Miami's Cuban Connection

Editorial: Miami Housing Director Should Go

For the public official whose portfolio includes fighting poverty, there are many opportunities for innovative approaches to giving people a leg up. But using one's position to help finance an ex-spouse's hiring and salary with federal-tax dollars is not among them. Yet this was the approach taken by Miami Community Development Director Barbara Gomez, according to a Miami Herald investigative report. If Ms. Gomez hasn't resigned already, then she should be suspended and considered for termination.

Miami Housing Director Steers Funds Toward Ex

Still busy with investigative reporting on the city of Miami's housing agency. Here's the latest report:

The director of Miami's housing agency helped steer more than $1 million in city contracts to two companies that employed one of her ex-husbands, starting weeks after his 2004 release from federal prison, where he served time for smuggling liquid cocaine, The Miami Herald has found.

Miami Community Development Director Barbara Gomez's department provided money to a troubled for-profit caterer and a tiny nonprofit social services agency that both employed ex-husband Ruben A. Santana.