I reviewed with amusement a story first published by our local newspaper about one of our local resident, insurance agent Mr. Marci Rios and allegedly an active member of our Yuma’s Democratic Party.
On April 20, 2008, the Yuma Daily Sun reported that Mr. Marci Rios, had received a package from the U.S. Capitol via FedEx package. Inside the package, Mr. Rios found “a certificate hailing him as a great American and notification that a U.S. flag was flown in his honor over the Capitol in Washington, D.C., by request of U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.”
The story caught my attention because I know that Mr. Marci Rios has been involved in politics for years. When Democratic party-Janet Napolitano was running for governor of Arizona, Mr. Rios was instrumental in doing some fund-raising for Ms. Napolitano.
In 2003, the Yuma Daily Sun identified Mr. Marci Rios as being the “second vice chairman of the Yuma County Democratic Central Committee.”
Now, my question is: why would U.S. Senator John McCain, the only republican candidate running for the Office of the U.S. Presidency contact Mr. Marci Rios, a democrat, and send him a ”token” gift from the U.S. Capitol. It is possible that Mr. Marci Rios switched political parties, and now he is a republican. However, the question that still lingers in my mind is: what are U.S. Senator John McCain’s real motives when sending Marci Rios a gift paid by U.S. tax-payers monies? If the John McCain we know who is running for president of the United States used his U.S. Senatorial office to send the above referenced “gift” to Marci Rios was to get Marci Rios involved in obtaining Hispanic votes to help him win his candidacy, then we have a problem. U.S. Senator John McCain may have committed some ethical violation. I reviewed the Hatch Act, and this Act only applies to Executive Branch federal and some state and local government employees. As a retired federal criminal investigator of 26 years, and trained internal affairs investigator and manager, I can define John McCain's action as being a bribery.
Hope the citizens of Yuma, Arizona realize that what John McCain did is ethically questionable before heading towards the ballots later this year. I can only tell you that based on my experience when dealing with U.S. Senator John McCain and his staffers (since he is my local U.S. Senator), his office never, ever responded or answered my request for assistance involving government corruption. May be if my name would have been John Smith, a prominent lobbyist and big-time financial contributor to John McCain’s expenses as U.S. Senator…may be John McCain and his staffers would have responded. Unfortunately, I am none of the above….just a simple Hispanic (U.S. Citizen!!).
References:
Capitol salute for Yuma success story
April 20, 2008 - 7:32PM
BY WILLIAM ROLLER, SUN STAFF WRITER
Entering the United States through the bracero farmworker program as a child, Marci Rios realized his dream when he became a naturalized citizen at 18.
"It opened doors for me and changed my life," he said.
At home in the Foothills mowing his lawn earlier this month, Rios was surprised to see a FedEx truck deliver a box. Inside the package was a certificate hailing him as a great American and notification that a U.S. flag was flown in his honor over the Capitol in Washington, D.C., by request of U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
http://www.yumasun.com/news/capitol_41163___article.html/salute_story.html
Lieberman scheduled to spend time in Yuma County
September 3, 2003 - 12:00AM
Presidential candidate Joe Lieberman and his wife will be in Yuma on Sept. 8 to meet area residents and get a look at Yuma County, local Democratic party officials said.
"People should come out to hear him, even if they're not supporting him," said Marci Rios, second vice chairman of the Yuma County Democratic Central Committee.
Lieberman, a U.S. senator from Connecticut, is scheduled to be at Democratic headquarters, 318 S. Main St., from noon until 2 p.m. Sept. 8, Rios said. He said the Democratic presidential candidate and former vice presidential candidate is coming to Yuma with a group of state legislators.
http://www.yumasun.com/news/democratic_6458___article.html/lieberman_party.html
Betrayal, deceit, corruption and John McCain
By Ted Sampley
U.S. Veteran Dispatch
November 14, 2007
Last week, Sen. John McCain launched on fellow Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani criticizing the former New York City mayor because Bernie Kerik, police commissioner under Giuliani, was indicted and accused of fraudulent dealings.
"A president's judgment matters and Rudy Giuliani has repeatedly placed personal loyalty over regard for the facts," declared McCain, suggesting that Giuliani's support of Kerik showed a serious lapse in judgment.
Source Watch Report on U.S. Senator John McCain
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_McCain
