GOP nominee complains that ethics rules are 'road to full socialism'

A Florida state representative heavily involved with charter schools, who has for years benefited financially from legislation he helped pass, said new ethics rules would send his state on a “road to full socialism.”

Republican Manny Diaz Jr. is running for the seat in Florida District 36.

While serving in the Florida House, Diaz also serves as Chief Operating Officer for Doral College, which makes money from charter schools. At the same time, Diaz has used his role in the legislature to push an education agenda tilted toward the charter school industry.

In other words, when Diaz votes for charter school demands, he helps to enrich himself.

His opponent is David Perez, a Democratic PTA dad and firefighter who is running neck-and-neck with Diaz in polls and fundraising. According to the Miami Herald, Perez said he “wants new ethics rules” to address situations like Diaz ties to charter schools.

The Herald reported that, in response, Diaz said such rules, and any proposal from a candidate like Perez, would put Florida on a “road to full socialism.”.

Describing ethics guidelines as part of creeping socialism is an extreme response. But Diaz’s outright rejection of ethics rules makes it clear to Floridians that he is determined to keep his cozy financial arrangement in place and will continue to vote to benefit himself.