Bragging publicly about defying the rules is not necessarily a good idea. A former Florida Republican elected official was arrested Thursday, March 18, for paying the namesake of an incumbent candidate to run and win votes from distracted voters. Last November, the unfortunate senator José Javier Rodriguez bowed to the founder of the Latinas for Trump, Ileana Garcia, for only 32 votes. Another Rodriguez – who hasn’t really campaigned, according to US media – has received more than 6,000 ballots.
According to justice, Frank Artiles is behind this apparent plot. This former member of the Florida Senate is thus accused of three counts, including that of violations of the rules for financing electoral campaigns. According to the arrest warrant issued against him, Frank Artiles would have paid nearly 45,000 dollars, or approximately 38,000 euros, to Alex Pedro Rodriguez, a salesman of spare auto parts, to appear in order to « hijack votes from the incumbent ».
Fraud spotted by local media
The local press raised suspicions when Alex Rodriguez, also targeted by three charges, refused to participate in interviews to talk about his campaign, which appeared to be non-existent. In December, the Miami Herald reported that Frank Artiles had publicly bragged about saving Ileana Garcia. « It’s me, it’s all me », he would have said, according to the newspaper.
The home of the indelicate was searched on Wednesday and the man presented himself to the police the next day before being released on bail. For these facts, the former senator and his accomplice risk up to five years in prison.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
