Blast From Marco Rubio's Past: Max Alvarez

Back in April 2008, Florida House members and staffers told Marc Caputo that former House Speaker Marco Rubio inserted "tough-to-spot language" for the turnpike bill. Max Alvarez has given $9,000 to Rubio campaigns between 1999 and 2008. The two go back in together in Miami's Cuban community. Alvarez told the Miami Herald he considers Rubio "like a son."

Alvarez is the CEO of Sunshine Gasoline Distributors. Alvarez failed to persuade turnpike officials to give him a contract. Alvarez went to his unofficial "son" to secure a deal to sell fuel to supply gas pumps at rest-area plazas. Rubio inserted language to give Alvarez a an advantage to win the contract.

Former Florida Senate Republican leader Dan Webster said the contract for Sunshine Gasoline Distributors was "bad deal." Rubio attempted an amendment to help Alvarez that was stripped in the Senate by Webster. Turnpike officials wanted to award the contracts to corporations that would spend $175 million to help rebuild the eight rest-area plazas. That was the fiscally wise thing to do. Self-proclaimed fiscal conservative Marco Rubio felt differently.