Joe garcia colorado biography

American politician (born 1963)

For additional people with the same label, see Joe Garcia (disambiguation).

José Antonio García Jr. (born October 12, 1963), known whereas Joe García, is an Dweller attorney and politician. García symbolize Florida's 26th congressional district explain the House of Representatives go over the top with 2013 to 2015. A Proponent, García represented most of curry favour with Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys in Congress.

García heretofore served as executive director enterprise the Cuban American National Pillar and in the Department show consideration for Energy. In 2021, García became a registered lobbyist on consideration of the government of Ethiopia.^[1]

Early life and education

José Antonio Garcia, Jr. was born in Metropolis Beach, Florida to José Garcia, Sr. and his wife, Carmen. His parents fled Cuba care the Cuban Revolution occurred predominant Fidel Castro's Communist regime took power. Garcia graduated in 1982 from Belen Jesuit Preparatory Institute, where he participated in say publicly Close Up Washington civic teaching program. Garcia attended Miami-Dade Accord College before earning his of Artsdegree in political information and public affairs from rendering University of Miami in 1987. While at university, Garcia was elected president of the partisan government. He earned his J.D. from the University of Algonquin School of Law in 1991.^[2]

Early career

Garcia served on the Florida Public Service Commission as head. While on the FPSC, crystal-clear chaired the National Association look after Regulatory Utility Commissioners and was second vice chair of magnanimity Southeastern Association of Regulatory Service Commissioners. Garcia was later ordained to the Federal Communications Catnap Federal-State Joint Board on Regular Service and was a party of the National Association discovery Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.^{[citation needed]}

Garcia served on the timber of the Spanish American Matching part Against Discrimination (SALAD) and polish off the board of directors condemn Regis House, a drug dependance treatment and prevention center use inner-city youth in Miami.

Early politics

He became a member grapple the board of directors go with the Cuban American National Basement, and a past president. Be active has served as director ticking off the New Democrat Network Latino Strategy Center, and chairman be bought the Democratic Party of Miami-Dade County.

In 1993 Garcia ran for the Miami-Dade County Catnap for District 11, making rectitude run-off against Miguel Diaz unrelated la Portilla in a confirm race Diaz de la Portilla beat Garcia 51%-48%.^[3]

In 2009, Garcia joined the Obama administration discern a Senate-confirmed position as official of the Office of Nonage Economic Impact in the Allied States Department of Energy. At near his tenure at the influence department, Garcia was appointed wishy-washy President Obama to the Payment Force on Puerto Rico's Status.^[4]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2008

See also: 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida § District 25

Garcia announced on February 7, 2008, his candidacy for the U.S. Congress in Florida's 25th lawmaking district. Garcia's campaign raised retrieve $1.8 million but incumbent Populist U.S. Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart thwarted Garcia 53%-47%. This 6% left out is easily the closest stray a Democrat has come abut defeating one of the Díaz-Balart brothers in a Congressional plebiscite.

2010

See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections obligate Florida § District 25

In April 2010, Garcia announced his candidacy encouragement the 25th district again, make something stand out U.S. Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart declared he would run for reelection in the 21st District beingness vacated by his brother, President Díaz-Balart. In his campaign relation, Garcia stated he would area under discussion on job creation, funding raising and health care as king top priorities. Garcia defeated Luis Meurice in the Democratic head, 76%-24%.^{[5][better source needed]}

In the general election, Garcia faced State Representative David Muralist, Tea Party activist Jose 'Roly' Arrojo, and Florida Whig Social gathering nominee Craig Porter. Rivera cringing Garcia, 52%-43%, or a 9.5-point margin.^{[6][better source needed][7]}

2012

See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections emphasis Florida § District 26

In 2012, Garcia announced he would seek spruce rematch against Rivera in what was now the 26th partition. The district had been on the back burner well to the east duct south, losing its share lecture Collier County and picking sift all of Monroe County, as well as the Keys. The race was widely expected to be undue closer than in previous cycles. Not only was it make more complicated evenly divided between Democrats put up with Republicans than its predecessor, on the contrary Rivera's campaign was hobbled by virtue of numerous scandals. In addition match several state probes, Rivera was the target of a fed investigation into allegations he proved to sabotage the Democratic principal in the 26th by in camera funding an unknown candidate, Justin Lamar Sternad, in hopes reveal avoiding a rematch against García. Several vendors whom Sternad in use in his campaign told integrity Miami Herald that Rivera confidential funded Sternad's campaign.^[8] Sternad in the flesh subsequently told the FBI turn Rivera had funded his motivation. Sternad's campaign manager, Ana Alliegro, was a close friend have a high opinion of Rivera. According to Sternad she served as the go-between.^[9]

Garcia won the rematch, defeating Rivera 54%–43%.^[10] He was the first Cuban-American Democrat to represent Florida pavement Congress, and remains the lone one as of 2024.

In May 2013, Garcia's chief-of-staff endure top political strategist went be in opposition to jail after being implicated fall to pieces a sophisticated scheme to win over the previous year’s primary elections by submitting hundreds of forged absentee-ballot requests.^[11]

2014

See also: 2014 Allied States House of Representatives elections in Florida § District 26

García ran for re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. He palpable Republican nominee Carlos Curbelo pull the general election on Nov 4, 2014. According to boss Washington Post article in Dec 2012, Garcia was one sharing the 10 most vulnerable puissance in 2014.^[12] He was top-notch member of the Democratic Deliberative Campaign Committee's Frontline Program, prearranged to help protect vulnerable Selfgoverning incumbents heading into the 2014 election.^[13] Nonetheless, Garcia lost board the Republican nominee Carlos Curbelo, 51.5% to 48.5%.

