COCONUT GROVE, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is at the center of controversy — again — over new allegations that he is using his officials position for personal gain, which have led to calls for his resignation.
The mayor finds himself under scrutiny following reports by the Miami Herald that reveal his alleged involvement in pushing for a no-bid contract with potential personal benefits.
Suarez started his State of the City address on Tuesday with words of honor and sacrifice.
“Public service is a public honor. It is also a personal sacrifice,” he said.
The mayor highlighted what he called government transparency in the Magic City, but shortly after the speech, the 46-year-old appeared to dodge questions from a Miami Herald reporter.
“Mayor Suarez, is there a reason you don’t want to talk to the Miami Herald,” a reporter asked. “Mayor Suarez, you claimed that you wanted to be the most transparent mayor in history. What happened to the transparency?”
Hours earlier, the newspaper published an investigation about how Suarez advocated for the no-bid contract for a startup. That company was actively negotiating a partnership with one of the mayor’s private employers.
The Herald reported that the employer was paying Suarez $20,000 a month at the time. Suarez is facing both state and federal investigations into his outside work.
Last June, Suarez sat down for an interview with 7News during his run for president. He denied any wrongdoing regarding an FBI investigation into payments he had received in his private role as a consultant from a developer with business in the city and whether those could be considered bribes.
“Did you do anything wrong in receiving those payments?” 7News reporter Jessica Holly asked.
“I didn’t,” responded Suarez.
“Are you concerned about the outcome of that investigation?” asked the reporter.
“I’m not, because I know that I didn’t do anything wrong. I’ve never used my public position to benefit a private party, and I’m confident that will come out,” said Suarez.
These latest allegations have drawn the attention of Florida Democrats.
The Florida Democratic Party, represented by Chair Nikki Fried, issued a statement condemning Suarez’s actions, calling for his immediate resignation and urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to intervene if the mayor refuses to step down.
Fried’s statement reads in part, “As a native of Miami, it’s heartbreaking to see the city continue to be a hotbed for political corruption. Francis Suarez repeatedly used his public office for private gain, and has somehow escaped consequences to this point. His actions are a gross violation of the public trust, and the Florida Democratic Party is calling for his immediate resignation.”
The statement also emphasizes the need for accountability regardless of political affiliation.
“Politicians should be held accountable for their mistakes, no matter their political affiliation,” said Fried.
The Florida Democratic Party insists that if Mayor Suarez refuses to resign, Governor Ron DeSantis should take action to suspend him from office.
Suarez did not respond to a request for comment from 7News.
But the mayor did post a statement on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, where he said the Florida Ethics Commission had dismissed a “frivolous” complaint against him.
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“Today, the Florida Ethics Commission formally dismissed yet another frivolous complaint filed against Miami Mayor Francis Suarez citing “lack of legal sufficiency”; concluding once again that the Mayor continues to act properly, following all laws and regulations. The Commission’s action exposes the coordinated coup attempt that radical liberal activists, political mercenaries, and their allies in the local leftist media have perpetrated in the City of Miami. For over a year, the Mayor has been the target of a vicious, dishonest smear campaign led by a small group of special interests hellbent on destroying our thriving city’s reputation and its prominent position on the world stage. Mayor Suarez will continue to serve the greater interests of the City of Miami and its residents, despite false and negative attacks as he works to continue making Miami America’s greatest city.”
Mayor Francis Suarez, X account.
Suarez is not the only Miami city leader in the midst of controversy.
During a city commission meeting earlier in January, two commissioners almost got into a physical altercation.
It came shortly after a federal judge directed U.S Marshal to seize Miami City Commissioner Joe Carollo’s possessions after Carollo lost a multimillion-dollar lawsuit brought on by a pair of local business owners who said Carollo used his office to harass them.
Another city controversy is the removal of City Commissioner Alex Diaz De La Portilla after he was arraigned on charges that included money laundering and bribery.
DeSantis suspended de la Portilla from the District 1 commission seat, which has since been filled.
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