Floridians sure didn't let silly things like "ethics" get in their way of voting this year. Just ask Governor-elect Medicare Fraud. Despite evidence that David Rivera claimed employment for years as a state legislator from an organization that said they'd never employed him, he was easily elected to the U.S. Congress in District 25. Now, before he even takes office, he's under investigation for $500,000 paid from owners of the Flagler Dog Track to a company co-manged by his mother.
Back in 2008 when Rivera was in the state house he lead a campaign to allow slot machines in certain venues in Miami-Dade County. Weeks after his legislative success, $510,000 was paid to Millennium Marketing by owners of the Flagler Dog Track, now known as the Magic City Casino and one of the venues that benefited. The Miami Herald reports that Millennium Marketing is co-managed by Rivera's 71-year-old mother.
Now, the State Attorney's Office is investigating whether the transactions were illegal or if Rivera himself received any of the money.
Attorney's for the dog track say that Rivera approached them in 2006 about managing the pro-slots campaign, and set up the contract with Millennium. At the time the Marketing company's sole-executive was Rivera's Godmother.
All parties claimed that everything was on the up-and-up, but this is coming from a guy who's campaign was bankrolled by several prominent lobbyists.
[Herald : A $500,000 question over track's payments]
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