Earlier today I received a few e-mails and calls inquiring about my finances and my involvement with The Serving Miamian’s Electioneering Committee (ECO). I had not received an e-mail from Mr. Crespo asking me for clarification on my involvement.
Mr. Crespo states that I was paid near $60,000 for “dubious” work in these two years. Sounds like a lot of money, and it is. I am sure you are connected in one way or another to at least one social media account. If you have Facebook, I am sure you’ve noticed that people are using social media not only for sharing but as a sole news source (which is terrible). If you';re not connected you should consider it, small businesses and large companies alike rely heavily on social media marketing for awareness, often offering free credit, rebates or contest giveaways; I use my twitter solely for American Express rebates that they offer for just retweeting a hashtag. When my Father’s opponent began his campaign he based it on social media and the “young” generation, his Facebook (if memory serves me right) was gaining about 500 people a day. My Father’s social media was splintered, so I decided to clean it up; we created scheduled postings, consolidated the account, responded to questions, (built and) linked to his website, and created 30 second videos with his opinion on each platform, or achievement. We soon found that Facebook limits your reach unless you pay for the privilege. So we began to use targeted ads that went after certain age groups who lived in the City of Miami. Soon we overtook his opponent in social media. We started at around two thousand likes and are now close to fifteen thousand. We did the same for my Sister, localizing ads to people who live in her district, which happens to be most of the City of Miami.
Facebook is now worth Twenty billion dollars, all of their money comes from ad revenue. Hyper localizing your audience to the people in your neighborhood is expensive. Very expensive. How expensive?
Here is billing information for January of this year (hit on it to make it readable)
Thats $5,602.45
One month. Just Facebook. We also ran ads in Twitter.
The ECO can not legally pay Facebook as Facebook does not accept checks via the mail, to save the headache they paid me as the purchaser.
2014 ECO Handbook Since we are on the topic of the ECO, Chapter 11 of the Florida Electioneering Handbook states that an ECO can communicate via, telephone, radio, cable, satellite, (includes internet), newspaper magazine, direct mail, or telephone that :
Refers to or depicts a clearly identified candidate for office without expressly advocating the election or defeat of a candidate, but that is susceptible of no reasonable interpretation other than an appeal to vote for or against a specific candidate.
Is made within 30 days before a primary or special primary election or 60 days before any other election for the office sought.
Is targeted to the relevant electorate in the geographical area the candidate would represent if elected.
Weird…the rules of an ECO only mention candidates. As in you know…people.
That’s because an ECO cannot legally go after a YES/NO vote.
You’re thinking of a Political Action Committee which does have those powers.
I like to think of myself as a generalist, I’ve worked in various different sectors and donated my time to a few notable national and international non-profits. I worked in Digital Marketing as well, I went to plenty of meetings and week long seminars that were based around buzzwords. I designed my Father and my Sisters website, as well as my personal ones. I am self employed and I like to travel, I like to document what I see, be that underwater or above. I like teaching people how to travel for next to nothing or how to take photos underwater. My hobbies became my passion. I am very fortunate that I have a “choice” in what I do. Just because I know how to work in digital marketing does not mean that I need to advertise it. And that is a beautiful thing.
As for Mr. Crespo’s comment on me “not having much work to do since they ran unopposed”; unopposed is only categorized after the deadline for application. Any candidate that thinks the only time to they have to try is when someone files the report is a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
And after an election year?
We do not rest on our laurels.
I can only comment about things that I was involved in. As to the accusations of my Sister’s or Father’s character I will let their actions speak.
Both my Father and Sister’s page average at least a post a day. In less than two years they’re respective accounts have grown by over ten thousand, most of whom are residents in Miami. I like to think that social media did make a difference in the campaign.
Thank you to those who took the time to read. And Mr. Crespo, I do think you have written many decent and helpful articles.
Jose
p.s. Mr. Crespo, in case you’re thinking about asking me for my itemized account information. Forget it.
