Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio and another Miami politician are facing foreclosure on a Tallahassee home they co-own for failing to make mortgage payments since January, Leon County court records show.
The Deutsche Bank National Trust Company initiated foreclosure proceedings on the home owned by Rubio and state Rep. David Rivera, who is running for Congress. Rubio, a former state House speaker, and Rivera lived in the home when they were in Tallahassee for legislative sessions and other business.
Rubio's campaign said Friday that the matter is being resolved. Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos said Rubio and Rivera stopped making payments during a dispute with the bank over terms of the mortgage.
"They took action right away to get this resolved and squared away," Burgos said, adding that a check was written for more than $9,500 on Thursday to cover a reinstatement charge and legal fees.
The home, which appears to be vacant, is listed for $136,500 with a local real estate agent. The listing described the sellers as "highly motivated," and encouraged prospective buyers "to bring all offers."
Records show Rubio and Rivera paid $135,000 for the 1,228-square-foot home in 2005.
Questions about Rubio's finances arose in the last several months after he came from nowhere to surge past Gov. Charlie Crist in the Republican Senate polls. Rubio, a tea party favorite, drove Crist from the Republican primary to run as an independent.
The Internal Revenue Service investigated spending by Rubio and more than two dozen other party leaders under former state chairman Jim Greer, who faces criminal charges for his own freewheeling spending of dollars on himself.
Rubio charged nearly $110,000 to the party-issued card when he was House speaker in 2007 and 2008. Rubio charged repairs to his personal minivan, grocery bills, plane tickets for his wife and retail purchases, including one from a wine store.
Campaign aides said the charges were legitimate and claimed the minivan was damaged when Rubio was on party business.
Rubio reimbursed the party $2,417.80 for airline flights he said were mistakenly charged to the GOP credit card. Burgos said Friday that Rubio was traveling on official government business and not on personal trips.
Rubio has also been asked about spending by two political committees he formed as House speaker to benefit House candidates. Little of the money he raised went to candidates while some may have benefited Rubio's relatives.
"They were employees of the committees and paid accordingly," Burgos said.