State Rep. Evan Jenne’s challenger files financial disclosure complaint
Aug 14, 2009
This article was published in the Miami Herald on Friday, August 14, 2009
How could Evan Jenne earn $60,000 last year from a company that didn’t exist until January of this year?
That’s the question at the center of a complaint that Jenne’s opponent, Chris Chiari, filed this week with the Florida Commission on Ethics after examining Jenne’s most recent financial disclosure report.
Chiari, a Democrat who lost two races against Republican Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, recently said he would challenge fellow Democrat Jenne next year South Broward’s House District 100.
State records show that Blue Banyan, Jenne’s business consulting company, was formed in January of this year. The law firm of Rothstein Rosenfeldt and Adler did the paperwork — the same firm that hired the legislator’s father, former Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne, after he was released from prison.
Asked why he reported that he earned $60,000 in 2008 from a business that didn’t open until this year, Evan Jenne said: ”If I did anything wrong, I gave too much information or gave information at an inappropriate time. I don’t see a problem with that.”
Jenne said he worked only as a legislator in 2008.
Jenne said he has two business consulting clients: Edify LLC, a benefits consulting company in Fort Lauderdale, and Florida Home Medical Equipment in Miramar.
Chiari filed five complaints, including an allegation that Jenne should have provided more details about his assets, including $5,000 for art and $25,000 for collections. ”If he would like to come over and see my Ansel Adams print, or the black and white 8-by-10 on my wall signed by Joe DiMaggio, or come over and see my comic book collection, he should try to make an appointment,” said Jenne.
Jenne said Chiari is mudslinging to avoid talking about substantive issues. Chiari said voters are tired of politics as usual. ”I am in this race to stand up against old school Florida politics,” Chiari wrote in a press release.
Last year, Jenne paid a $2,500 fine imposed by the Florida Elections Commission for returning certain campaign contributions late.