A domestic abuser, a straw donor scheme, an apparent pay-to-play situation involving EB-5 visas, super PACs funded with million-dollar donations from the candidate’s own father.
And now…the mafia.
A new report from thesmokinggun.com identifies two of Murphy’s max-out donors as known members of a prominent organized crime family:
“The Democratic congressman seeking to unseat Senator Marco Rubio has accepted maximum campaign contributions from a pair of Florida businessmen identified by the FBI as members of the Colombo organized crime family, records show.
“According to Federal Election Commission filings, Representative Patrick Murphy’s political committee has received $5400 apiece from John Staluppi and John Rosatti during the 2016 election cycle…”
“As previously reported in these pages, Rosatti, 72, and Staluppi, 69, are each extremely wealthy due to their ownership of numerous car dealerships in Florida and New York. Both men are Brooklyn natives, convicted felons, superyacht owners, and, according to FBI records, prized Mafia ‘earners.’”
Murphy’s connection to organized crime isn’t coincidental. In 2015, he was on the host committee for a retirement party Staluppi threw for a Palm Beach County administrator:
“John Staluppi, whose firm bought the site for a controversial Double D Ranch and Saloon strip club on Southern Boulevard, is throwing a retirement party Friday for former Palm Beach County Administrator Bob Weisman…”
“Others host committee members include state Rep. Dave Kerner, former U.S. congressman Mark Foley, former County Commissioner Karen Marcus, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, state Rep. Mark Pafford and well-connected lobbyists Neil Schiller and Marty Perry.” (Wayne Washington, “Car Of Dreams Owner Staluppi Hosts Bash For Weisman, Charity,” Palm Beach Post, 10/1/15)
Murphy owes voters an explanation as to why he’s lining his campaign account with money from well-known mobsters…if he ever comes out of hiding. And hopefully he has a better excuse than feeling a personal bond with fellow “superyacht owners.”