Representing the Florida Hispanic Legislative Caucus, Sen. Rene Garcia on Wednesday sent a blistering letter condemning Stephen Ross's decision to oppose his political enemies and reward business-friendly leaders by establishing a 2014 state-races PAC.
The billionaire owner of the Miami Dolphins has made it plain his PAC, Florida Jobs First, is aimed principally at members of the House who obstructed a plan to renovate Sun Life Stadium.
Ross counts Gov. Rick Scott, who supported the stadium upgrade, as a friend. But he expressed disappointment in Reps. Jose Felix Diaz and Carlos Trujillo, fellow Republicans who openly worked against a chance for tourists, not taxpayers, to foot the lion's share of the $350 million stadium renovation.
"I must convey my sincerest disappointment in the recent actions you have undertaken this week in recklessly attacking members of the Hispanic Caucus," wrote Garcia. "As you very well know, the FHLC did not take an official position on the issue of using tax dollars to finance renovations to Sun Life Stadium since we had members advocating on both sides of this contentious issue.
"The Caucus respected the legislative process and decided not to intervene in the political affairs of the individual members. We understand that you certainly have a right to express your discontentment; however, directly attacking legislators because of their decision to adhere to their principles in standing with their constituency on an issue directly affecting your own financial viability is reprehensible and certainly condemnable."
Garcia hinted the 20-member Caucus would engage in a little retaliation of its own.
"Your attacks on our Caucus members will undoubtedly compromise any opportunity for collaboration on this issue or any other which may arise in future legislative sessions," he wrote. "This is unfortunate, not only for the Miami Dolphins, but also for the South Florida community which has always held the Miami Dolphins in high regard. The attacks you initiated upon our Caucus members may diminish the sense of goodwill the Miami Dolphins have worked so hard to establish and preserve throughout the years."
Garcia said he wants "a full and public apology."
But Eric Jotkoff, a spokesman for the PAC, doesn't think that will happen.
"Senator Garcias comments will carry as much weight with us as they did in the Senate, where his stance against the referendum was rejected by an overwhelming 35-4 vote," Jotkoff wrote in a press statement. "The people of Miami-Dade deserved the right to vote on the modernization and the 4,000 jobs it would have created. They deserved a fair shot at Super Bowls 50 and 51, and the hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity they would have generated.
"Speaker Weatherford made clear after blocking the vote that he did it in part because of the Miami-Dade delegation," Jotkoff continued, "so we are just following the path he laid out by holding the opponents in the delegation accountable. We will keep fighting for jobs for Florida, just like we would expect every elected official to do."
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423
