Joe Garcia Ear Wax Controversy

It is amazing that Rep. Joe Garcia digging into his ear wax got more attention on the internet than the House Judiciary Committee discussing warrantless wiretapping. Ear wax seems to be more important than potentially illegal wiretapping the the federal government.

Bye Bye David Rivera

Marc Caputo reports that it appears to be over for Florida's troubled Congressman David Rivera.

David Rivera is looking pretty doomed, losing to Joe Garcia 54-43% with all early ballots in. Tough to see Election Day catchup

Rivera still has to deal with a federal corruption investigation. His problems might have just begun.

Congratulations to incoming Congressman Joe Garcia.

The David Rivera Saga

Poor David Rivera couldn't get his sometime (nearly foreclosed) housemate Marco Rubio wouldn't take the time to talk about his friend to Miami Herald reporter Marc Caputo. Rivera's fundraising has been lagging behind Democratic Joe Garcia. Rivera could have used a hearty endorsement from Rubio. However, Rubio, chose to walk into the rain to avoid Caputo's prying camera. Rivera has also not been seen at any South Florida campaign rallies with Mitt Romney.

In Rivera's defense, he does have interesting tastes in women. Take self-described conservative bad girl Ana Alliegro. Talking Points Memo has the highlights of her past.

We do now know a bit more about her, though, thanks to The Miami Herald. In a story published Monday night, the newspaper offered more details of Alliegro's past legal run-ins - from driving with a suspended licence, to minor shoplifting, to shooting at her ex-husband - and her role in the campaign of an upstart Democratic congressional primary candidate.

Why would a conservative bad girl like Alliegro work on a Democrat's campaign. Perhaps if that Democratic candidate was set up by Rivera, in an attempt to knock Garcia out of the race.

Rivera gave enelopes stuffed with money to Alliegro. She in turn delivered the money to Rapid Mail. Garcia's primary opponent Lamar Sternad used Rapid Mail to send out mailers attacking Garcia. Sternad did not have the level of fundraising needed to send ouyt the mailers. When questioned on how he could afford the mailers - Sternad said: "Kiss my 'lily white' ass."

Alliegro was suppose to testify to a grand jury. She disappeared. Alliegro's attorney and family are not aware of her whereabouts.

Sternad wisely did not tell the grand jury to kiss his ass.

Justin Lamar Sternad, whose failed campaign became the subject of a federal grand-jury investigation, has told the FBI that Rep. David Rivera was secretly behind his run for office, according to the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald.

The most hysterical thing is that Sternad testified that Alliegro referred him by his nickname Gangster.

David Rivera: U.S. Congressman

In very depressing news, Joe Garcia concedes to David Rivera.

Garcia's problem was he had to do more than bring up Rivera's negatives. Garcia had to give voters of the 25th district a reason to vote for him. Garcia never articulated his message.

Two Florida Congression Races to Watch

Joe Garcia and Lori Edwards have a shot of winning. Garcia is running against the scandal-plagued David Rivera. Polls have showed the race to be a toss up. What will hurt Rivera is that the 25th district Republicans have done a good job with voter turnout. Nate Silver has Rivera winning. What troubles me is if Rivera wins it will send the message that corruption is rewarded.

Edwards maybe helped in her race 12th district race against Dennis Ross. Tea Party candidate Randy Wilkenson may take some votes away from Ross. It is hard to say how much of a factor. I wrote a post on how Edwards primary candidate Doug Tudor would not have a chance to win. I got hammered in my comments by Tudor supporters. Now Edwards might win the race. I backed Edwards because I am a realist. It is pointless to back candidates who can not win.

Nate Silver Projects David Rivera Victory

Nate Silver of The New York Times is giving David Rivera a 78.9 chance of winning Congressional district 25. Silver is a smart statistician. My take is he is basing his findings on the district being traditionally Republican and GOP voter turnout. Those factors help Rivera.

Polls have shown the race to be a toss up. The conservative Sunshine State News shows Garcia leading Rivera 44 percent to 43 percent. The Sunshine State News polls are unreliable and Republican-leaning. I'm not are what to make of SSN having Garcia up by one.

