Posted on 07/24/2003 1:57:45 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch of Pembroke Pines, who has already called Miami-Dade County mayor and Senate rival Alex Penelas a ''pathological liar'' and a traitor to his party, filed a complaint Wednesday with the Federal Elections Commission accusing Penelas of illegal fundraising.
Deutsch's complaint referred to a series of checks to Penelas' campaign from associates and employees of CarePlus Medical Centers, whose owner told underlings in March that they were each ''expected'' to give Penelas $1,000.
Coerced contributions are against the law.
Penelas' campaign distanced itself from the e-mail when it became public in March and said the mayor would not accept any contributions resulting from it.
But a Herald analysis of campaign finance data found that Penelas took at least $68,000 from the company's employees, their relatives and business associates.
LEGALITY DEFENDED
CarePlus owner Michael Fernandez could not be reached for comment, but Penelas campaign officials say the donations were entirely legal, generated from a fundraising reception at Fernandez's home in May and not from the e-mail.
Penelas spokesman Ron Sachs said Wednesday that Deutsch's FEC complaint was merely another attempt by the congressman to take a swipe at his most daunting rival for the Democratic nomination to replace Sen. Bob Graham, who is running for president.
''This is a slash-and-trash strategy that does not speak to what people care about in politics, which is civility,'' Sachs said.
The CarePlus donations were part of an impressive three-month fundraising run by Penelas, who posted a $1 million performance as he stakes out a position in a crowded field.
Deutsch has amassed more than $2 million and directed his attention largely to Penelas, whom he has assailed for his tepid role in helping Al Gore during the contested 2000 election.
Last month, Deutsch boycotted the state party's annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner taking place in his own district because Penelas was receiving an award.
After Penelas said he campaigned hard for Gore, Deutsch told an Associated Press reporter that Penelas was a ``pathological liar.''
STRONG WORDS
The CarePlus contributions, Deutsch said Wednesday, are a serious matter.
''People go to jail for things like this,'' Deutsch said. ``You can't rip up the checks and expect that it will cleanse the coercion.''
The FEC complaint alleges that the e-mail to employees and vendors put illegal pressure to contribute and that the pressure remained even when Fernandez or his associates asked for the money later.
In the March e-mail, CarePlus Vice President Bert Valdes noted that Fernandez's relationship with Penelas is potentially lucrative for the company and that the employees are ''expected'' to donate to the campaign.
Fernandez ''has asked for an accounting of the individuals that donate and those that did not,'' Valdes wrote.
Federal campaign finance laws are designed to prevent executives from intimidating employees into giving money to candidates.
But under new laws that ban unlimited, unrestricted ''soft money'' and limit individual donations to $2,000, campaigns rely on corporate executives and other big givers to string together a series of donations.
OUCH!
Last month, Deutsch boycotted the state party's annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner taking place in his own district because Penelas was receiving an award.
OUCH!
After Penelas said he campaigned hard for Gore, Deutsch told an Associated Press reporter that Penelas was a ``pathological liar.''
OUCH!
''People go to jail for things like this,'' Deutsch said. ``You can't rip up the checks and expect that it will cleanse the coercion.''
OUCH!
In the March e-mail, CarePlus Vice President Bert Valdes noted that Fernandez's relationship with Penelas is potentially lucrative for the company and that the employees are ''expected'' to donate to the campaign.
Valdes should be jailed for criminal stupidity. How dumb do you have to be to actually put that in writing over the Web?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.