How Rubio Helped His Ex-Con Brother-In-Law Acquire A Real Estate License

[Purveyor]

Source: Washington Post

By Scott Higham and Manuel Roig-Franzia December 30 at 3:54 PM

When Marco Rubio was majority whip of the Florida House of Representatives, he used his official position to urge state regulators to grant a real estate license to his brother-in-law, a convicted cocaine trafficker who had been released from prison 20 months earlier, according to records obtained by The Washington Post.

In July 2002, Rubio sent a letter on his official statehouse stationery to the Florida Division of Real Estate, recommending Orlando Cicilia “for licensure without reservation.” The letter, obtained by The Washington Post under the Florida Public Records Act, offers a glimpse of Rubio using his growing political power to assist his troubled brother-in-law and provides new insight into how the young lawmaker intertwined his personal and political lives.

Rubio did not disclose in the letter that Cicilia was married to his sister, Barbara, or that the former cocaine dealer was living at the time in the same West Miami home as Rubio’s parents. He wrote that he had known Cicilia “for over 25 years,” without elaborating.

Rubio has avoided discussing Cicilia’s case in detail and has declined to answer questions about his relationship with his brother-in-law. Earlier this month, prior to The Post publishing an article about Cicilia’s case, Rubio declined to answer a written question about whether he had helped win the approval of his brother-in-law’s real estate license.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-marco-rubio-helped-his-ex-con-relative-get-a-real-estate-license/2015/12/30/a1d96816-ae7f-11e5-9ab0-884d1cc4b33e_story.html

[Live and Learn]

1. Ex-Cons need jobs too. The question here should be why does someone need to know someone with

influence to get a job. There need to be ways for people to move back in to society without favors from those in power.

[Iggo]

6. Fact.

[NobodyHere]

7. Excellent post

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. Yes ex-cons need jobs BUT

A former cocaine trafficker has no business being a real estate agent. Real estate is a common way to launder drug money, especially in Florida.

[Live and Learn]

16. Ending the drug war and legalizing them would easily solve that problem. nt

[TexasBushwhacker]

18. Considering the glacial speed of legalizing marijuana

I don't see legalizing cocaine anywhere on the horizon.

[ManiacJoe]

2. Why is all the the important info always buried at the

bottom of the articles?

[47of74]

3. And if a Democrat had done this you know Rubio and the rest of the GOP dumbf--k bus...

...would be standing by with the boards and nails to crucify said Democrat.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Probably Iceberg tip?

Privilege or just outright corruption.

[DirkGently]

5. "the money has never been found."

$15 million in cocaine-trafficking money just wandered off somewhere, all on its lonesome?

[truthisfreedom]

13. Woo-hoo!

That's a lotta cash to disappear.

[rladdi]

8. Nor has Rubio broke his silence on using cocaine.

[enid602]

9. at last

Finally. A Repiblican in favor of rehabilitating convicts. Or at least some. I guess you just shoot the others on the street without a trial.

[Unknown Beatle]

11. That's just a glimpse into what

a Rubio presidency would be like. Full of nepotism and cronyism.

[dem in texas]

12. Major Cocaine Dealer

Brother-in-law was not small potatoes, but worked for one of the biggest cocaine dealers in the Miami area back when Miami was the cocaine capital of the US. So surprised that this hasn't come up earlier.

[Dawson Leery]

14. How many children got drugs from Rubio's brother in law?

[Live and Learn]

17. Think of the children, Then send them off to war. nt

[Cracklin Charlie]

15. Is there a reason he chose to be a realtor?

I thought realtors had to attend special training, in order to be certified?

[Sunlei]

19. convicted of distributing $15 million worth of cocaine. regular citizen would be in prison for life

[niyad]

20. ssdd

[dembotoz]

21. would be laudable if this was not a one off.....if not family you rot is prison the gop way

take care of their own at least if they can do it quietly

[tabasco]

22. The only reason republican-types engage in politics

is to enrich themselves and their friends.

[passiveporcupine]

23. Interesting

Unlike some states, Florida does not prohibit felons from holding real estate licenses. Their applications are considered on a “case-by-case basis” by seven members of the Florida Real Estate Commission, who are appointed by the governor. The governor, at that time, was Rubio’s political mentor, Jeb Bush

And the money was never found.

I am all for helping convicts get back into a normal life, and I can see why this job would be good for a felon...how many other jobs out there will they be able to get?

But still...this has me bothered a little.