• March 28, 2024

Florida Democrat Accused of Embezzling Campaign Funds to Promote a Book

Florida State Rep. Kimberly Daniels stands accused of using $4,000 in campaign funds from 2015 to advertise a book she had written called “The Demon Dictionary”.  The transgression being investigated by the the Florida Elections Commission has been reported by the Florida Times-Union.  How unusual to find a democrat violating the law and ethics rules.  Is this a first?

The Florida Elections Commission is currently investigating a complaint that Daniels used $4,000 from a 2015 campaign for reelection to the Jacksonville City Council. The representative allegedly purchased magazine advertisements for her book, and encouraged readers of Shofar magazine to read her book. The advertisement didn’t include a reference to her campaign, according to the report.

Daniels claims that the $4,000 paid to the magazine was used for campaign-related activities. Shofar Editor Katina Mickens was hired to cover campaign-related events and manage the official Facebook page.

The FEC is also investigating two other potential violations, one involving Daniel’s use of campaign funds to “defray normal living expenses,” and the other involving the campaign’s filing of incomplete funding reports on time, according to the report.

Daniels was asked to justify the $4,000 dollars paid to a magazine and she answered by saying the $4,000 was paid to  Shofar’s editor, Katina “P.K.” Mickens, to cover campaign events and to run her Facebook account.  But Mickens did not confirm that story.  She claims it was for advertisements for Daniel’s book.  The commission held a closed door meeting back in February in which they determined that there was sufficient evidence to charge Daniels with the crime.

The case will now be discussed in an open meeting of the Election Commission in May.

 

 

 

 

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