Following the arrest of Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla on multiple charges, Governor Ron DeSantis intervened, leading to the Commissioner's seat becoming momentarily unoccupied.
Saturday at Miami City Hall, the city's commission met to discuss the sudden vacancy.
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WATCH HERECommissioner Diaz de la Portilla faced charges of bribery, money laundering, criminal conspiracy, and official misconduct. These charges were allegedly tied to a sports complex in the city.
“There is nothing true about this complaint, I haven’t read the whole thing,” said Díaz de la Portilla when asked for comment.
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Governor Ron DeSantis took swift action last week by suspending the Commissioner from his official duties.
Following this, the City of Miami removed his name from all official documents and records.
During Saturday’s meeting, the city's commission listened to comments from the public before deliberating on the issue.
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During Public comment, some expressed distrust in the commission’s ability to appoint a suitable replacement, while others said they trusted the commission to make the right decision for the city or Miami.
After an extensive discussion, the commission, in a unanimous decision, opted to leave the seat vacant until the upcoming elections in November.
This move put aside other possible alternatives, such as appointing someone to the position or organizing a special election.
Interestingly, Diaz de la Portilla might have the opportunity to regain his position.
Mike Hernandez, an NBC6 political analyst, commented, “Bottom line is it’s permissible for Alex Diaz de la Portilla to seek re-election. He has not been convicted of a crime, he's just been charged with a crime.”
Moreover, Diaz de la Portilla himself has shown a firm intent to run for the position again, and if he wins, it could lead to further complexities.
“If he were to win re-election there is nothing stopping the Governor from saying I suspended him before the election and I think it’s appropriate to suspend him again while we figure out these charges in the court of law,” said Hernandez.
