Group gave illegal donation to Martinez, complaint says

A watchdog group's accusation is all wrong, a spokeswoman for the GOP U.S. Senate candidate said.

27 Apr 2004 // MIAMI -- A watchdog group filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission against Republican Senate candidate Mel Martinez on Monday, saying the former U.S. Housing secretary benefited from a luncheon held by a Cuban exile group before he announced his candidacy.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington questioned an independent expenditure of more than $5,100 by the U.S.-Cuba Democracy Political Action Committee to an unnamed federal candidate to pay for a December luncheon attended by Martinez.

Melanie Sloan, the watchdog group's executive director, said the PAC failed to identify Martinez as the candidate on a recent finance report, and the expenditure was "an illegal excessive in-kind contribution" to his campaign. The PAC later made a separate $2,000 contribution to Martinez's campaign.

Federal law sets a $5,000 contribution limit from the committees.

Martinez filed papers launching his candidacy in early January for Sen. Bob Graham's seat.

Martinez spokeswoman Jennifer Coxe dismissed the allegations.

"This is clearly a fringe group pursuing its own political agenda," she said. "Secretary Martinez attended the lunch as a private citizen. There is no merit to the allegations."

Mauricio Claver-Carone, the Cuba committee's executive director, said the luncheon was an inaugural event for donors not benefiting any candidate. Speakers included Gov. Jeb Bush, Martinez and U.S. Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Claver-Carone said Martinez spoke about a presidential commission on Cuba.

Claver-Carone said luncheon expenses were incorrectly listed as an independent expenditure on the report, and the group corrected the error.