Category Archives: Politics: FL-25/FL-27

I’m happy to see that the DCC has someone who gets how to win an election: start work early.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said it began robo calls today in several districts where lawmakers have encountered questions over campaign finances or other ethics problems. In Florida, Reps. David Rivera of Miami and Vern Buchanan of Sarasota get the treatment.

“Hi, this is Clare calling on behalf of the DCCC. Did you know Congressman David Rivera received over one hundred thousand dollars in secret payments from his mother’s company? The Miami-Dade Police Department’s Public Corruption Bureau and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are investigating Congressman Rivera for it,” reads the script, which also recounts an episode involving Rivera chasing down a truck that carried campaign material from his opponent.

from The Buzz

Politico says Annette Taddeo is planning to run in FL-25 — the seat now held by Republican David Rivera, a strong contender for most ethically creepy member of Congress.

I was, as longtime readers may recall, a big supporter of Taddeo when she ran for Congress in my district, FL-18.  I even went out and canvassed for her here in my neighborhood.  I do think she’d make a great Congressperson.

But.  Can she pull it off?

I though Taddeo ran a good campaign for Congress in 2008. I was impressed by her work ethic, organization, and by the staff she put together. The fact is that Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is just very hard to beat due her giant war chest (she spent $3m beating Taddeo) and, to be fair, also her personal rapport with so many of the voters here, a rapport sufficient to overcome a number of policies that work against the district’s actual interests.

Taddeo then ran for County Commissioner in District 8. As I live (just) outside District 8, I didn’t pay that much attention to the race, but Taddeo narrowly failed to make the run-off in a crowded field.

All of which is preamble to the question whether FL-25 is a good fit? Not that I have someone better in mind, or that I doubt they’d be lucky to have her, I’m just wondering how she’ll play in the district.

Rep. David Rivera’s (R-FL-25) shtick isn’t playing well in Washington DC.  Even the Republicans up there don’t like him:

In addition, there is anger and frustration at Rivera in GOP leadership circles. Rivera is described by Republicans as being “less than candid” or “not forthcoming” about his ethics problems in conversations with leadership aides and campaign operatives, and they have been surprised on several occasions as new allegations surface.“It’s only a matter of time before the eighth shoe drops,” said one senior House Republican staffer, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Source: Rep. Rivera facing ethics issues – POLITICO.com.

Given the sleaze allegations swirling, you would think the indictment, and then the resignation under the GOP’s “zero-tolerance” policy would be coming soon. Except I’m not even sure he’ll go if indicted.

Meanwhile, back home, very odd doings. Our local prosecutor, Miami Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, doesn’t have the best record on public integrity prosecutions but she’s said to be ambitious. Surely when an easy one drops in her lap, you would think she’d embrace it. But no such thing, she’s running from it as fast as she can. Dropped it without a credible explanation of any sort. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is going to pick up the ball, so hopefully this will only be a small hiccup.

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Joe Garcia, the Democratic candidate for FL-25. And more we learn about this opponent, the more David Rivera sounds like has a serious honesty problem.

Garcia is a serious, smart guy, who genuinely cares about the community he grew up in. He'll be a great Congressman. But nobody is perfect. And if Joe Garcia has a weakness, it's a taste for jokey campaign commercials. I actually liked the ones he ran two years ago, but I don't think the voters did. And IMHO this year's web-only effort, “The Politician Who Shagged Us”, is just a mistake. But then I don't like Mr. Bean much, either.