David Rivera's 'stealth campaign' goes round 2

It looks like former Congressman David “Nine Lives” Rivera still has some breath in him as his on-again-off-again campaign is on again.

Rivera unleashed a second round of robocalls on Republican absentee voters Monday that, again, poked at the Miami Herald rather than any one of the four other candidates on the Aug. 26 primary ballot.

“Even as the false campaigns of the Miami Herald continue, I will keep fighting for our best interests,” Rivera’s own recorded voice told voters in Congressional District 26.

The robocall comes two days after a Miami Herald story disclosed that Rivera was known as “Co Conspirator A” in the case against Ana Alliegro, a Rivera groupie who also worked on the campaign of suspected Democrat plantidate Justin Lemar Sternad. Prosecutors apparently want to use Alliegro — who has been jailed for campaign finance law violations for more than four months already in, yes, this country — to put the squeeze on Rivera, though there is speculation as to whether that will work and how much juice it will render if it does.

In the 30-second piece, Rivera refers to himself twice as a “fighter” and only once as “conservative Republican.” Well, that’s a change from the old Nine Lives. He urges voters to “fill out your absentee ballot and put it in the mail today. Thank you and God bless you,” Rivera ends the call.

Doesn’t sound so much like a “stealth” campaign, which is what the Miami Herald that Rivera speaks of called it after his first robocall, which dropped Thursday of last week. That is because Rivera supposedly “suspended campaigning” last month after a judge ordered redistricting in two other districts miles from here that won’t likely affect us. Ladra never bought that reason. More likely he’s covering bases: Win and he can say he won without even trying; Lose and he can say he didn’t really try that hard.

Anyway it seems more like the stealth campaign is in reverse. I mean, some media outlets — including the Herald — seem to be practically stalking David. Every time he pokes his head out, headlines follow.

He drops the robocall Thursday of last week. By Saturday, the Herald had a story online that had very little new — mostly the luscious “Co Conspirator A” detail.

Wonder what they’re gonna say about him tomorrow.

But whatever it is, Rivera’s message to the Herald seems pretty clear: “Screw you, I’m not going anywhere. I won’t be bullied.”

Congressional district 26, David Rivera

David Rivera’s ‘stealth campaign’ goes round 2 added by Ladra on August 4, 2014
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