It been a rough few days for lobbyist Carlos Curbelo:
- After Curbelo repeatedly refused to disclose his lobbying company’s clients, both CBS and The Miami Herald finally discovered at least one of his paying clients – Ecuadorian fugitives who were convicted of embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars – and after hiding them as his clients, Curbelo still refuses to describe what exactly they paid him to do.
- Next, on CBS’ Facing South Florida Curbelo continued defending his comments calling Medicare and Social Security a ‘Ponzi scheme,’ bizarrely claiming that it’s a figure of speech and that young people share his views. In response, the President of the Miami Dade Young Democrats condemned Curbelo.
- Then, Curbelo’s former primary challenger Republican Ed MacDougall announced he will not support Curbelo, citing his refusal to disclose his lobbying clients. MacDougall wrote “I ask all good republicans not vote for Carlos Curbelo.”
- Finally, a third Republican – Joe Martinez – stated that he is also refusing to endorse Curbelo, prompting the Miami Herald to write “Carlos Curbelo is not very popular among his former Republican primary rivals.”
“After Carlos Curbelo was caught calling Medicare and Social Security a ‘Ponzi scheme,’ it’s no wonder that even Republicans are fleeing from his floundering campaign,” said David Bergstein of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Whether Curbelo is refusing to disclose his lobbying clients or jeopardizing the Medicare and Social Security that seniors have earned, even South Florida Republicans agree that Curbelo is only looking out for himself, his paying clients and his Tea Party political allies.”