Diaz-Balart and Martinez debate on Sunday local TV shows

   Incumbent Republican Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Democratic challenger Raul Martinez, a former Hialeah mayor, pressed their congressional campaign Sunday with appearances on local public affairs television programs. The most contentious of the appearances came on the Spanish-language Univision program Al Punto where Diaz-Balart and Martinez traded barbs and sharply disagreed on Cuba policy, their records and whether a U.S. president should sit down and negotiate with America’s enemies. Sunday’s appearances were the latest for the candidates from Florida District 21 which stretches from south Broward County to south Miami-Dade County.

Sunday’s first appearance came on the NBC6 show Decision08 where Diaz-Balart and Martinez were interviewed separately by Nick Bogert, the NBC6 reporter who moderated last week’s Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce candidate forum (photo above).

Diaz-Balart was the first to be interviewed.

Asked if his policy of supporting travel and money remittance restrictions for Cuban exiles had “failed’’ since the Castro regime was still in power in Havana, Diaz-Balart did not directly answer the question.

But he said that he had helped craft laws that ensure that the embargo on Cuba can only be loosened when the Havana regime frees all political prisoners and schedules free elections.

Diaz-Balart also did not directly answer Bogert’s question on whether he met with two Puerto Rican politicians, one of whom claimed they had carried money to the congressman several years ago from a prominent Puerto Rican family.

“That’s defamation by the Raul Martinez campaign,’’ Diaz-Balart said, adding that his campaign had received contributions that were “duly reported.’’

Bogert interviewed Martinez next.

When he asked Martinez how he would justify to voters his legal past, Martinez said the 1990 indictment against him on extortion and racketeering charges was politically-motivated.

“There’s such a thing as a political indictment,’’ he said.

Martinez said that when he disclosed he was going to run for the seat of the late Democratic congressman Claude Pepper, the U.S. Attorney at the time opened an investigation that ultimately led to the indictment in 1990 and a conviction in 1991.

The U.S. Attorney at the time was Dexter Lehtinen, husband of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen who ran for Pepper’s seat and won. Both Dexter and Ileana have denied any political motivations.

An appeals court later reversed Martinez’s conviction and two subsequent trials ended in hung juries. Then the government dropped the case.
“You can say all you want about me and my past, but I was a very effective mayor,’’ Martinez said.

Asked about Cuba policy and the embargo on the island, Martinez said those issues are potential negotiating tools.

“First,’’ he replied, “the embargo is a tool for us to negotiate. Negotiate political prisoners, negotiate human rights in Cuba. That’s a negotiating tool.’’

For now, he added, he has called for the immediate temporary lifting of travel and money restrictions for Cuban exiles so they can help victims of recent storms.

Immediately after the NBC6 show, Martinez and Diaz-Balart appeared together on Univision’s Al Punto.

Exchanges between the two men became contentious when Diaz-Balart mentioned Martinez’s legal record, noting that the former Hialeah mayor had never been acquitted. Martinez maintains that in the last of three trials against him in 1996 jurors “acquitted’’ him because they voted to acquit on one conspiracy charge and deadlocked on five remaining counts. Then the U.S. Attorney at the time, Kendall Coffey, dropped the case.

“Mr. Martinez was not exonerated,’’ Diaz-Balart said. “He was never acquitted.’’

Martinez shot back: “Are you an attorney? You say you are an attorney…The government on three occasions…’’

Diaz-Balart interrupted Martinez to say: “Kendall Coffey, a Democrat U.S. Attorney, who took you to trial, the jurors voted 9 out of 12 to find you guilty.’’

Martinez quickly added: “And what happened in the second trial? Wasn’t it 11-1 to acquit?’’

Diaz Balart asked, sounding incredulous: “Have you been once acquitted?”

Martinez: “Totally and absolutely. I have never been 'condenado' (a Spanish word that can mean sentenced, found guilty or convicted) in this country.’’

Diaz Balart, smiling: “This is incredible. Something incredible.’’

Comments

[Miguel]

Lincoln, can you please talk about something else?

[Hialeah411]

Dear Lincoln,

The question we all want answered is, "Who is Karen Caballero?"

Sincerely,

Hialeah411

[Marina]

I smell desperation in the Martinez camp. Hialeah411 the regime must really be paying you overtime.

[Marina]

I smell desperation in the Martinez camp. Hialeah411 the regime must really be paying you overtime.

[Marina]

I smell desperation in the Martinez camp. Hialeah411 the regime must really be paying you overtime.

[Republican for Raul]

I want to hear about the issues that affect the District. I feel that Raul Martinez will bring help to hsi District. He is an effective leader. TIME FOR A CHANGE!!! not enough is being done!