{"id":1103,"date":"2026-05-26T23:03:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T23:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=1103"},"modified":"2026-05-26T23:03:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T23:03:46","slug":"the-ultimate-loyalty-test-why-local-power-players-are-offering-to-back-7m-bond-for-david-rivera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=1103","title":{"rendered":"The \u2018ultimate loyalty test\u2019: Why local power players are offering to back $7M bond for David Rivera"},"content":{"rendered":"

MIAMI \u2014 Questions are swirling over a who\u2019s who of South Florida figures offering to come up with a possible $7 million bond for disgraced former U.S. Rep. David Rivera: Why would Miami-Dade\u2019s supervisor of elections and other prominent officials place their homes, money and reputations on the line for a convicted lawmaker with \u201cties to Venezuela?\u201d<\/p>

Read more The Latest: Iran deal progress is murky after US military says it carried out \u2018self-defense\u2019 strikes<\/a><\/p>

Leer en espa\u00f1ol<\/p>

\u201cThese folks must like David Rivera,\u201d Sean Foreman, a political analyst and professor at Barry University, said, saying the group must \u201cfind his friendship really worthwhile to put their homes and money on the line.\u201d<\/p>

Some of the names include Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia, former Florida State Rep. Manuel Prieguez, and Monsignor Wilfredo Pena Moredo, a Catholic priest of 52 years.<\/p>

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\"David<\/figure>\n\n
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Local 10 coverage<\/div>\n

David Rivera trial<\/h3>\n

\n Former U.S. Rep. David Rivera, R-Florida, was convicted of secretly lobbying for Venezuela\u2019s government.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\nMay 25, 2026<\/span>\nProminent figures offer to cover convicted former Rep. David Rivera\u2019s $7 million bond<\/span>\nMay 1, 2026<\/span>\nFormer Miami congressman David Rivera is convicted in a secret Venezuela lobbying case<\/span>\nApril 28, 2026<\/span>\nRivera accused of illegally lobbying for Venezuela chooses not to testify<\/span>\nApril 27, 2026<\/span>\nRep. Pete Sessions testifies during ex-Rep. David Rivera\u2019s federal trial in Miami<\/span>\nMarch 23, 2026<\/span>\nOpening statements begin in trial of former Florida congressman David Rivera<\/span>\nDec. 6, 2022<\/span>\nDavid Rivera comments to Local 10 about Venezuela dealings contradicted in indictment<\/span>\n\n\n See more coverage\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

Former FIU presidents Modesto \u201cMitch\u201d Maidique and Mark Rosenberg are also among those offering to help Rivera, 60, along with Yvonne Soler McKinley, the former city manager of Doral and South Miami.<\/p>

\u201cHe\u2019s sitting in jail without bond and it looks like his friends are coming to his rescue to put up their money and their homes as collateral so that David Rivera can enjoy some freedom before his ultimate sentencing on July 20, where it does look like he will end up in prison for a long time,\u201d Foreman said. <\/p>

Foreman calls it \u201cthe ultimate loyalty test.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cDavid Rivera has been politically prominent in Florida and in South Florida especially for many years. He had a long history in the Florida Legislature, and then he served in Congress, but while he was in the Florida Legislature in Tallahassee, he chaired the budget committee and as chair of the budget committee, you make a lot of friends in high places,\u201d he said. \u201cHe was able to help get funding for some very significant projects in South Florida, for which he now has friends that look like they\u2019re willing to pay him back with their own support in a different way now.\u201d<\/p>

Garcia told the court she is willing to pledge the equity value of her home $400,000 because she believes if the court allows Rivera to post bond, he will show up to sentencing.<\/p>

Garcia, Foreman said, \u201cworked for David Rivera for many years in Tallahassee, so she\u2019s extremely loyal because she owes her political career to him.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cI think she would admit the same and that\u2019s probably why she\u2019s standing by his side now,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s illegal for an elected official to put up bail money for a friend of theirs, regardless of the situation.\u201d<\/p>

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However, Foreman said, \u201cI do think it doesn\u2019t look good.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be something she\u2019s going to have to answer to voters to in the future. It might not look ethical, but, really, she is allowed to give her money to support anyone, whether it\u2019s a former politician or not,\u201d he said. \u201cBut she should answer some tough questions as to why she would put her own personal money and reputation on the line for somebody who was clearly convicted of the crimes that they were accused of. I think she doesn\u2019t face the voters again until 2028, so she\u2019s got some time.\u201d<\/p>

Rivera\u2019s defense team is asking the court to set bail pending sentencing and is working to convince a judge that he won\u2019t flee.<\/p>

The judge ordered U.S. Marshals to take Rivera into custody following the jury\u2019s verdict, deciding he could be a flight risk because of \u201cconcerning\u201d ties to Venezuela.<\/p>

Former Miami-Dade Commissioner and State Rep. Juan Carlos Zapata is also pledging the equity of his home. He told Local 10 News, \u201cI am not a fair-weather friend and at my age, I do not intend on changing that.\u201d<\/p>

Another backer, attorney Alex Hanna, said in a statement to Local 10 News that he \u201csubmitted a personal character letter to the Court based on a longstanding personal and professional relationship with Mr. Rivera spanning many years.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThe letter speaks for itself,\u201d he said. \u201cI respect the judicial process and do not intend to comment further while sentencing proceedings remain pending.\u201d<\/p>

The government has until early June to file its response. Rivera\u2019s sentencing is scheduled for July 20.<\/p>

\u201cIf you feel confident enough that the guy is going to show up for his court sentencing, that you\u2019re going to get your money back, then that\u2019s a great friend who\u2019s willing to do so,\u201d Foreman said. \u201cDavid Rivera was convicted of all counts against him, so it\u2019s not like there\u2019s any real controversy over the charges. He\u2019s going to appeal and he has his right to appeal.\u201d<\/p>

Read more Boat captain takes plea deal, avoids jail in case of girl, 15, killed near Key Biscayne<\/a><\/p>

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Questions are swirling over a who\u2019s who of South Florida figures offering to come up with a $7 million bond for disgraced former U.S. Rep. David Rivera: Why would Miami-Dade\u2019s supervisor of elections and other prominent officials place their homes, money and reputations on the line for a convicted lawmaker with \u201cties to Venezuela?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nThe \u2018ultimate loyalty test\u2019: Why local power players are offering to back $7M bond for David Rivera - South Florida Moving Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=1103\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The \u2018ultimate loyalty test\u2019: Why local power players are offering to back $7M bond for David Rivera - South Florida Moving Guides\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Questions are swirling over a who\u2019s who of South Florida figures offering to come up with a $7 million bond for disgraced former U.S. Rep. 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