As I noted a few months ago, a tsunami isn’t normal sea water. It’s a filthy sludge, brimming with dead fish and farm animals, dead trees, construction debris, garbage, mud and sewage. A giant wave of gunk and junk.
What a perfect metaphor to describe the many accidental Congressmen who were swept into Congress in the Tea Party tsunami of 2010.
Here’s a good example: Rep. David Rivera, of Miami.
Where shall we begin? A domestic abuse charge was filed in Miami in 1994 against “David M. Rivera.” Rep. Rivera says that it was a different “David M. Rivera,” not him. But a friend of the victim says that Rep. Rivera and the victim attended a dinner party at her house, as a couple. And the victim’s mother worked for Rivera’s campaign. Just coincidences, Rivera says. Rivera, like OJ Simpson, surely will devote the rest of his life to finding the true perpetrator.
In 2002, Rep. Rivera ran for the Florida State House of Representatives. A truck carrying thousands of anti-Rivera mailers was on its way to the post office, to meet a deadline. On the highway, in the middle lane, a car deliberately smashed into the truck. The truck was forced to the side of the road, and the mailers did not go out on time. The car was driven by . . . David Rivera. David M. Rivera. Another coincidence, I’m sure.
During the time that Rep. Rivera served in the Florida House, he reported in sworn documents that his only source of outside income, for seven years, was his work as a consultant for the US Agency for International Development. There was only one problem with that story – USAID has no record of ever employing him.
So how did Rivera make his money? Well, in 2008, Rivera was an outspoken and determined proponent of an initiative to approve slot machines at Flagler Dog Track and other locations. And the Flagler Dog Track made $500,000 in secret payments to Rivera, which Rivera omitted from his financial disclosure.
Another coincidence.
I do think that the taxpayers should be paying for David Rivera’s room and board. But I don’t think that the federal institution at which Rivera serves should be the U.S. Congress.
David Rivera should not be in Congress. And we have a good chance to get rid of him, on Nov. 6. Please click here, and support Rivera’s Democratic opponent Joe Garcia. Help remove the stain of David Rivera from Congress.
Courage,
Alan Grayson