DCCC Renews Call for Curbelo to Disclose Clients after Campaign’s Law Firm Sued for Illegal Kickback Scheme
As if One-Term Wonder Congressman Carlos Curbelo didn’t have enough reasons to publicly disclose the clients of his lobbying firm, news recently surfaced that Clark Hill, a law and lobbying firm providing legal services to Congressman Curbelo’s campaign for Congress is being sued for an alleged kickback scheme to win federal contracts.
Curbelo continually displays a lack of transparency that is mind-boggling for a public official. After taking advantage of a loophole to hide the clients of his lobbying firm, omitting special interest donations from campaign finance reports, and approving contracts for campaign donors while a member of the school board, Curbelo still refuses to come clean with voters.
“Each new development reveals Curbelo’s questionable judgement and lack of interest in eliminating the appearance of conflicting interests,” said DCCC spokesman Matt Thornton. “This suit highlights why it’s important that Florida voters know who Curbelo’s lobbying clients were and if Clark Hill is on the list.”
BACKGROUND
CURBELO’S CAMPAIGN LAWYERS ACCUSED OF RUNNING KICKBACK SCHEME
Lobbying Firm Clark Hill Accused “Of Engaging In An Illegal Kickback Scheme.” “Clark Hill, a legal and lobbying firm that manages many of the largest Super PACs in the country, including the Jeb Bush group known as Right to Rise, is accused of engaging in an illegal kickback scheme with one of its clients, according to a recently filed lawsuit. Though the court case does not relate to Clark Hill’s work in the Super PAC industry, the allegations offer an unusual look into the workings of one of the most prominent lobbying firms in Washington.” [The Intercept, 4/21/15]
- Curbelo’s Campaign Paid More Than $21,000 To Clark Hill For Legal Services And Compliance.
| Date | Amount |
| 4/08/14 | $2,373 |
| 7/11/14 | $3,000 |
| 7/16/14 | $3,000 |
| 10/02/14 | $3,000 |
| 11/03/14 | $3,000 |
| 11/24/14 | $3,000 |
| 12/15/14 | $3,724 |
| TOTAL: $21,097 | |
[fec.gov, accessed 5/1/15]
CURBELO HAS PAST OF SHADY ACTIVITY
Curbelo Previously Refused To Disclose Lobbying Clients. “As a member of the Miami-Dade County school board, Carlos Curbelo has voted on education policies and contracts for four years. Now, running for a congressional seat, he’s looking to have a say in far more consequential government decisions. For most of that time, Curbelo has been drawing a six-figure salary to represent government and public-relations clients. Yet the Republican candidate refuses to disclose who those clients are.” [Miami Herald, 10/17/14]
Miami Herald: “Loophole Allows Miami Candidate To Keep Firm Clients Secret.” “Yet the Republican candidate refuses to disclose who those clients are. Some of them are political candidates who have hired Curbelo as a campaign strategist or as a Spanish-language media spokesman. Those clients are publicly known. But the others aren’t, raising questions as to why Curbelo insists on keeping them secret. ‘He’s violating the spirit of the rules,’ said Adam Rappaport, senior counsel for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, a liberal watchdog group.’ Technically, he is exploiting a loophole that allows him not to disclose.’” [Miami Herald, 10/17/14]
Miami New Times: “GOP Frontrunner Carlos Curbelo Has a History of Approving Contracts For Campaign Donors.” “Between 2010 and 2013 Curbelo, while representing District 7 on the board, voted roughly a dozen times to award school board contracts to companies that had donated a total of $25,450 to his well-funded 2010 school board campaign.” [Miami New Times, 6/12/14]
Curbelo Paid Fine To FEC For Omitting Contributions From Campaign Finance Reports. “U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo has paid a $3,200 fine to the Federal Election Commission for omitting $26,700 in political contributions from his finance reports last year, his campaign said Friday.” [Miami Herald, 3/20/15]