, as far as we know, doesn't do business with the state of Florid ... More >>

Thank You for Your Paid Support

Recently dismissed ethics complaints against three lobbyists provide a glimpse into how By Alex Izaguirre​developers will pay off so-called community activists to win support for their projects.In finding that zoning lawyers Juan Mayol, Joseph Goldstein, and Richard Perez did in fact register ... More >>

Attention Whore Alan Grayson in Trouble for Calling Someone a Whore

​Excuse us as we once again divert attention to hot liberal mess Alan Grayson, Orlando-area Democratic congressman. The man who's mouth cannot stop flapping is in hot water again, after calling Linda Robertson, and advisor to Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernake, a "K Street whore" on a radio ... More >>

Sean Casey Gets a Hand from a Top Gun

Alex Izaguirre​High-powered Miami media attorney Thomas Julin is helping Sean Casey's bid to expose another high-powered Miami lawyer. And Julin, a partner at Hunton & Williams, is representing the 35-year-old free of charge. Casey is serving a 12-year prison term for running do ... More >>

Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones Beats Corruption Charges

Bill Nelson Caught up in PMA Mess

Last week, ABC News broke news that the FBI had raided PMA Group, a lobbying firm, this past November. PMA, which specialized in lobbying for earmarks for defense contracts, had close ties to Democratic Rep. John Murtha, but also donated heavily to other politicians -- many of them Democrats, but so ... More >>

Lobbyist Ron Book Tries to Tackle the Housing Crisis

Maybe he can rent us a room in his $2.2 million pad in Plantation.

Seijas-Friendly PAC Returns the Favor

If the Meek Don't Inherit, They Lobby

Caught on Tape, Part 2

Caught on Tape, Part 2

The Fidel Factor

Carlos Alvarez wants voters to give him unprecedented power, but his foes are locked and loaded

Carlos Alvarez's Sexual Problem

The mayoral candidate's bilingual campaign has a message that doesn't translate

The X Man Returns

Are you sitting down? Ready for this? Try saying it out loud: Miami-Dade County Commissioner Xavier Suarez

Miguel and the Money Man

Norman Braman joins the Diaz de la Portilla mayoral campaign -- despite that unpleasant gay-rights thing

Before the Bulldozer Bites

Developers circle a swath of land in Homestead as a familiar face reappears in the guise of a real estate lobbyist

BEST NEW LAW

Miami Beachs ordinance restricting campaign contributions by lobbyists

Submarine Politics

Alex Penelas learned his lesson in 1999; this year's transit-tax campaign is all below the surface

The Money Trail

Blasting Down the House

Rock miners try to pull a fast one on local legislators

Rough Ryder

The behind-the-scenes battle to put Miami's homegrown Fortune 500 Co. next to the Herald raises an old specter

Money, Politics, and Cuba

The Federal Election Commission has a few questions for an influential Miami political action committee

Digital Intrigue

Did Miami-Dade County Manager Steve Shiver deceive commissioners in an effort to steer a lucrative software contract to a friend? The friend says no. Shiver isn't talking.

The Wimp

Gary Dellapa's retirement from MIA comes not a moment too soon

Riptide

Equal-opportunity aficionado

The Straight Story of SAVE Dade

Chronicle of an Ordinance

Riptide

Shakey's out, Penelian peccadillo, and shafted lumber labor

DeFede

The Real Micky Arison

Haul of Shame

Waste dumps, illicit lobbying, paid supporters, hidden agendas. Or politics as usual in Miami-Dade County.

DeFede

Have We Got an Airport for You!

A Surprise Witness

A Day of Reckoning

The Catalyst

Marleine Bastien -- activist, social worker, songwriter, mother -- is helping to lead the resurgence of South Florida's Haitian political agenda

Don't Call Me a Lobbyist!

Even though my name is Chris Korge and Alex Penelas is my best buddy and all the commissioners are indebted to me and I guarantee you'll get that fat county contract

Politics Makes for Strange ... Trashmen?

If Joe Carollo gets into bed with old nemesis Wayne Huizenga, two of the mayor's closest advisers will be fluffing the pillows

Good Enough for Political Work

Letters

Very Big Bucks

The most lucrative contract in the history of Miami International Airport is about to be awarded to one lucky company

Musical Mayors

First he was Miami's mayor, then Metro's, then Miami's. Now he's thinking about running for county mayor again. Why can't Steve Clark make up his mind?