Gimenez Seeks Cash to Counter 'Vile Lies' in Miami-Dade Race

Carlos Gimenez has yet to respond to Sunshine State News' inquiries about questionable e-mail solicitations, but his Miami-Dade mayoral campaign found time to plead for more money Thursday.

Blasting what he called opponent Julio Robaina's "vile campaign of lies," Gimenez is asking for additional campaign cash by the financial reporting deadline at midnight Friday. He did not specify the alleged "lies."

Apparently Gimenez's liberal endorsements from the Miami Herald, the Kendall Foundation, Metro-Dade Firefighters Local 1403, Equality Florida and the Unity Coalition aren't enough to counter what the county commissioner called Robaina's "bottomless pockets of questionable special interests."

The latest finance report shows Gimenez raising $450,018. Robaina, who was endorsed by the politically influential Latin Builders Association and finished first in the initial round of voting last month, has since upped his warchest to $1.209 million.

Gimenez has yet to refute Robaina's charges that the commissioner has been sending campaign correspondence to county workers' office e-mail accounts.