David Rivera broke 11 ethics laws, says state ethics commission
By Scott Hiaasen and Patricia Mazzei
From The Miami Herald
Already facing FBI probes and a daunting re-election, Congressman David Rivera was charged Wednesday by state authorities on 11 counts of violating ethics laws for filing bogus financial disclosure forms, misusing campaign funds and concealing a $1 million consulting contract with a Miami gambling business while serving in the state Legislature.
Investigators with the Florida Commission on Ethics found that Rivera’s secret deal to work as a political consultant for the Magic City Casino — formerly the Flagler Dog Track — created a conflict of interest for the lawmaker. The ethics panel also found that the Republican broke state ethics laws by failing to fully disclose his finances from 2005 to 2009.
Rivera was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2002. He won re-election in 2004, 2006 and 2008.
Rivera signed a contract with the Magic City Casino’s owners in 2006, but had the money from the deal sent to Millennium Marketing, a company founded by Rivera’s mother and godmother, records show. Rivera then received at least $132,000 back from Millennium — money that Rivera has called loans that need not be disclosed.
Rivera, who was elected to Congress in 2010 after eight years in the Florida Legislature, has denied wrongdoing, and he may fight the charges in an administrative hearing.
Rivera issued a statement Wednesday calling the ethics charges “false,” and criticizing the state Ethics Commission for releasing its findings so close to Election Day.
