“An American Son: A Memoir,” by US Senator Marco Rubio is released Tuesday.
The book details Rubio’s political career, including his rise through the Legislature and his eventual run for the Senate. It comes amid speculation that Rubio could be on de facto GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s short list as Romney tries to choose a running mate.
Countering the near- hagiographic reception the book is receiving from conservatives, the Florida Democratic Party has released a list of 5 things you won’t read in Marco Rubio’s new book:
5. AN APOLOGY FOR DOUBLE-BILLING FLORIDA TAXPAYERS FOR HIS TRAVEL
Rubio has previously “acknowledged…that he double-billed state taxpayers and the party for several plane flights from South Florida to Tallahassee” (Times/Herald, 4/21/10)
4. HOW THE REFLOORING OF HIS HOUSE ON THE RPOF’S AM EX PAVED THE WAY FOR THE GOP
While in possession of the RPOF’s credit card, Rubio allegedly charged $4,000 to $5,000 to pay for a new kitchen floor in his home. When asked about the charges, Rubio “didn’t deny Ingram’s contention about the remodeling expenses… [and] repeated his refusal to release all of the billing records for his party credit card” (Tampa Tribune, 9/23/2010)
3. HIS PILLOW TALK ABOUT ETHICS AND LEADERSHIP WITH FORMER ROOMMATE DAVID RIVERA
“Rubio is giving a full-throated endorsement to Rivera, raising money for him and defending a man who served with him in the trenches of Florida politics dating back to when they were young volunteers on Lincoln Diaz-Balart’s first House campaign in 1992…Rubio said he would be willing to stump with Rivera ahead of a tough fall campaign, a boon for Rivera, who has struggled to raise money and win broad backing within the Washington GOP ranks amid the cloud of investigations.” (Politico, 4/9/12)
2. RUBIO’S CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FOR THE JIM GREER TRIAL
The criminal fraud trial of former RPOF Chairman Jim Greer is set to take place this summer in Orlando under the backdrop of the media glare of the Republican National Convention in Tampa. But Greer isn’t the only Florida Republican who may have to answer questions about misusing Party funds: Reports show that Rubio “spent thousands” on the GOP’s credit card and “charged grocery bills, repairs to the family minivan and purchases from a wine store less than a mile from his West Miami home to the Republican Party of Florida while he was speaker of the Florida House” (Times/Herald, 2/25/10)
1. WHY RUBIO IS ALL TALK AND NO SUBSTANCE ON IMMIGRATION
Republican’s were hoping Rubio would add credibility to their party’s faltering Hispanic outreach efforts and Mitt Romney’s self deportation immigration policy — but “three months after U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio revealed he was working on an alternative to the Dream Act…he has yet to produce a written proposal.” Rubio has offered “no timeline” for the legislation, and “many specifics remain unknown,” recently claiming he is “re-evaluating his strategy.” (Tampa Bay Times, 6/14/2012; Tampa Bay Times, 6/18/2012)
