For the past seven years David Rivera, a Republican state legislator now running for congress in district 25, has filed sworn documents claiming that besides his salary from the state his main source of income has been from U.S. Agency for International Development. Well, The Miami Herald contacted U.S.A.I.D. and it turns out the agency has no record of ever dealing with Rivera nor his company. Whoops, someone's got some 'splaining to do.
All state legislators are required to file financial-disclosure forms with the Florida Commission on Ethics. Rivera was elected in 2002, and every year has claimed that besides his $30,000 salary as a Representative, his main source of income has been from the U.S.A.I.D. for work he's done as a consultant.
The Herald asked the agency about it, and got his email back in return: "We do not have Mr. Rivera nor the corporations you referred to in our records."
Rivera scrambled to come up with an explanation, claiming he did work through a Puerto Rican company he started called Interamerican Government Relations. Though, Rivera declined to name his partner in the venture.
He claims that his company was merely a subcontractor to other contractors working with U.S.A.I.D.
Rivera also has not disclosed how much money he made from the consulting firm, but is required to report any income over $1,000. The Herald points out, "Violations of state ethics laws can lead to civil fines."
So in order to not give off the impression that he was purposefully lying about his source of income on sworn documents, he either needs to explain his income or, at the very least, that he apparently did not have the ability to properly fill out basic documents seven years in a row.
Rivera is currently running for the U.S. Congressional seat in District 25 against Democrat Joe Garcia.
[Herald: Source of Florida U.S. House candidate Rivera's income is unclear]
