The Florida Elections Commission (FEC), earlier this month, found “probable cause” that Sen. Gary Siplin (D-Orlando) violated Florida election laws eight times, including paying poll workers $13,000 and not disclosing their names, and accepting campaign contributions from a company in excess of the legal limit.
In their “Order of Probable Cause”, the FEC found that on September 17, 2008, Siplin on three separate occasions made “Money Orders for Poll Workers” in the amounts of $5,000, $3,000 and again for $5,000 and on each occasion “failed to report the full names and addresses of each participating poll worker.”
The FEC also charged that Siplin falsely reported or deliberately failed to include information when he modified expenditures in April 2009. Further, the Commission also found that Siplin broke Florida’s election law when he accepted a second $500 contribution from Florida Phosphate CCE, given that he had already taken an initial $500 from the company, in the lead up to the 2008 primary election.
The FEC said that Florida law was violated when Siplin signed off of his 2008 reports as true and correct, when in fact they were not.
Siplin has a number of options he could take to resolve the case, namely clearing up the violations and agreeing on the fine to be paid with the approval of the Commission; requesting an informal hearing before the Commission within 30 days, if the facts are not disputed, or an informal hearing before a judge, if he disputes the facts.
Siplin is no stranger to tangling with the state’s campaign laws. In 2006, he was convicted of third-degree felony grand theft of $5,000 or more, as well as a misdeameanor statutory violation for using the services of employees for his candidacy. In 2007, however, the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal reversed his convictions and directed he be acquitted of the felony charge.
Siplin, was first elected to the Florida Senate in 2002 and subsequently re-elected in 2004 and again in 2008. He has his eyes on running for U.S. Congress, given that he can no longer run for the state Senate due to term limits.
Earlier this year, Siplin sponsored the “baggy pants” bill requiring Florida public school districts to ban sagging pants from being worn in schools. He recently visited several schools in the district to reinforce the new dress code, giving out belts to students.
