MIAMI – Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, already part of a federal investigation into sex trafficking allegations, is now tied to a shill candidate in a Florida Senate election, according to the New York Times.
There are connections between that ghost candidate in Central Florida and the same dark money that funded the two South Florida shill candidates a Local 10 News investigation uncovered last fall.
Those candidates are Alex Rodríguez , who ran in Senate District 37, and Celso Alfonso, who ran in District 39,
Rodriguez has since been criminally charged.
The alleged mastermind and financier behind the production is resigned Florida Senator Frank Artiles.
Bogus campaign records for both shill candidates were retrieved from Artiles’ home in a raid last month.
A third shill candidate, now tied to Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz is Jestine Iannotti, who ran in Central Florida District 9.
Local 10 News found the money trail that indicated all three candidates were funded by the same dark money.
#Florida Cong. Matt Gaetz is now tied to shill candidate in a state senate election. This thread shows how *that* ghost candidate is directly connected to two So Fla shills we busted last Nov.
It’s in the money trail that led to Frank Artiles arrest.
Here we go:@WPLGLocal10 pic.twitter.com/5Uu96L0L8t — Glenna Milberg (@GlennaWPLG) April 12, 2021
Its starts with two political action committees that were opened the very same day, On Oct. 2; Our Florida PAC, backing South Florida candidates Rodríguez and Alfonso, and The Truth PAC for Central Florida candidate Iannotti.
The next day, both PACs reported their one and only contribution: an untraceable Atlanta company Proclivity that would suddenly change in the records to the also untraceable Denver company Grow United.
Two days after that, on Oct. 5, both PACs make their one and only expenditure: the combined half-million dollars to a printer company called Advance Impression.
The resulting campaign flyers looked identical in graphics, but for the three candidates’ names, making the no-party candidates appealing to democratic voters that they were meant to confuse.
Back to #Florida Cong. Matt Gaetz, whom NYT connects to D9 shill candidate Jestine Iannotti...
Shill “schemes” are not illegal in #Florida; illegal campaign funding is.
That’s how #Miami SAO charged Artiles & Rodriguez.
No indication Central FL SAOs are on the case.@WPLGLocal10 — Glenna Milberg (@GlennaWPLG) April 12, 2021
The printer is located in Clermont, but the owners are from Miami; the mother and stepdad of a republican strategist connected to both PACs, both of which have since been disabled.
Congressman Gaetz is allegedly connected to the Central Florida shill scheme, according to the New York Times.
But it’s that dark money, not the scheme, that makes a shill illegal, as the arrests of former senator Artiles and shill Rodríguez show so far.
Ex-Sen. Frank Artiles’ home raided in shill candidate investigation
Read the warrant alleging ex-Florida Sen. Frank Artiles paid shill candidate to dupe voters
Ex-Florida Sen. Frank Artiles walks out of jail facing felony campaign finance charges
Democrats want new election after sham candidate arrests, but where was the outrage before this case?
Former Senator Frank Artiles faces new charges in alleged shill candidate scheme
Vladius28 on April 13rd, 2021 at 00:12 UTC »
People aren't talking about how the trump campaign lawyers were helping Kanye register all over the country.
This is one of the most underhanded, slimy and unethical practices in politics.
I dont know how it isn't illegal in all cases
Democrats should just start running libertarians everywhere
Grimley_PNW on April 12nd, 2021 at 23:51 UTC »
And indirectly tied to two more fake candidates, one of whom has already been charged.
Doesn't say if Artiles has been charged with anything yet though. I gotta wonder...
jp_books on April 12nd, 2021 at 23:43 UTC »
Because of course he is.