Miami Herald: What’s The Deal With Joe Garcia Not Living In His District?

The Miami Herald is asking an interesting question about Florida’s Democrat Congressman Joe Garcia: when is he actually going to move to the 26th District he represents?

“It has been almost a year since Joe Garcia told The Miami Herald’s editorial board July 27, 2012 that he’d move into the newly drawn if he won the Key West-to-Miami-Dade Congressional District 26.

“Garcia won. But he hasn’t yet moved. His office said the freshman Democrat is in the process of getting a place.”

“But it’s too late as far as the National Republican Congressional Committee is concerned. The NRCC issued the following statement today rapping Garcia for not yet moving and for an absentee-ballot fraud scandal that rocked his office (background here):

“‘With the on-going voter fraud investigation, Joe Garcia proved he lacks sound judgment to be a Congressman. But now, how could voters really trust Joe Garcia to represent them if he doesn’t even bother to live or vote in the district?'”

The Herald didn’t forget what Garcia told them last year.

“Not living in your district, however, is a serious no-no for state legislators due to a state constitutional residency requirement that has some legislators in hot water (more here and here).

“Still, though Garcia has had typical growing pains for a freshman (finding a place to live in D.C., getting offices up & running), he should have realized that this statement last year to the Herald could come to haunt him seven months into his term:

“‘What is clear and what I want to state unequivocally is that if I am fortunate enough to be elected by the voters, I’m going to live in the district. And it’s a matter of fact. I know it. I’ve been there. I’ve worked it. And clearly I have a great interest if I’ve dedicated such a huge portion of my life to what happens in the district, living there and growing up there.'”

We know Garcia has had his hands full with a voter fraud scandal that has demolished his political brain trust, but is this another example of Garcia saying one thing and doing another? The voters of Florida’s 26th District deserve better.