ANOTHER RUBIO SCANDAL: Speaker Fleeces Public for Friend's Gain

Republicans Begin to Question Him As Pattern of Corruption Develops

For Immediate Release: April 7, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Despite budget cuts that will gut education, healthcare and law enforcement, Republican Speaker Marco Rubio "quietly slipped tough-to-spot language in a state budget plan last week that helps a friend and political money-man bid on a major fuel contract in a $265 million turnpike overhaul proposal."

A new Miami Herald investigation exposes how Rubio planted language in the state budget for friend Max Alvarez, a fuel distributor and South Florida politico who donates lavishly to Rubio. This is the second year in a row that Rubio has attempted to swindle the public purse for Alvarez' gain, but this year the stakes are higher.

In the face of a massive budget shortfall, transportation department officials fear the language could cost the state millions of dollars as it had planned to combine separate contracts for greater affordability. Alvarez has been the only critic of the consolidated bid plan crafted by officials and lawmakers.

Rubio recently lamented the drastic budget cuts he was pushing, "We are dangerously close to not having a highway patrol in this state, unfortunately," but still the delusional Rubio believes somehow his budget leaves Floridians "better off." "It is the kind of budget the people of Florida need at a time like this..." [Palm Beach Post, 4/1/08]

"Does he have no shame? The only people 'better off' with Rubio's budget are Rubio and his political friends. It takes incredible contempt for the people of Florida to corruptly slide millions to a wealthy friend while millions of regular folks are hurting because of the recession he helped create," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Alejandro Miyar said.

Even fellow Republican Sen. Dan Webster frowned on the corruption, which first appeared last year "in the dark of night," saying it "remains a 'bad deal' because it would prohibit the state from even getting bids to see if a combined contract is advantageous." [Miami Herald, 4/7/08]

Read the full Miami herald report at:
http://www.miamiherald.com/516/story/485704.html

In a separate scandal, Rubio also faces serious questions about a suspicious six-figure home equity loan that he failed to disclose. Real-estate experts called the way Rubio obtained the loan "unusual."

A month after purchasing a house in West Miami in 2005, Rubio had the property appraised by a bank directed by his political supporters. The bank valued the house at almost $200,000 higher than what Rubio had just paid for it - and offered him a $135,000 home equity loan.

"It looks a lot like somebody's currying favor with an important political person," an independent market analyst said. "People off the street don't get this deal because he just purchased the property for $550,000. If it is a true equity loan, there has to be equity in the house to make the loan." [Miami Herald, 3/28/08]

This isn't the first time that Rubio has failed to disclose a loan. Though Rubio told the Herald, "I over-disclose. I try to over-disclose as opposed to under-disclose," he also neglected to disclose a $64,000 equity loan as well.

"What is Marco Rubio hiding and why does he think he can get away with it? This doesn't pass the smell test," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Alejandro Miyar said. "Rubio's pattern is disturbing and reeks of corruption."

Read the full Miami Herald report at: http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/474645.html