As I'm sure many of you may know, allegations have been made questioning the integrity of Dean Santoro's run for Florida State Senate District 35. Dean Santoro is not endorsed by Ron Paul, yet he has benefitted from Ron Paul supporters like myself by professing himself as a Ron Paul Candidate. I felt the only responsible thing to do was to give Mr. Santoro the opportunity to respond to these allegations.
To be specific, Dean Santoro has been accused of endorsing his former opponent Lincoln Diaz-Balart. A congressman who's voting record raises a red flag and leads some to wonder why a Ron Paul Candidate would endorse him. I have provided Mr. Diaz-Balart's voting record below for your consideration.
Mr Santoro responded to me in a message through myspace.
"I had to eject two individuals from my Ron Paul group because they were harassing the women. This is their supposed 'revenge' on me.
My work on this movement speaks for itself - bolstered by the fact that I meet with Dr. Paul whenever I get to DC and I am in constant contact with his staffers. I've also managed to bridge the gap between the Ron Paul supporters and the local republican party here in Miami Dade - no easy feat let me tell you.
Beware of false prophets and thier movtives."
Then he posted a bulletin and a comment on his own myspace page which can be found here: *http://www.myspace.com/santoroforcongress*He ends with:
"Do yourself a favor and stop proliferating the unsubstantiated, malicious venom this phoney Ron Paul supporter is spewing."
Notice however, he did not respond to the question of whether he did or did not endorse Diaz-Balart. So I dug around and found the article that quotes his endorsement:
"Mr. Santoro who had formerly filed to run In US House District 21, offered his endorsement of Lincoln Diaz-Balart " I would also like to take this opportunity to announce my wholehearted support and endorsement of Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart. Although the Congressman and I do not agree on every single issue, I have come to appreciate his profound commitment to public service and the respect and integrity with which he serves his constituents." while being critical of his opponent former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez "whose honesty and integrity have been seriously questioned on many occasions and still linger in serious doubt, has a propensity toward verbal and physical violence, and would be a negative reflection on our community."
Source: http://rlc.meetup.com/90/messages/2562315/
I sent him this along with the link and Diaz-Balart's voting record and again gave him the opportunity to respond.
This is what I received from Dean Santoro:
"now do your research on the democratic oppoenent Raul Martinez and tell me who you would choose to endorse. Politics is about being able to disagree with someone but remain at a respectable level so as to keep the lines of communication open to help influence others in the right direction when you can.
Railing at them, crying foul at every junction and making enemies instead of finding maybe one issue where you can agree with an opponent is the way to start the road toward healing. These men know my stand on the war, they know my position of the Federal Reserve and they RESPECT me in that I can show them respect for THIER positions in a civil, factually-based manner without getting into shouting matches and calling them names or getting physically violet or threatening (IBID Raul Martinez).
Until angry, misdirected Ron Paul'ers and the leaders of the freedom movement pockets around the country realize you must respect your opponents and befriend them, you'll always be relegated to crying foul on internet chatrooms and never acheive the change many are so desperate for.
My goals have never changed, my resolved has never swayed... the only modification I've made is tactical. Attemting to discredit me only makes my case stronger. You would be well to follow my career by watching my deeds and acomplishments in leui of alighning yourself with the ineffective fringe ne'r-do-well's who started their sour grapes smear campaign against me.
On the ohter hand, this smear camapign does nothing more than raise my profile - and the intelligent ones that do their research before sending me scathing, irrespeonsible emails always find out the truth...the truth that I am on the righteous path to making real strides in the freedom movement IN REAL LIFE as where others can only sit behind a keyboard safely in their won home speweing the controversial venom while wasting precious seconds of time.
Choose carefully of those you wish to align yourself."
