‘Just an oversight:’ Miami-Dade Republicans appeal $21,000 campaign-finance penalty
The Miami-Dade Republican Party is appealing a $21,181 fine issued by the county elections department for being nearly three months late filing a quarterly campaign finance report last year.
The local GOP blamed inexperience among new officials for the 85-day delay in filing a campaign treasurer’s report last October. A hearing with the Florida Elections Commission is scheduled for May 17, according to a notice the FEC sent to the Miami-Dade Elections Office.
The treasurer’s report was due July 2021 but not submitted until October. The county elections office notified the party of the overdue report in July and issued a fine equaling 25% of the party’s campaign contributions for the quarter.
Miami-Dade GOP Chairman Rene Garcia, a former Florida lawmaker and current county commissioner, told the Miami Herald on Tuesday that there was a gap between the resignation of the party’s prior treasurer and the election of current treasurer Annette Hernandez.
“I think it was just an oversight on her part,” Garcia said.
The Miami-Dade Republican Party’s appeal to the FEC references the “many new faces” in the party, including Executive Director Brandon Diaz and the party treasurer, and states that “our team handling these reports are new to the process which is why the late filing was made.”
The Oct. 26 appeal was signed by Diaz, but Diaz said Garcia wrote it.
“We understand the importance of turning in these reports on time to the Florida Elections Commission,” the appeal said. “Being said unfortunately the last few months has seen many new faces come to the Miami-Dade GOP.”
This story was originally published May 4, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
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