Marco Rubio is quickly emerging as a freewheeling big spender of special interest cash even as the U.S. Senate candidate sells himself as a fiscal hawk. The latest disclosure: As the young state lawmaker lined up support in 2003 and 2004 to become Florida House speaker, he blew through more than $600,000 stashed in a pair of political committees and never detailed how at least 20 percent of the money was spent. The expenses the Miami Republican did disclose suggest the money frequently went to subsidize his lifestyle or to employ relatives — not to support other House candidates as his donors would have expected…
These disclosures are just the latest to show how Rubio exploited the perks of political office and subsidized his lifestyle as he climbed to power. Previous Times/Herald reviews have discovered he double-billed the Republican Party of Florida and state taxpayers for $3,000 in travel — money he has since pledged to return. He also billed the Republican Party for meals on the same days he received a taxpayer subsidy to be in Tallahassee. And there are lingering questions about the extensive use of state party credit cards by Rubio and other Republicans.
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