Rosario Kennedy

Rosario Kennedy
Commissioner of Miami
In office
1985–?
Preceded byDemetrio Perez
Succeeded byKen Russell
Vice Mayor of Miami
In office
?–1989
Personal details
Born1945
Havana
Spouses

Rosario Arguelles y Freyre de Andrade (Rosario Kennedy) is a Cuban American politician, lawyer, advocate, and special interest lobbyist. She was the first Cuban American woman to hold any elected office in the city of Miami.[1] She was the former Vice Mayor of the City of Miami and candidate for Florida's 18th congressional district in the 1989 special election to replace Claude Pepper that was eventually won by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.[2] Currently, she is a lobbyist representing special interests in Miami, and a member of the law firm "Rosario Kennedy and Associates."[3] In her government consulting, she claims to have "insider knowledge of the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County."[4]

In 1997, Kennedy was the focus of a scandal in Miami known as "Stallone Gate," because her client was Sylvester Stallone.[5][6]

In 2007, Kennedy's business paid Carey-Schuler $75,000.[7] This money came from Kennedy's involvement in a proposed luxury condominium that was never built, and was the subject of a criminal investigation by the state attorney's office.[7]

In 2021, Kennedy's fiancee, Joe Gersten, denied allegations of smoking crack and having sex with a prostitute.[8] If the allegations were true, this would be ironic due to the fact that Kennedy's time as a Commissioner of Miami saw the demolishment of over 400 abandoned buildings in a controversial program that she called "Rosario's Crack Attack."[9] However, Mayor Sandy Freedman referred to this program as the "Mayor's Crack Down," claiming that it was her idea.[10] Black residents at the time feared that the government was specifically targeting African Americans.

Recently, Kennedy's firm represented the residents of Grove Isle in fighting the development of a new condominium, but they were unsuccessful, and now the condominium complex occupies most of the real estate on the small island.[11]

  1. ^ By (1985-11-14). "SUAREZ PROMISES TO PULL MIAMI TOGETHER". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  2. ^ "Kennedy, Rosario". Cubans in America (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  3. ^ "About Rosario Kennedy | Rosario Kennedy & Associates". Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  4. ^ "Home Page - Rosario Kennedy & Associates - Government Relations". kennedygovernmentconsulting.com. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  5. ^ Baker, Donald P. (June 25, 1997). "MIAMI FENCE FOR STALLONE GIVES PUBLIC THE GATE". Washington Post.
  6. ^ "STALLONEGATE". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  7. ^ a b Weaver, Jay; Ovalle, David (October 12, 2013). "Carlisle hired ex-county commissioner for lucrative consulting contract". Miami Herald.
  8. ^ By (1992-05-16). "POLITICIAN SAYS TALE OF SEX, CRACK ALL LIES". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  9. ^ Semple, Kirk. "New Year's Revolution". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  10. ^ "Tampa mayor invited to Miami's `crack down' - ProQuest". www.proquest.com. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  11. ^ Robertson, Linda (April 28, 2024). "'It was heaven. It's gone.' Grove Isle residents say Miami broke laws to let tower rise". Miami Herald.