Politician's Son Slaps Miami Commissioner, Faces Charges: Report

Miami FL

10 February, 2022

12:41 PM

Description

CORAL GABLES, FL — U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez's son was charged with simple battery after slapping a Miami city commissioner at a Coral Gables restaurant Wednesday afternoon. Carlos Gimenez Jr. is accused of slapping Commissioner Alex Diaz De La Portilla just after 2 p.m. at Morton's Steakhouse on Ponce De Leon Boulevard, WSVN reported. The city of Miami police officer assigned to the commissioner detained the younger Gimenez at the scene until Coral Gable police arrived, according to reports. According to police records, Gimenez Jr. came up to the commissioner, who was having lunch, from behind. He said, "Hey p****, do you remember me?" and hit Diaz De La Portilla on the side of the head, Local 10 News reported. Diaz De La Portilla tweeted about the incident, saying "it was more like a flick of his wrist from behind me when I was having lunch as he cowardly approached me from behind and ran away. This guy is not known as a very courageous guy." Gimenez Jr.'s father, a retired firefighter who previously served as Miami-Dade County mayor before being elected as the U.S. representative for Florida's 26th congressional district, told WSVN, "I'm obviously not happy, you know. Whenever a son, friend, or relative is arrested it's not a good day and so obviously not happy with what happened. I understand it's a simple battery, something I guess is between the two of them, and we'll let the legal system work itself out."