I am not aligned with anyone. I have supported Dean Santoro and simply gave him several opportunities to respond to allegations being thrown around the internet. He says on his myspace page that we should be ashamed to question his resolve or dedication. Ashamed? I know I won't be voting for anyone without doing thorough research to confirm that person deserves my vote. Our neglect in questioning and holding these people accountable has brought us to these sickening times. Santoro also asks that we question motives of people that try to "destroy your faith in the freedom movement". In other words, we are to just TRUST that these candidates are true and that their integrity is intact and never doubt or question them? Now he makes it obvious that he wants support based on the person he is running against. The better of two evils?
I have heard many stories that make me question his self proclaimed title of "Ron Paul Candidate". Mr. Santoro chooses not to address these concerns.
I am simply providing all of you with information. I trust each of us as individuals can come to our own conclusions.
Peace
Lincoln Diaz-Balart's voting record:
Voted against:
Vote 906: H R 976:expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program
Vote 624: H R 2956:require the president to begin reducing the number of U.S. troops serving in Iraq 120 days after its enactment and would require most troops to be withdrawn by April 1, 2008.
Vote 265: H R 1591: providing $124.2 billion primarily for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and setting benchmarks and a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, but President Bush vetoed the bill on May 1.
Vote 186: H R 1591:The bill offers supplemental appropriations to help the United States fight the global war on terror, among other things. However, President Bush has vowed to veto the bill because it includes a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Vote 99: H CON RES 63: This measure expresses the House's disagreement with President Bush's planned troop buildup in Iraq.
Vote 40: H R 6: This bill would repeal tax cuts to oil companies and mandate that they pay a fee to remove oil from the Gulf of Mexico. It would also fund renewable energy programs. The act would repeal a tax break that oil and gas firms received in 2004.
Vote 23: H R 4: This bill would allow the government to negotiate directly with drugmakers for lower prescription drug prices for individuals using Medicare.
Vote 446: H R 6061: Secure Fence Act of 2006
Vote 661: H R 4437: This bill would clamp down on illegal immigration and toughen border security.
Vote 445: H R 6: Offered tax breaks and incentives in what supporters said was an effort to spur oil and gas companies to provide innovative wasy to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil, conserve resources and reduce pollution.
Voted For:
Vote 836: S 1927: This amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 passed 227-183 on August 4. The bill gives U.S. spy agencies expanded power to eavesdrop on foreign suspects without a court order.
Vote 757: H R 1: This amendment to the Homeland Security Act of 2002 was made in order to implement the recommendations made by the 9/11 commission.
Vote 425: H R 2206: This bill would provide funding in Iraq without setting withdrawal deadlines for troops, which anti-war Democrats sought in an earlier bill.
Vote 32: H R 5: This bill would lower the interest rate on student loans.
Vote 18: H R 2: This bill would increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour over two years.
Vote 15: H R 1: This bill would implement many of the remaining recommendations proposed by the 9/11 Commission in 2004. The almost 300-page bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to give faster and more efficient funding to first responders.
Vote 508: S 3930: Military Commissions Act
Vote 502: H R 5825: Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act
Vote 425: H R 5970: Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act
Vote 288: H RES 861: This vote pledged support for the War in Iraq and rejected a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Vote 135: H R 4297: Extended the Bush tax cuts.
Vote 4: H RES 653: Cut nearly $40 billion from the federal budget by imposing substantial changes on welfare, child support and student lending programs.
Vote 630: H R 2863: Supported a ban on cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of detainees held by U.S. forces and to requires the military to follow the Army field manual for interrogations.
Vote 506: H R 3824: Would have forced the government to compensate property owners if development plans were stymied by attempts to protect endangered species and would have given political appointees more power to make decisions about which species and areas would be subject to government intervention aimed at protecting plant and wildlife.
Vote 443: H R 3045: Established a free trade zone between the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Gautemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; a separate agreement with the Dominican Republican was also included in the measure.
Vote 296: H J RES 10: This vote approved the proposal of a Constitutional amendment to ban the desecration of the American flag. The same bill was later defeated in the Senate.
