Florida politicians and parties got $2.5 million from payday lenders, group says Read more here: ht
Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston has come under fire for taking contributions from the payday loan industry. Steve Cannon AP
BY AMY SHERMAN
Payday lenders have donated about $2.5 million to Florida politicians and both political parties in recent years, according to a new analysis by a liberal group.
Allied Progress has drawn attention to the issue of payday lending in Florida by attacking U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic National Committee chair, and other politicians who have taken money from the industry.
The group gave the Miami Herald an advanced copy of its new report, “A Florida Plan: How payday lenders bought Florida’s political establishment.” The report lists donations given to federal and state candidates as well as the state’s Republican and Democratic parties since 2009.
Overall, Republicans received $1.6 million and Democrats received about $890,000, while $29,000 went to independents. But the top individual recipients were South Florida Democrats:
▪ U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings of Delray Beach: $110,700;
▪ Former U.S. Rep Kendrick Meek, who ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010: $72,800;
▪ U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Jupiter, who is running for the Senate: $51,000;
▪ Wasserman Schultz of Weston: $50,600.
The Republican Party of Florida received $1,083,447, and the Florida Democratic Party received about $366,500.
More than one-third of the donations came from the MacKechnie family and their lending company, Amscot financial, according to the report. (In 1998, Amscot Insurance pleaded guilty to civil racketeering charges and was banned for life from selling auto insurance in Florida. In exchange the state agreed not to pursue criminal charges. MacKechnie said his company took the plea to get it behind him and that the state was wrong, the Tampa Bay Times reported.) Amscot is headquartered in Tampa and has locations throughout the state of Florida.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article76770757.html#storylink=cpy
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