Less than a week before Election Day, the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party sent cease and desist letters to a North Miami Beach Commission candidate and a political committee, warning of legal action if they keep distributing slate cards that carry the party’s name.
The letters came from party General Counsel Juan-Carlos “J.C.” Planas. The first went to candidate Dayanara Torres, whose campaign has handed out flyers at polling locations labeled “The Democratic Voting Slate.” The party has not endorsed Torres and is backing her opponent, Linda Joseph, for the Group 4 seat. Four other candidates on the flyer also lack party endorsements, and the party took no position on eight city ballot questions the flyer suggests it supports.
Torres denied acting fraudulently. She said the flyer does not claim to come from the party and that listing other candidates reflects her personal recommendations, which she called protected free speech. She said she does not intend to comply with the demands.
Planas wrote that the flyer violates Chapter 106 of Florida Statutes, which bars presenting voter guides as official party publications without permission. He said the party could file a complaint with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust.
A second letter went to the backers of a “Democratic Voter Guide” in Miami urging a yes vote on Referendums 1 and 3. The party supports Referendum 1 but opposes Referendum 3. Funding for that guide came from Miami-Dade Residents United, a GOP-aligned state committee that received more than $100,000 this month from Help Save Virginia Key PC, a city committee chaired by a executive at Suntex Marinas, which is pursuing the marina leases.
Party Chair Laura Kelley said voters deserve to know that a card claiming to speak for Democrats actually does. Early voting is underway, and Election Day is Nov. 3.
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