Miami mayor said he qualifies for first GOP debate — but he doesn’t: report

Editor's note: This article was updated with remarks from Citadel CEO Kenneth Griffin.

Minutes after Miami, Florida Mayor Francis Suarez claimed to qualify for the first GOP presidential debate in Milwaukee on August 23, two Republican National Committee senior advisors told Miami Herald the opposite.

Seeking the 2024 GOP nomination, Suarez has openly criticized Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis' "promise to end birthright citizenship if elected president," and recently deemed the governor's agreement to debate California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom "a sign of desperation."

Miami Herald reported last month that the mayor recently ran into another issue, having "created some controversy by accepting a free pass to a Formula 1 event: the Miami Grand Prix. Florida's ethics law prohibits elected officials from accepting gifts from companies that are doing business with the government, and Suarez attended as a guest of Citadel CEO Ken Griffin."

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The paper notes that "in response to a records request from the Miami Herald, Suarez and the city said no such public records exist." On Wednesday, it republished a letter to the editor from Griffin asserting that "Suarez appropriately covered the costs of his and his wife's attendance, which we told Herald reporters repeatedly and on the record."

Regarding the upcoming GOP debate, the newspaper reports:

The Associated Press, which first reported Suarez's claims with an exclusive interview Friday, later reported that the Suarez campaign had presented a reporter with incomplete information to support his assertion that he had made the debate. According to the outlet, the campaign provided an email from an RNC official confirming that Suarez had been allotted 135 reserved seats in Milwaukee. The email also stated that the tickets would be canceled if Suarez did not meet the debate requirements, but that portion was not included in the information sent to the Associated Press, according to its report.

Republican candidates are required "to provide the RNC with proof that they meet its criteria" to attend the debate by Monday, August 21, and according to the report, Suarez has "suggested he will end his candidacy if he doesn't make the debate."

READ MORE: Miami mayor draws ethics questions after wealthy CEO treats him to Formula 1 event

Miami Herald's full report is available at this link. Griffin's editorial is here.