Post by rico on Jul 17, 2023 17:26:42 GMT
Florida state Sen. Ileana Garcia (R) won election in 2020 by a slim 32-vote margin over incumbent Jose Javier Rodriguez (D) in a Miami-area swing district. But a third candidate running as an Independent, Alex Rodriguez, took 6,382 votes.
The other Rodriguez, it turns out, was allegedly recruited and paid by former state Sen. Frank Artiles (R) to run for the seat. His mission wasn't to win — it was to confuse voters who thought they would be voting for the Democratic incumbent.
Authorities charged Artiles with three criminal counts for funneling more than $44,000 to the fake candidate, including $10,000 he paid Rodriguez for a used Range Rover that didn't actually exist.
Garcia, who won the election, was not implicated in the scheme.
The other Rodriguez, it turns out, was allegedly recruited and paid by former state Sen. Frank Artiles (R) to run for the seat. His mission wasn't to win — it was to confuse voters who thought they would be voting for the Democratic incumbent.
Authorities charged Artiles with three criminal counts for funneling more than $44,000 to the fake candidate, including $10,000 he paid Rodriguez for a used Range Rover that didn't actually exist.
Garcia, who won the election, was not implicated in the scheme.