Vote 6: H RES 5: Instituted a number of changes in the ethics rules that govern the conduct of individual members of Congress.
Source: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/d000299/key-votes/
To be specific, Dean Santoro has been accused of endorsing his former opponent Lincoln Diaz-Balart. A congressman who's voting record raises a red flag and leads some to wonder why a Ron Paul Candidate would endorse him. I have provided Mr. Diaz-Balart's voting record below for your consideration.
Mr Santoro responded to me in a message through myspace.
"I had to eject two individuals from my Ron Paul group because they were harassing the women. This is their supposed 'revenge' on me.
My work on this movement speaks for itself - bolstered by the fact that I meet with Dr. Paul whenever I get to DC and I am in constant contact with his staffers. I've also managed to bridge the gap between the Ron Paul supporters and the local republican party here in Miami Dade - no easy feat let me tell you.
Beware of false prophets and thier movtives."
Then he posted a bulletin and a comment on his own myspace page which can be found here: *http://www.myspace.com/santoroforcongress*He ends with:
"Do yourself a favor and stop proliferating the unsubstantiated, malicious venom this phoney Ron Paul supporter is spewing."
Notice however, he did not respond to the question of whether he did or did not endorse Diaz-Balart. So I dug around and found the article that quotes his endorsement:
"Mr. Santoro who had formerly filed to run In US House District 21, offered his endorsement of Lincoln Diaz-Balart " I would also like to take this opportunity to announce my wholehearted support and endorsement of Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart. Although the Congressman and I do not agree on every single issue, I have come to appreciate his profound commitment to public service and the respect and integrity with which he serves his constituents." while being critical of his opponent former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez "whose honesty and integrity have been seriously questioned on many occasions and still linger in serious doubt, has a propensity toward verbal and physical violence, and would be a negative reflection on our community."
Source: http://rlc.meetup.com/90/messages/2562315/
I sent him this along with the link and Diaz-Balart's voting record and again gave him the opportunity to respond.
This is what I received from Dean Santoro:
"now do your research on the democratic oppoenent Raul Martinez and tell me who you would choose to endorse. Politics is about being able to disagree with someone but remain at a respectable level so as to keep the lines of communication open to help influence others in the right direction when you can.
Railing at them, crying foul at every junction and making enemies instead of finding maybe one issue where you can agree with an opponent is the way to start the road toward healing. These men know my stand on the war, they know my position of the Federal Reserve and they RESPECT me in that I can show them respect for THIER positions in a civil, factually-based manner without getting into shouting matches and calling them names or getting physically violet or threatening (IBID Raul Martinez).
Until angry, misdirected Ron Paul'ers and the leaders of the freedom movement pockets around the country realize you must respect your opponents and befriend them, you'll always be relegated to crying foul on internet chatrooms and never acheive the change many are so desperate for.
My goals have never changed, my resolved has never swayed... the only modification I've made is tactical. Attemting to discredit me only makes my case stronger. You would be well to follow my career by watching my deeds and acomplishments in leui of alighning yourself with the ineffective fringe ne'r-do-well's who started their sour grapes smear campaign against me.
On the ohter hand, this smear camapign does nothing more than raise my profile - and the intelligent ones that do their research before sending me scathing, irrespeonsible emails always find out the truth...the truth that I am on the righteous path to making real strides in the freedom movement IN REAL LIFE as where others can only sit behind a keyboard safely in their won home speweing the controversial venom while wasting precious seconds of time.
Choose carefully of those you wish to align yourself."
I am not aligned with anyone. I have supported Dean Santoro and simply gave him several opportunities to respond to allegations being thrown around the internet. He says on his myspace page that we should be ashamed to question his resolve or dedication. Ashamed? I know I won't be voting for anyone without doing thorough research to confirm that person deserves my vote. Our neglect in questioning and holding these people accountable has brought us to these sickening times. Santoro also asks that we question motives of people that try to "destroy your faith in the freedom movement". In other words, we are to just TRUST that these candidates are true and that their integrity is intact and never doubt or question them? Now he makes it obvious that he wants support based on the person he is running against. The better of two evils?
