A political action committee that continues to attack the Democrat candidate for Florida House District 114 may not the only sign of dark money in that special election. 
The Republican candidate got a second mortgage on his home last December for $350,000 from the treasurer of another political action committee working on his behalf.
The special election, which ends Tuesday, was called by Gov. Rick Scott after former State Rep. Daisy Baez resigned after she was caught lying about living in the district. Andrew Vargas lives in the district, dear voters. He may only have moved here recently, but he is so invested in his new home that he is, in fact, underwater in the South Miami house he bought with is wife in 2015.
Or is he? Could a second balloon mortgage loan he got four months ago, from the treasurer of one of his political action committees, actually be a campaign contribution? An illegal, third party campaign contribution?
Vargas, the law partner of U.S. Ambassador and former State Rep. Carlos Trujillo, got a second mortgage on his home last 
December for $350,000, even though he was still paying off a $468,000 first mortgage on a house that is assessed at $526,786. What bank would approve such a deal? Well, none probably. That is why he turned to his friend and firm’s accountant, Richard Puerto — who also happens to be the treasurer on his Citizens for Accountability and Transparency political action committee, which has been attacking Democrat Javier Fernandez for weeks.
Puerto made the loan Dec. 18, coincidentally (or maybe not) 10 days before the qualifying deadline for the special election. According to county clerk records, it looks like an interest-only loan — and the interest may only be $10 — payable in a year, so it has to be paid back a month after the November election.
The timing is not the only thing that is sus’. So is the source.
How does Puerto, 35, a partner in a small accounting firm who lives in a modest two-bedroom Dadeland area Kendall condo assessed at $133,165, also happen to have liquid large to loan
just like that? That is the $350,000 question.
“Because I work like a dog. I have no life,” Puerto (photographed left) told Ladra Friday.
After explaining how this reeked of a third party contribution, and someone using the accountant as a conduit to hide the true source, Puerto said he understood the perception, but promised it was just him helping out a pal.
“It’s a mortgage, a normal mortgage. It has nothing to do with a donation. It only has to do with building a house,” he said.
“I’ve known Andrew for a very long time. I’m very proud of him and I hope he wins,” Puerto added. “I gave him a fair market loan. We’ve had various business transactions and his credit is an 850 with me.
“It’s a totally legit loan. It’s a line of credit, really.”
So it’s a $350,000 line of credit? Thanks for the clarification.
It’s not like Ladra is grasping at straws here. Vargas — who wouldn’t return multiple phone calls and text messages — has already shown a penchant for hiding behind secret funds. There has already been another PAC that has been attacking Fernandez since before the primary, but People for a Progressive Florida has not reported a single contribution or expense in their required campaign finance reports.
We just had to be sure. And, really, all we have now is a possible best case scenario. At worst, this is a third party contribution, impossible to track, and voters will never know who Vargas — who has been able to loan his campaign at least $60,000 — is truly going to represent in Tallahassee.
At best? He’s not terribly fiscally responsible.
Andrew Vargas $350K home loan looks like a 3rd party political contribution added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
Right now we have an all white male city Commission and three of them have done a bang up job of giving our city away to high density development via variances (which are deviations from our Land Development Code. It is ongoing. Those three are Mayor Phil Stoddard, Commissioner Bob Welsh, and Commissioner Josh Liebman, all three working as hard as they can to deliver up what’s left of our city to their high density agenda and developer pals!
Hasn’t anyone noticed that we have a sitting commissioner named Luis Gil which is a 100% Spanish name? People pronounce his name as Louis, which is incorrect.
Hey Sharon Good Bye (Hasta la Vista!) and Good Riddance BTW last I looked their ain’t ONE GDAMN Cuban on South Miami Council. So by your logic Richard Daley, Boss Tweed, Richard Nixon, Spiro Agnew, Henry Milander,Huey Long, Edwin Edwards etc etc (those guys perfected corruption) were all Cubans from Miami Dade? (or was that Anglo-Irish Politics) Lots of racist folks just like you use to say Irish were scum too in case you forgot.
Put your tinfoil hat back on the solar radiation is frying whatever is left of your pea brain.
That’s Cuban politics for you in the United States. I thought these scumbags fathers and mothers escaped Cuba because of political corruption, I guess they bred little Castros. That is Dade County for you, glad I cut out of the cesspool, which by the way, City of South Miami once know as the city of Pleasant Living is now the City of Cesspool Living
So you’re accusing Liz of being a GOP candidate in disguise? Why not also disclose the fact that Mr. Vargas was registered as a Dem for many years and Mr. Fernandez has made many financial contributions to Republican candidates???
Please back up your comment about Liz with facts.
Typical Belen cronyism
Ladra, are you aware of the fact that Mr. Javier Fernandez, Esq. is a land use atty. who works for developers who are always seeking variances and zoning changes that go beyond what is allowed by Land Development Code, thereby adding more traffic, more tons of concrete, more people and less setbacks (which means less green space and pervious area). I live in South Miami and our little city, which is lacking in required park space per number of residents, and is built out, is a city under siege by developers, and Mr. Fernandez is a part of this misery which is perpetrated on us. Liz De Las Cuevas is a public school educator who wants to bring back morality and ethics to our district and I will vote for her. She is running as an Independent and has no money because she is not connected to any special interests. She was not even mentioned in your blog, Ladra. It’s as though she doesn’t exist. Liz deserves a chance!
[…] Read related: Andrew Vargas’ $350K home loan looks like a 3rd party political contribution […]
Here we go again, District 114.
Good work, Ladra. Curious that the candidate apparently would not offer an explanation.
William in South Miami
This is Florida.Why are you surprised?
Wow. Good research. Sure seems suspicious. Why would a young accountant living in a tiny condo give away $350,000? And how did the young accountant get his hands on $350,000? Vargas seems odd, very odd.