Rudy Giuliani's Love For Rubio: Ethically Challenged Candidates Stick Together

Rubio Ethics Woes: $134 Haircuts, Slush Funds, Allegations of Tax Fraud & Growing Criminal Investigation Into Florida GOP

NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY

For Immediate Release: April 5, 2010

Rudy Giuliani's Love For Rubio: Ethically Challenged Candidates Stick Together

Rubio Ethics Woes: $134 Haircuts, Slush Funds, Allegations of Tax Fraud & Growing Criminal Investigation Into Florida GOP 

As former Speaker and Miami Lobbyist Marco Rubio campaigns today with failed Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, some pundits are wondering why the anti-gun, gay-marriage-supporting Giuliani would endorse a politician who proves everyday he is too extreme for Florida, like the Tea Party's Rubio. Floridians however know that Giuliani is supporting Rubio because these ethically challenged politicians stick together.

"Marco Rubio's ethical lapses have made national news and a growing corruption investigation into the Republican Party of Florida threatens to engulf the former House Speaker. No wonder former New York City Mayor and failed Republican Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani is so enthused by Rubio's candidacy. Only after the allegations of Rubio committing tax fraud and using his position for personal gain did Rudy Giuliani come and campaign for Rubio," said Eric Jotkoff, Florida Democratic Party spokesman.

"Ethically, they are two peas in a pod. Now that Bernard Kerick is in jail, today's endorsement means that Marco Rubio can be Rudy Giuliani's latest buddy to be mired in an ethics scandal. So, as they campaign together today, will either Rudy or Rubio officially excuse the other's ethical lapses?"  

RUBIO'S SCANDALOUS SPENDING, ALLEGATIONS OF TAX FRAUD LEADING TO FEDERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

Similar Investigation Sent Giuliani Appointee To Prison

Criminal Investigation Into Republican Party Of Florida Likely To Expand Into Investigating Republican Politicians Including Rubio: "Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink upped the ante Friday on the state Republican Party financial scandal, calling for an independent state or federal investigation, which seemed likely to occur. In a letter responding to Sink, Crist agreed to the idea of a federal prosecutor... [Crist wrote] 'I do believe it should be referred to the United States Attorney's Office due to the potential IRS implications.' ...Legal experts have said it's possible some Republican officials could have run afoul of IRS regulations if they used party money intended for political purposes for personal benefit, making it, in effect, unreported income." [Tampa Tribune, 4/3/2010]

Under IRS Rules, Party Donations "Must Go Exclusively Toward Influencing Elections," Not Personal Expenses. "Donations to parties must go exclusively toward influencing elections under IRS rules." [Miami Herald, 2/24/10]

Rubio Used The Republican Party As A Slush Fund To Live Large.  "His campaign said Friday it had not identified any additional expenses that need to be repaid. The credit card records, however, indicate that at least some of Rubio's personal expenses were covered by the party." [St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald, 2/27/10]

Rubio Failed To Pay Off Bills Every Months And "The Party Picked Up His Late Fees Several Times."  "Rubio has declined to itemize personal expenses for which he reimbursed the state party. And Rubio's credit card statements show that, in fact, he did not always pay off the bills every month. There was at least one six month period when he did not pay, and the party picked up his late fees several times." [St. Petersburg Times, "Marco Rubio denies $130 hair cut," 3/4/10]

Rubio Made No Payments To His Card During A Six-Month Stretch, Leaving The Party With The Bills.  "Records show Rubio sent payments to American Express totaling $16,000 for his personal expenses during his tenure as House speaker. But those payments were not made monthly. He made no contributions to the bill during a six-month stretch in 2007, records show." [Miami Herald, "Marco Rubio charged personal bills on GOP card," 2/24/10]

Rubio Failed To Disclose $34,000 In Expenses.  "Rubio failed to disclose $34,000 in expenses - including $7,000 he paid himself - for one of the committees in 2003 and 2004, as required by state law." [St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald, "A Lavish Rise For Rubio," 3/12/10]

"Rubio's Campaign Could Not Find Records To Explain ... These Expenses."  "Rubio's campaign could not find records to explain many of these expenses Wednesday night."[Miami Herald, "Marco Rubio charged personal bills on GOP card," 2/24/10]

Rubio Reimbursed Himself Thousands Of Dollars Without Detailing What For. "Rubio spent the biggest chunk of the committee's money, $89,000, on political consultants, $14,000 in reimbursements to himself, and more than $51,000 in credit card expenses. Records show those expenses were for food, lodging and airfare but do not detail who was traveling or where expenses were incurred." [St. Petersburg Times/ Miami Herald, 3/12/10]

Rubio Billed More Than $51,000 In Unidentified 'Travel Expenses' To Three Different Credit Cards - Nearly One-Quarter Of The Committee's Entire Haul." "He billed more than $51,000 in unidentified 'travel expenses' to three different credit cards - nearly one-quarter of the committee's entire haul." [St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald, 3/12/10]

Bernard Kerik sentenced to four years in prison. "Former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was hailed as a hero after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and nearly became chief of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was sentenced to four years behind bars Thursday for eight felonies. Kerik admitted in November that he lied to the White House, filed false taxes and committed other crimes." [Associated Press, 2/18/2010]

Village Voice: Giuliani "Has Always Been Fuzzy About His Own Knowledge Of Kerik's Ties." "Giuliani...has always been fuzzy about his own knowledge of Kerik's ties to Interstate Industrial Corp. The contractors were desperately trying to convince city regulators that their business dealings with organized-crime figures were incidental, and that they should not be denied lucrative city contracts worth some $30 million.... The grateful builders in turn secretly funded a quarter-million-dollar renovation of Kerik's new Bronx apartment."

Kerik's Law Breaking Happened "Even As Giuliani Was Promoting" Kerik For Police Commissioner Job. "All of this happened even as Giuliani was promoting his former driver and bodyguard from head of the city's Corrections Department to police commissioner. When Kerik's Homeland Security nomination blew up in a tempest of scandal in 2004, the ex-mayor insisted that he knew nothing about his top cop ever going to bat for the mob-tainted contractors. But back in 2007, the Times' William Rashbaum got hold of a transcript of Giuliani's April 2006 testimony before a Bronx grand jury that was the first to probe the episode. Giuliani, the transcript showed, admitted that he was briefed more than once by his own top investigations chief-but then forgot all about it. It took a lot of forgetting."

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