[ad_1]
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced charges Tuesday against three individuals involved in a 2020 campaign finance scheme in Seminole County.
According to investigators, Jestine Phillea Iannotti — who ran as an independent candidate in Senate District 9 — illegally accepted a $1,200 cash donation submitted under several false names.
The donation, provided by political consultant James Eric Foglesong, utilized the false names to sidestep campaign finance laws, according to investigators.
The pair now face felony charges and must turn themselves in to police by May 25.
Deeper investigation:Prosecutors’ probe into ghost candidates leads to questions for political consulting firms
Revealed:Palm Beach County ghost candidate exposes ‘lies’ behind Florida election reform, voter groups say
‘It was me’:Frank Artiles bragged about spoiling 2020 Florida Senate race, lobbyist says
“Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and we must do everything we can to ensure they are fair and transparent,” said FDLE Acting Commissioner Mark Glass.
A third player, meanwhile, is awaiting a court summons. Seminole County Republican Chair Benjamin Richard Paris provided at least one false name and address used in the scheme, according to FDLE. He faces a first-degree misdemeanor charge.
“Lying about campaign donations is unacceptable because it provides an unfair advantage to the candidate,” Glass added. “Protecting the integrity of our elections is a top priority in Florida, and that includes making sure candidates follow the laws.”
Foglesong, a political consultant, made headlines in a separate 2019 campaign scam.
According to FDLE, he stole roughly $20,000 from a political action committee (PAC) involved in the 2018 Orange County Sheriff’s election.
The PAC, Citizens for Safety and Justice, was intended to provide advertising services for Orange County Sheriff John Mina. Foglesong, who co-founded the PAC, instead wrote checks to himself and family members.
Tuesday’s announcement marks the latest 2020 election dust-up in Florida. In at least two state races, investigators are exploring the involvement of mysterious political committees and ghost candidates.
The Senate District 9 race, won by Republican State Sen. Jason Brodeur, is among those shrouded in scrutiny.
Brodeur narrowly defeated Democrat Patricia Sigman with 50.3% of the vote in 2020 while Iannotti, a non-party affiliated candidate and political newcomer, finished dead last.
Democrats call for investigation of Brodeur’s Florida Senate race, 3rd party candidate
Many draw parallels between that race and the scandal of Alex Rodriguez in Miami-Dade County. Rodriguez, a third-party candidate in Senate District 37, pleaded guilty last year to two counts of election fraud.
Frank Artiles, a Republican political operative and former state senator, paid Rodriguez more than $44,000 to run as an independent against incumbent Democratic state Sen. José Javier Rodríguez.
The plan, according to Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, was to siphon votes from the Democratic lawmaker — using a candidate with a similar name — and boost the odds of the Republican challenger: Ileana Garcia.
Ghost candidate pleads guilty in Frank Artiles’ Miami election corruption case
Garcia won the election by 32 votes while Alex Rodriguez, who finished third and did not campaign, garnered over 6,300 votes. Authorities charged Artiles last year with campaign finance violations.
Jason Delgado is a reporter for the USA Today Network-Florida. He’s based in Tallahassee. Reach him at JDelgado@gannett.com
[ad_2]
Source link