This and several other progressive blogs have documented the serious ethical lapses committed by Rivera. The Repubican candidate has faced allegations of domestic violence and road rage. Rivera falsely listed doing work for U.S. Agency for International Development on his disclosure form. USAID has no record of Rivera working for the organization. Rivera's personal conduct makes him unfit for public office.

I really hope Nate Silver is wrong about this race. Other ethically-challenged Republicans, such as Marco Rubio and Jim Norman, are going to be elected. A Rivera victory would signal that Florida Republicans can do whatever they want and face no consequences for their actions.

David Ramba: Class Act

David Ramba of Voters Response is a David Rivera supporter. Ramba committed act of vindictiveness by sending out a campaign mailer giving out Joe Garcia's personal cell phone number. I have deleted comments after I have received requests from people who had their personal information revealed about them by comments. I take pains not to place information on this blog that would help a nutjob track a person down. There is no excuse for Ramba to make Garcia's phone number public. It is irresponsble and crass.

David Rivera's 99 Problems

William Barzee, a supporter of Democratic Congressional candidate Joe Garcia has filed an ethics complaint against Republican David Rivera. The complaint contends Rivera falsely claimed on his financial disclosure forms that he worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID has no record of Rivera ever working for the organization.

The ethics complaint

4. Florida law requires Rivera, as a candidate for public office, to provide full, public disclosure of his financial interests, including identification of each separate source and amount of income which exceeds $1,000. See Fla. Const., Art. II, Section 8; Fla. Stat. §§ 99.061,112.3144, 112.3145. A candidate who violates Florida financial disclosure requirements is subject to disqualification from being on the ballot, pursuant to the express provision of Fla. Stat. § 112.317. See also Final Order, Kevin Ambler v. Elections Canvassing Commission of the State of Florida, et al., Case No. 2010-CA-3014 (Fla. 2d Jud. Cir., Oct. 15, 2010) (ordering removal of candidate from ballot based on failure to substantially comply with financial disclosure requirements).

5. Rivera, in sworn financial disclosure forms filed in the years 2003-2009 with the Florida Commission on Ethics, identified the U.S. Agency for International Development (“USAID”), a federal agency that offers aid to developing countries, as a “major source” of income. See Ex. 1 (attached hereto) (Rivera’s financial disclosure forms). Rivera further set forth in those forms that he worked for USAID through Interamerican Government Relations, a Puerto Rican corporation, and Millenium Marketing, a separate business entity, performing “international development consulting.” And, for the past four years, Rivera listed USAID as his only source of income apart from his legislative salary. State ethics rules require lawmakers to publicly disclose any “customer, client or other source of income” that provides more than 10 percent of the total income of the lawmaker’s private business, a requirement designed to alert the legislature and public to potential conflicts of interest.

6. Contrary to Rivera’s sworn filings, however, USAID has no record of ever hiring Rivera or his corporation, as confirmed by USAID Press Officer Annette Aulton. Moreover, since 2003, Rivera has not disclosed his earnings from consulting work, contrary to Florida state ethics rules requiring such reporting by legislators.

7. The Florida Constitution, Article 2, Section 8, and Florida Statutes §§ 99.061, 112.3144, and 112.3145, require the truthful filing of financial disclosure forms as prerequisite for eligibility to be elected to office. As has become clear in the statements and admissions made by Rivera over the course of the past four weeks—and most recently with deficiencies that Rivera acknowledged in his amendment of all financial disclosures forms on October 15, 2010, removing, while failing to expressly explain the basis for removal, of all prior information provided as to major private sources of income—Rivera has substantially failed to comply with these fundamental constitutional and statutory requirements.

It is questionable if the ethics complaint would disqualify Rivera before the general election. Rivera also can appeal if he loses in court. If Rivera is disqualified the local party leaders of Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties would chose a replacement candidate.