2016

See also: 2016 United States House depict Representatives elections in Florida § District 26

Garcia ran again to correct his seat but was cowed by Curbelo, 53% to 41%.

Committee assignments

Political positions

Garcia was corporal into his first two-year reputation on January 3, 2013. In the face the urging of several civil and media organizations as athletic as prominent leaders, Garcia refused to disclose any of queen stances for the 2012 Federal Courage Test.^[14]

Abortion

Garcia supports abortion assert and has voted against charter that would prohibit organizations zigzag perform abortions from receiving in alliance funds.^{[15][better source needed]}

Cuba

Garcia joined other Cuban legislature in submitting a letter obstacle the State Department calling plan Cuba to remain a fixed state-sponsor of terrorism. And link with a Sept. 19 letter, explicit joined with the other combine Cuban-American House members by breeding concerns over the regime's condition in selling art at on the rocks Houston art fair.

Garcia endorses character political construct that the U.S. continue to allow Cuban-Americans sort out travel to Cuba to go again family, and that other Americans to go there for "purposeful travel", such as educational excursions and religious missions.^[17]

Garcia supported significance application of a Havana-based delving institute to get a certify from the U.S. Treasury Branch to test and market adroit diabetes treatment in the In partnership States. Critics claim the commission could weaken the embargo weather could eventually lead to sharing Cuba access to American chains store without political reform.^[18]

Gay marriage

García supports same-sex marriage. He was sole of 172 congresspeople who simple ^[when?] a memorandum sent make contact with the Supreme Court to rescind the Defense of Marriage Act.^[19]

Health care

Garcia opposes repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act.^{[15][better source needed][20][better source needed]}

Privacy

Garcia voted be against the Amash Amendment, which would have prohibited the collection uphold records by the National Relaxation Agency under the Patriot Act.^[21][22]

Economy

Garcia voted for the Farm Value, a $1 trillion bill elastic crop insurance for farmers toddler $7 billion over the fee decade and creating new subsidies for rice and peanut growers, but which made cuts let down the food stamp program fail to notice an average of $90 break down month for 1.7 million get out in 15 states.^[23]

Energy

García supports burgeoning renewable and alternative sources go in for energy.^[24] He opposes offshore drilling,^{[15][better source needed][24]} and opposes any offshore liveliness production, hoping to develop vigour industries on shore.

Immigration reform

Garcia is the chief sponsor amuse the House of Representatives slate a comprehensive immigration reform plan^[25] which is similar to charter that has passed the Leagued States Senate. If enacted, primacy plan would create a way to legalized permanent residency progress to millions of undocumented aliens wreak and working in the Merged States. ^{[citation needed]}

Flood insurance

In Jan 2014, Garcia proposed legislation roam would halt flood insurance abide hikes for five years. Dominion efforts stem from previous bill that once in place would hit 268,000 Floridians with undo increases of between 20 dowel 400 percent.^[26] The Miami Herald reported that the bill would apply to all "property owners covered by the National Florida Insurance Program, and provides glory greatest relief to those hardest hit—including an estimated 47,000 bring into being Miami-Dade County."^[26]

Controversy

2010 candidate funding

On Sep 9, 2013, the Miami Herald reported the funding of clean shill candidate during Garcia's 2010 campaign. His campaign reportedly furtively funded Jose 'Roly' Arrojo, though a third party Republican essential candidate, in an effort get at siphon votes from the show aggression Republican candidate, David Rivera.^[27] Arrojo had spent thousands of on mailers and a $10,440 qualifying fee without having shrewd filed the necessary paperwork down the Federal Election Commission.^[28][29] Vendors employed in the Arrojo motivation told the Miami Herald meander Garcia had funded Arrojo's crusade and that they were cooperating with federal authorities in rectitude investigation. He was sentenced withstand two years probation with start burning months of home confinement ahead a $1,000 fine.^[27][30][31]

2012 Absentee vote for scheme

In February 2013, the Miami Herald began reporting about "high-tech" hackers who had managed come to get make fraudulent ballot requests transfer the August 2012 primary choosing. On July 7, 2012, decency first of more than 2,500 absentee ballot requests began cyclosis in from voters who abstruse not requested a ballot.^{[32][33][34][35]} Decency Miami Herald investigation into be successful of fraudulent ballot requests prompted Prosecutors to reopen the carrycase. It was discovered that ethics fake ballot requests originated evade masked Internet Protocol addresses inferior Miami.^[11] The investigation would all that Congressman Garcia’s staff locked away been behind the hundreds a few fraudulent absentee-ballot requests.^[36]

Of the leash staff members involved, Jefferey Garcia (no relation), had served hoot campaign manager to the Administrator during his 2010 bid pursue the District 26 seat, coupled with later as his chief bring into play staff. Jefferey Garcia pled sul, and was sentenced to 90 days in jail for orchestrating the fraudulent ballot scheme.^[37]

Lobbying tyrannize behalf of the Ethiopian government

In 2021, Garcia became a pull strings on behalf of the decide of Ethiopia as part slow Mercury Public Affairs, a lobbying firm owned by Omnicom Lesson. Garcia was hired to reception room through the American Ethiopian Catholic Affairs Committee (AEPAC), which has been endorsed by Ethiopian legate Fitsum Arega.^[38] A copy sight Garcia's contract stated that distinction firm will provide “government support and media relations consulting tolerate management services” on behalf carefulness Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government.^[1] Ahmed has been accused topple abetting genocide in the Tigray region, and Garcia has reportedly lobbied alongside former Senator Painter Vitter on congressional legislation remark response to the War hassle Tigray.^[39]

See also

References

External links