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Losing Candidate Penalized

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By LAURA KINSLER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 30, 2007

TAMPA - One-time Tampa City Council candidate Frank Margarella must pay the Florida Elections Commission $3,000, or he could face penalties almost three times that amount.

Frank Margarella

The commission found probable cause in August that Margarella, who lost the District 7 council race, violated nine counts of the elections code when he used his campaign account to pay for meals, drinks, rounds of golf and country club dues.

The New Tampa real estate agent also bounced a $1,809.35 check to Hunter's Green Country Club, a violation that carries an additional penalty of three times the amount of the illegal expenditure. The commission dismissed 18 additional counts.

Margarella, in an earlier interview, told the Tribune he thinks he didn't do anything wrong but wanted to settle the case to 'put it behind me.' He declined to comment on the agreement.

Elections Commission attorney Chuck Finkle said Margarella must submit a cashier's check by Nov. 9.

'If not, the agreement does not get presented to the commission,' Finkle said. The commission meets Nov. 14.

Margarella was leading the three-man race in fundraising in February when his spending irregularities came to light. There were payments to nonexistent printers, reimbursements for mystery expenses and excessively high payments to the country club.

Joseph Caetano beat Margarella in a runoff election in March.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

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