Former Florida Congressman Avoids $456,000 Fine Over Electoral Campaign Finance

A Florida appeals judge dismissed the lower court’s ruling in the 12-year-old case sending it back to the lower court where it could be tried again.

Republican Congressional candidate David Rivera is greeted by supporters as he campaigns at an early voting site in Miami on October 20, 2010. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A Florida appeals court has dismissed a lower court’s ruling that a former Florida Republican congressman attempted to weaken an election opponent in 2012 in violation of campaign finance laws. It’s now up to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) if it wants to retry the case.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on July 1 that a Florida district judge erred in siding with the FEC in a complaint against David Rivera, who served as a congressman from 2011 to 2013 representing Florida’s 25th congressional district.