MIAMI – Miami Mayor Francis Suarez likely wanted his “State of the City” address to be the big story Tuesday morning.
But a sobering Miami Herald report published hours before overshadowed his positive address, which touted a “story of sustained achievement”: The newspaper reports that Suarez pushed for a no-bid city contract benefiting a partner of one of his private employers.
It’s the latest in a series of reports from the newspaper questioning how the mayor’s ties to businesses and foreign governments have interfaced with his official duties. The mayor has continued to say he’s done nothing wrong, but he’s yet to provide receipts.
Following the speech, the mayor’s movements were managed, protected and directed. He would take questions from one reporter at a time behind closed doors, including Local 10′s Glenna Milberg.
“The conclusion is: I didn’t do anything to benefit anyone and I’ve said that many many many times and I’m going to continue to say that,” Suarez told Milberg.
The questions started after Suarez’s ill-fated presidential run, for which he had to, for the first time, file sources of income.
His jump in personal wealth stems from a list of companies that hired him or contracted with him. Miami public records reveal some of those same entities were requesting city favors for their businesses and emails suggest the mayor helped.
“Do you think those companies would have you on the payroll if you were not in a position of power in the city of Miami?” Milberg asked Suarez.
He replied, “Your question already has a flawed premise, that I’m working for 12 companies.”
The mayor suggested that Milberg and others did not do enough homework and jumped to the wrong conclusions. To respect that position, she rephrased the question.
As she started to ask that question, Suarez responded tersely: “Thank you. I’m done.”
He stormed out of the room as Milberg continued to press him on the latest report.
“One company that’s hired you, do you think they might have, if you were not the mayor —,” she asked.
“I’m done. I’m done,” the mayor repeated.
“Mayor, can you just answer that one question?” Milberg asked.
“I’m done,” he replied as he walked out of the door.
There would be no more questions — and none at all for the Miami Herald reporters who had been waiting their turn.
Suarez’s business ties have put the second-term mayor under the microscope; the Herald has previously reported that Suarez is being looked into by the FBI for ties to a local developer.
He is not the only city official currently under legal or ethical scrutiny — or both — and referred to that in his State of the City speech, adding that he and the commission both favor bringing in independent oversight for the city.