Judge: Fla. Lawmaker to Pay for Violations

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A state senator with two homes and a leased Lexus is not too poverty stricken to pay $8,750 in fines for campaign law violations, a judge said.

State Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla can afford to pay the fines, Administrative Law Judge Jeff Clark wrote. The Florida Elections Commission will now decide whether to accept Clark's recommendation for $8,750 in fines for violations during his 1999 election or instead order the Miami Republican to pay up to $17,000.

Diaz de la Portilla had faced a record $311,000 in fines for 311 violations found by the elections commission. But an appeals court in 2003 struck down all but 17 of the 311 violations.

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