I have heard many stories that make me question his self proclaimed title of "Ron Paul Candidate". Mr. Santoro chooses not to address these concerns.
I am simply providing all of you with information. I trust each of us as individuals can come to our own conclusions.
Peace
Lincoln Diaz-Balart's voting record:
Voted against:
Vote 906: H R 976:expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program
Vote 624: H R 2956:require the president to begin reducing the number of U.S. troops serving in Iraq 120 days after its enactment and would require most troops to be withdrawn by April 1, 2008.
Vote 265: H R 1591: providing $124.2 billion primarily for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and setting benchmarks and a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, but President Bush vetoed the bill on May 1.
Vote 186: H R 1591:The bill offers supplemental appropriations to help the United States fight the global war on terror, among other things. However, President Bush has vowed to veto the bill because it includes a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Vote 99: H CON RES 63: This measure expresses the House's disagreement with President Bush's planned troop buildup in Iraq.
Vote 40: H R 6: This bill would repeal tax cuts to oil companies and mandate that they pay a fee to remove oil from the Gulf of Mexico. It would also fund renewable energy programs. The act would repeal a tax break that oil and gas firms received in 2004.
Vote 23: H R 4: This bill would allow the government to negotiate directly with drugmakers for lower prescription drug prices for individuals using Medicare.
Vote 446: H R 6061: Secure Fence Act of 2006
Vote 661: H R 4437: This bill would clamp down on illegal immigration and toughen border security.
Vote 445: H R 6: Offered tax breaks and incentives in what supporters said was an effort to spur oil and gas companies to provide innovative wasy to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil, conserve resources and reduce pollution.
Voted For:
Vote 836: S 1927: This amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 passed 227-183 on August 4. The bill gives U.S. spy agencies expanded power to eavesdrop on foreign suspects without a court order.
Vote 757: H R 1: This amendment to the Homeland Security Act of 2002 was made in order to implement the recommendations made by the 9/11 commission.
Vote 425: H R 2206: This bill would provide funding in Iraq without setting withdrawal deadlines for troops, which anti-war Democrats sought in an earlier bill.
Vote 32: H R 5: This bill would lower the interest rate on student loans.
Vote 18: H R 2: This bill would increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour over two years.
Vote 15: H R 1: This bill would implement many of the remaining recommendations proposed by the 9/11 Commission in 2004. The almost 300-page bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to give faster and more efficient funding to first responders.
Vote 508: S 3930: Military Commissions Act
Vote 502: H R 5825: Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act
Vote 425: H R 5970: Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act
Vote 288: H RES 861: This vote pledged support for the War in Iraq and rejected a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Vote 135: H R 4297: Extended the Bush tax cuts.
Vote 4: H RES 653: Cut nearly $40 billion from the federal budget by imposing substantial changes on welfare, child support and student lending programs.
Vote 630: H R 2863: Supported a ban on cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of detainees held by U.S. forces and to requires the military to follow the Army field manual for interrogations.
Vote 506: H R 3824: Would have forced the government to compensate property owners if development plans were stymied by attempts to protect endangered species and would have given political appointees more power to make decisions about which species and areas would be subject to government intervention aimed at protecting plant and wildlife.
Vote 443: H R 3045: Established a free trade zone between the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Gautemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; a separate agreement with the Dominican Republican was also included in the measure.
Vote 296: H J RES 10: This vote approved the proposal of a Constitutional amendment to ban the desecration of the American flag. The same bill was later defeated in the Senate.
Vote 6: H RES 5: Instituted a number of changes in the ethics rules that govern the conduct of individual members of Congress.
Source: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/d000299/key-votes/
