|
MIAMI---A Dade County Court judge has been fined $25,000 by the Florida Supreme Court for improper campaign contributions and improper certification of campaign finance reports.
The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission filed charges against Judge Ana Marie Pando of Miami in April, 2004 alleging that during the course of her unsuccessful 1998 election campaign and successful 2000 judicial election campaign that she accepted loans from family members in excess of the $500 statutory limit.
The commission charged that Pando knowingly accepted a $25,000 personal loan from her mother made for the purpose of influencing the results of the election and in excess of the $500 limit.
It was also charged that the judge then misrepresented the source of the loans in submitting and certifying her campaign finance reports during the course of the campaigns and made misleading statements regarding the source of the $25,000 loan in a deposition by special counsel for the judicial panel.
In May, Judge Pando admitted the conduct and impropriety of the conduct and the commission recommended a public reprimand of the judge as well as a $25,000 fine.
In its ruling Wednesday upholding the commission's finding, the Supreme Court held that there was clear and convincing evidence to support the alleged ethical violations.
She was ordered to pay the $25,000 fine within 30 days.
PDF File. 9-28-05
|
