New GOP Rep Already In Campaign Finance Scandal

The Tampa Bay Times reports:

Newly elected congressman Ross Spano has acknowledged that his campaign financing “may have been in violation” of federal law.

In a filing with the Federal Elections Commission which Spano released publicly Saturday afternoon, he acknowledged borrowing $180,000 from two people he has described as personal friends from June through October this year, and then lending his campaign $167,000 in roughly the same time period.

When he made the loans to his campaign, Spano said on campaign finance reports that the money came from his “personal funds.” But under federal campaign finance law, a loan made to a candidate with the intent of providing money for a campaign must be considered a campaign contribution, not the candidate’s personal funds.

Hit the link for much more. The losing Democrat has asked for an investigation. The outcome may hinge on whether Spano reported the loan before it “had been or was about to be discovered by any outside party.” It doesn’t look like he did.

RELATED: Spano first appeared on JMG early this year when as a member of the Florida House, he introduced a resolution arguing that viewing porn can lead to both “mental and physical illnesses” along with “deviant, or problematic sexual behaviors.” That was same day Florida Republicans voted down a motion to debate a bill banning the sale of assault weapons in the aftermath of Parkland. Watch his campaign ad below.