Marco Rubio's Illegal Pig Slaughterhouse Problem?

Most politicians' pork scandals have little to do with actual pigs, but Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio is fending off accusations made by animal rights activists after he posted a photo of a dead pig on Twitter. According to Naked Politics, Rubio posted the picture Christmas Eve with the caption, "Working...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

January 29, 2010

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Most politicians' pork scandals have little to do with actual pigs, but Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio is fending off accusations made by animal rights activists after he posted a photo of a dead pig on Twitter.

According to Naked Politics, Rubio posted the picture Christmas Eve with the caption, "Working on the 2009 Rubio family Christmas Eve pig. Warning: picture not for the faint of heart."

Richard Couto, founder of the Miami-based Animal Recovery Mission (ARM), who became aware of the photo last week, says the facility in the picture looks like an illegal slaughterhouse. New Times detailed Miami-Dade's pig-slaughtering black market earlier this year.

ARM's Twitter page even accuses Rubio of political dishonesty: "Bet rubio was given the hog maybe in return for a little political protection for the illegal farms."

But a spokesman for Rubio says the slaughterhouse was completely legal and that the picture showed workers removing hair from the dead pig's hide.

"It's Marco's way of giving insight into how his family spends Christmas Eve," the spokesman told Naked Politics.

Yeah, nothing like preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who was born among farm animals in a manger, like watching a 180-pound pig being slaughtered.

Rubio's followers have come to his defense, with one giving this insight about the Twit pic: "Slaughter, thats what the socialist Obama team has done to your Country."

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