[Washington, D.C.] Even though his memoir won’t be published until June 19, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has been getting plenty of ink lately.
And not much of it has been good.
This week, the number one VP choice for many on the GOP side of things was taken to task by watchdogs, illustrating why Rubio may not be top dog on Mitt Romney‘s list of choices for a running mate in the 2012 election.
Hispanic mover-and-shaker Charles Garcia’s opinion piece for CNN.com calls out Rubio for his recent re-framing of his much-discussed DREAM Act proposal.
The upgrade would “give special visas to children of undocumented workers if they attend college or serve in the military,” said Garcia.
But Garcia points out that on that very same day, Rubio “quietly” submitted the Responsible Child Tax Credit Eligibility Verification Act of 2012. The bill would tighten up requirements for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number applicants.
It would effectively kick 4 million impoverished children of undocumented workers to the curb in an effort to, “crack down on fraud at the expense of taxpayers,” according to a Rubio spokesperson.
Garcia likened Rubio’s same-day tactic to “silently stabbing” a suffering child in the back. Ouch.
“These are U.S. citizens,” said Garcia. “But to Rubio they are guilty by association. Through no fault of their own their parents are undocumented workers.”
All Hail Cesar
Then there’s this little gem: the Republic Report blog published financial disclosure form findings from Sen. Marco Rubio’s chief of staff Cesar Conda.
Conda is a former lobbyist who, apparently, still owns a stake in the lobbying firm Navigators Global he “left” to join Rubio in Washington.
Conda’s disclosure form shows that was paid between “$50,000 to $100,000″ in payments from Navigators Global after joining Team Rubio. The alarming disclosure highlights the ultra-cozy relationship Rubio’s staff has with lobbyists.
A Rubio spokesperson said the arrangement cleared ethics an evaluation in 2011. But does that make it right?
“The ongoing financial relationship with the lobbying firm shows that Conda has not severed ties to his corporate clients while working in Congress,” ethics scholar Craig Holman of consumer advocacy group Public Citizen told Republic Report.
“If Conda performs well for his former employer and clients, he will be looking at a very lucrative lobbying contract when he leaves Congress,” added Holman.
By: Mark Christopher/Sunshine Slate
Image: FL House (Photo: Mark Foley)
Marco Rubio
