The Fiscal Conservatism of David Rivera

It seems David Rivera wasn't a fiscal conservative when it came to managing the finances of the Miami-Dade Republican Party.

"We have expenditures that are unsustainable," the party's chairman, state Rep. Erik Freen of Miami, said Wednesday night to the members of the local GOP, also known as the Republican Executive Committee.

Fresen took over for Rivera last December. The Miami-Dade Republican Party's fiscal year ended with $12.66. As chair of the Miami-Dade Republican Party, Rivera paid Communication Solutions $250,000. The Miami-Dade Republican Party could find no record of the transaction. Communication Solutions is run by Rivera's girlfriend Esther Nuhfer.

Fresen was forced to hold the party's Lincoln Day Dinner to bring in contributions. At the time of this post, the Miami-Dade Republican Party has $1,097.11 in the bank.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been heading an investigation on Rivera. The investigation centers on a $510,000 payment Flagler Dog Track made to Millennium Marketing, which is owned by Rivera's mother and godmother. This was around the time Flagler was lobbying the Florida legislature for slot machines. Rivera received $137,000 from Millennium Marketing. Rivera did not disclose the money. After the money was discovered, Rivera claimed it was a loan.

I need a scorecard to keep up with Rivera's scandals.

The David Rivera & Esther Nuhfer Connection

The Miami Herald reports that David Rivera paid $250,000 to the political consulting firm Communication Solutions for a state senate campaign he later dropped out of. (Rivera would eventually run for Congress.) Rivera paid Communication Solutions $150,000 for radio ads and GOTV efforts. However, the Miami-Dade Republican Party has no record of the payments. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating Rivera's payments to Communication Solutions.

Esther Nuhfer started Communication Solutions in 2004. Blogger Joy-Ann Reid reports that Rivera and Nuhfer are dating. Below is a picture of Rivera and Nuhfer at a Miami Dade College black tie event.



The Miami Herald's reporting indicates that Nuhler acted very girlfriendish when lobbying in Tallahassee.

During the legislative session, Nuhfer was a constant presence in Rivera’s office: She often could be found sitting at or near his desk, using the telephone or typing on her laptop next to Rivera’s legislative aide, Alina Garcia, who was Nuhfer’s roommate in Tallahassee.

Rivera and Nuhfer also traveled together outside the state, according to sources close to the criminal investigation. Through his campaign, Rivera said any trips with Nuhfer were for “fundraising activities and events.” In December, Rivera accompanied Nuhfer to a black-tie gala for Miami Dade College.

Another odd piece of information is that in 2008, Nuhfer only registered to lobby the Florida House. It is unheard of for lobbyists to register to lobby the House and not the Senate. At the time, Rivera was a member of the Florida House. Where the plot thickens is during 2008 Nuhfer was a consulting for two of Rivera's political action committees. Her firm received $44,000 the the consulting work.

Ryan J. Reilly of Talking Points Memo attempted to ask Rivera why the Miami-Dade Republican Party can not account for the $150,000 paid to Communication Solutions. The response he got was absolutely bizarre. Reilly was contacted by an anonymous person using a Comcat email address. The person would not reveal to Reilly his or her identity.

Whoever the anonymous e-mailer handling inquires from reporters is, they've had a lot of work on their hands. News broke recently that the Miami-Dade Republican Party paid Esther Nuhfer, a political consultant with close ties to Rivera, $150,000 ahead of the 2010 election. Investigators are reportedly looking into the relationship between Rivera and Nuhfer, who is mostly known for her work as a lobbyist.

The e-mailer said that the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County "is fully aware of the details associated with every expenditure" and disputed that there was money unaccounted for.

We will see about that.