Our Tip Led to This El Nuevo Herald Story On The Christian Family Coalition. By Geniusofdespair

Nice photo of the good Pastor

 THIS IS A TRANSLATION I DID ONLINE. IT IS NOT ACCURATE BUT ACCURATE ENOUGH TO GET A SNAPSHOT OF MELISSA SANCHEZ'S ARTICLE THAT WAS WRITTEN IN SPANISH.

SANCHEZ'S RECENT REPORT FLESHES OUT OUR STORY QUESTIONING THE LOCATION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY COALITION OFFICES, WRITTEN DECEMBER 17, 2012.

Translation (Why wasn't this in the Miami Herald):

A pastor of Hialeah used a municipal office in that city to collect almost $50,000 for his work as Adviser to political campaigns at the county level and State from 2010.

On each occasion, candidates who hired the Rev. Julio Epifanio Perez services also received political backing from the Christian family Coalition, a conservative group formed by Perez and two other people.

"This shows how the religious flag is being used to make policy, and in this case, the apparent sale of 'political support' of the Organization," said Raúl Martínez, a Democrat and former Mayor of Hialeah. "I hope that the city respond immediately and remove them from the municipal building."

Perez refused to comment for this article.

Pastor had said on Friday that he would respond in writing, for which El Nuevo Herald sent him a list of questions by e-mail.

However, Perez said on Monday that did not understand the reason for the questions and questioned the criticisms against his "unblemished reputation, won in more than five decades in defense of human rights, social justice and fighting poverty and disadvantage social which has stuck to the lack of resources in our community".

Perez does not have the permission of the city of Hialeah to carry out political activities at the Blanche Morton Community Center, located at 300 First Avenue East, according to the city attorney, William Grodnick.

"If he is registering that Office to his political business, done without the authorization of the city", said Grodnick, who said that the city will take appropriate actions after conducting its own investigation.

Since 2010, the city of Hialeah has rented the Office.

State records indicate that Perez has integrated a variety of organizations, including the Christian Fellowship of prayer and Ministerial support (with Christ), Inc., and make A a child happy, Inc., as well as the business private and Shirley Cleaning Services, Inc.

Perez, 77, is married to a woman with the same last name Verdugo and all three are homeowners in Southwest Miami Dade.

Verdugo is president of the Christian Family Coalition, a renowned local political organization that was founded in order to "ensure that our religious freedoms are protected from governmental intrusion," according to its website. The group organizes regular events for political candidates and issues guidelines for conservative voters before each election.

According to the municipal contract, New Hope Community Center can only use the space to provide social services to low-income families. Pay rent $ 4861.96 annually.

But both the Christian Family Coalition as two political consulting firms belonging to Perez also use that address. Last year, the blog Eye on Miami questioned the use of the office by the Christian Family Coalition.

In 2010, Perez searched the office in the community center as the new company headquarters Winning Campaigns, Inc. That year, the company claimed at least $ 33.254 for advisory work, advertising and making phone calls to voters over 10 county and state candidates, including state representatives, Miguel Diaz de la Portilla and Carlos Lopez Cantera and County Commissioner Javier Souto.

"I do not know who Julio Perez, but it is possible that he was in any campaign," said Souto, who paid $ 2,500 to the company of Perez in 2010. "In political campaigns are bought ads in newspapers, on television and on the radio. If we have given some money to the campaign, I do not know. "

Last year, Perez created a new company, Campaign Victories, Inc., in the same office of the municipal building. The company received at least $ 14.950 for its policy advisory services, advertising and other campaign work for three judicial candidates, a candidate for the Miami-Dade Commission and a candidate for state representation.

One of these candidates was the lawyer John "Johnny" Rodriguez, who unsuccessfully aspired to a judicial office. According to his campaign reports, Rodriguez paid $ 1,000 to Campaign Victories.

On Monday, Rodriguez acknowledged having received the political support of Christian Family Coalition but could not remember Perez hired to perform campaign work.