David M Rivera-- Posterboy For The Florida Republican Party

Beating up women is no laughing matter

Even after CBS exposed the bizarre episode that had David Rivera personally ramming a mail truck to prevent the shipping of a damaging flier from a Republican primary opponent, Rivera is still lying to voters about his erratic and violent behavior. Sunday's Naples Daily News discredited Rivera's sleazy attempts to coverup the incident and his domestic violence case-- which he seems to expect voters to believe were about another unknown "David M. Rivera" at his address.

LIE: Rivera told the Naples Daily News that the incident took place on an exit ramp in a pre-arranged meeting to remove his own fliers from the mail van.

FACT: According to the Sunday Naples Daily News a Florida Highway Patrol report clearly states that "the accident" occurred in the middle of Miami's Palmetto Expressway (S.R. 826), a mile north of the N.W. 25th Street exit.

LIE: Rivera claimed he was with a campaign staffer who removed fliers from the van.

FACT: Again, the Daily News reports that the Florida Highway Patrol report listed Rivera and the truck driver as the only two people involved; no additional passengers were listed as being in the vehicles and Richard Sierra, president of Dodd Communications which now owns the mail van service, told both the Miami Herald and CBS 4 that Rivera's version of events isn't true. Sierra said "the company truck did not voluntarily pull off the highway and we did not remove any fliers. Whatever was on the truck was mailed."

This is what was mailed, the Republican flier Rivera's campaign manager threatened to sue DWT for running:




"David Rivera's efforts to cover-up domestic abuse allegations are beyond troubling, especially to women," said Florida Democratic Party spokesperson Eric Jotkoff. "Rivera has lied to South Florida's families about everything-- from denying he knows the victim in the case, to contradicting the facts within the 'Truckgate' police report. The last thing we can afford is another scandal-plagued career politician in Washington who will say and do anything to get elected-- especially when it involves shameless lying and reckless behavior."