Politically, the ethics complaint will draw attention to Rivera falsely stating he was paid for consulting work to USAID. Rivera took USAID off of his financial disclosure forms. Rivera's campaign lashed out at Garcia, but they are clearly scared. No other logical reason can explain Team Rivera canceling their Univision debate with Garcia.

Rivera could find himself in the same situation as State Senate candidate Jim Norman. The latter had to testify and admit Republican contributor Ralph Hughes put down $500,000 for a house for Norman and his wife. Norman has been taken off the ballot and is being investigated by the FBI. Rivera is screwed if he has to testify in court.

New Joe Garcia Ad

The Joe Garcia has released an attack ad against David Rivera. There have been investigative media reports on Rivera ramming into a truck carrying the campaign mailers of an opponent. Rivera has also been accused of domestic violence. Rivera claims it was another David M. Rivera. Below is a Clerk of Courts record of the restraining order.



Charges were filed against a David M. Rivera by Jenia Dorticos. If it was another Rivera then why did the politician David Rivera appear in a Facebook photo (that has since been taken down) with the woman's mother.



David Rivera the politician is the only David M. Rivera who comes up in public records for Miami-Dade County.



Rivera has close ties to Marco Rubio. Both campaigned in New Hampshire for Mike Huckabee. Rivera and Rubio had their fically conservative images tarnished by having their Tallahassee house foreclosed on.

The Garcia attack ad highlights Rivera smashing into a mail truck.



The press release from the Garcia campaign.

MIAMI – On Wednesday, the Joe Garcia for Congress campaign launched a television ad titled “News” (Click here to watch the ad). The 30 second spot highlights a CBS 4 investigative report on David Rivera’s attempt to hijack a mail delivery truck on Miami’s busy Palmetto Expressway that carried his opponent’s campaign fliers. As both CBS 4 and the Miami Herald have reported, David Rivera has lied about the attack and has even misrepresented the contents of the police report. A “fact check” of Rivera’s deceiving statements is attached to this e-mail.

The Garcia campaign has launched an accompanying website with the ad, http://DavidRiveraTruth.com to inform voters of Rivera’s dangerous and reckless past.

Giancarlo Sopo, spokesman for the Joe Garcia campaign, issued the following statement regarding the ad:

“People have a right to know about David Rivera’s disregard for innocent lives. As news outlets, witnesses and a police report all confirm, David Rivera used his car to force a mail delivery truck, carrying his opponent’s fliers, off the Palmetto Expressway during rush-hour traffic. Rivera’s reckless attempt to hide the content of those fliers endangered the lives of innocent drivers on their way home. Rivera has shown no remorse for his recklessness as he continues to lie about it. David Rivera is dangerous and unfit to represent our families in Congress.”

Joe Garcia on Florida Progressive Radio

Alison Morano of Florida Progressive Radio interviews Florida congressional candidate Joe Garcia.

Joe Garcia on FISA Bill

Florida Congressional candidate Joe Garcia issued a press release on the FISA compromise.

“The laws that were created under FISA were sufficient to meet our country’s national security needs. What the Bush administration has done, again, is present Americans with a false choice between national security and civil liberties, while this bill increases neither. I oppose any broad retroactive immunity provided to companies who may have broken the law. The legal purpose of immunity is to use the protection granted by such immunity as an inducement to divulge information about what occurred. Immunity in this case would do the opposite: it would shut down any investigation into what actually occurred. “

Tough-talking rhetoric is fine. If words matched deeds then Joe Biden would be the Democratic nominee.

Given companies immunity from prosecution has already proven to be a stupid idea. KBR can not be prosecuted for crimes on Iraq soil. Jamie Leigh Jones was gang raped and can not take the perpetrators to criminal court. Many other women have been sexually abused in Iraq because Congress approved not allowing contractor to be prosecuted.

The State Department granted Blackwater security members immunity after the killing of Iraqi civilians. The FBI's investigation was destroyed. No Blackwater member would talk to federal investigators. They all cited their immunity deals.

Congress gave the Bush White House a blank check to allow their corporate allies to commit more crimes. Silly Blue Dog Democrats never learn. The question is has Joe Garcia learned that fundamental lesson?