15 comments:
Jose is fortunate to have accomplished relatives who receive so much money from campaign contributors who need to buy access to Mayor Regalado and School Board Member Regalado. If not for his father and his sister Jose might have to get a real job? Crespo's point was that Raquel and Tomas have money in their ECO account and instead of using it to pay for ads and pamphlets to defeat the inane courthouse bond issue they give money to Jose. The scammers trying to dupe voters into voting for a $390+ Mil bond are spending $1,000,000+. How much are the Regalado's spending?
I want to hire Jose to maximize my social media here. It is a mess. I think Jose made it clear some of the money was going to pay for social media cost.
Am I missing something here?
I'm still of the opinion that if you form decisions based on above mentioned medias, it would be like reading and listening only to commercials.
Put another way, Regalado would be the border collie herding the sheep. And the sheep would be allowed to regurgitate the fed cut.
Taxpayers need to defeat Jorge Luis Lopez and his latest scheme to divert the taxpayers money into his pocket and the pockets of his clients. Raquel has been almost alone as the public face of the opposition. Good for her. She is right. And for once, the Miami Herald is right.
Jorge Luis Lopez and his crew are sending out direct mail every day. Every day. His pieces are designed to shock and scare the voters. Voters who have voted in 4 of the last 5 elections or 5 of 5 get a piece every day. Jorge's website has no plan and no budget. It is only designed to scare voters. Who will get the $393 Million, if the issue passes? Hmm.
Genius,
First of all, you obviously don’t read my site very often, because if you did, you’d know that I give a platform to folks I write about to respond. I did it for Jeffrey Berkowitz and for Don Worth, and would happily have done it for Jose Regalado.
Since this is your blog, you’re entitled to do whatever you want with it, but I do find it rather interesting that you didn’t show me the courtesy of sending me a note to say that you were going to publish a rebuttal from Jose Regalado, and that I was left to find out about it from a phone call from someone who read it.
Unfortunately I must refrain from addressing most of Jose’s rebuttal since my response will be part of a complaint that I now intend to file with the Florida Elections Commission based on his statements.
I couldn't have done it without you, Genius, thanks for sharing,
Al Crespo
I am confused. It seems from the invoice provided that this ECO was buying up Facebook ads in January of 2014. But then the law cited says ads are only supposed to be made "within 30 days before a primary or special primary election or 60 days before any other election for the office sought."
Did we have an election in February or March of this year or did José just admit the ECO broke the law?
Genius, maybe you can help clarify?
Don't know, this was just a reprint from a link supplied to me.
Having written 4,384 blogs, I do not read other blogs unless the link is sent to me by the blogger. Sorry Al. I don't want to step on toes, but I am on my computer all day between writing and research. Everything is not perfect here. I do the best I can under my circumstances. Blogs are written about me all the time and no one lets me know. I just find them 6 months later.
Anyway, I thought you gave up your blog Al for twitter. Where have I been?
We love BOTH of you guys (and Gimletye too.) You're ALL doing such good work. Thank you ALL for your time, effort, commitment, and selfless service. Keep the pressure on The Great Destroyers and forgive one another non-mortal trespasses.
Grasp at straws all you want Al.
As for the first anon comment. I quit my "real job" years ago, believe it or not filming for Discovery Channel is quite lucrative. I will hopefully be showcasing next year at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival.
Two things:
An ECO can only support a candidate NOT a amendment like the Court House. It would be a violation to put any dollars toward that.
An ECO can continue in perpetuity until 60 days before an election. After that point it can continue. Think of it as an advertisement (one that can only talk about how nice or bad someone is) fund. I would like to add (if it wasn't obvious)that I am only the "social media" guy. But that is my basic understanding.
As to the January question, my sister had an election this past year. But she ran unopposed. That being said it is my understanding that you can continue.
I think someone needs to write a bootstrap for Florida election law....
Genius, thank you for posting this. I wrote it rather quickly (and late!) apologies to you and your readers if some of it does not make sense.
I agree, both of you and other bloggers are doing the dirty work and we greatly appreciate it. Thanks. Skip Van Cel
Since the Miami Herald has almost given up on investigative reporting we need both your blogs to report E-mails, documents and maps we would not see otherwise.
"I do like Raquel Regalado and Jose Regalado very much and we are friends". Now your Blog makes total sense.
Jose Regalado? Must be nice? Lucky sperm club.
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