Carolina Amesty
Carolina Amesty | |
---|---|
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 45th district | |
Assumed office November 8, 2022 | |
Preceded by | Geraldine Thompson (redistricting) |
Personal details | |
Political party | Republican |
Education | Seminole State College of Florida (AA) University of Central Florida (BA) |
Carolina Amesty is an American politician serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives for the 45th district. She assumed office on November 8, 2022. Carolina won the Republican primary with 45% of the votes in a five-way race. Her main opponent was Allie Braswell.[3][4][5]
Education
Amesty earned an Associate of Arts degree from the Seminole State College of Florida and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and government from University of Central Florida.[6]
Career
In 2014 and 2015, Amesty worked as the director of academic affairs at Central Christian University. Amesty returned to Central Christian University in 2017, working as senior advisor to the president and executive vice president.[7]
Florida House of Representatives
Amesty successfully ran for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives in the 2022 election.[6] Her candidacy was endorsed by Donald Trump Jr.[8]
During Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's feud with Disney in 2023, Amesty said that Disney was "indoctrinating" children with "radical gender ideologies" and had "pushed far-left narratives and lies about our great state".[9]
Personal life
Amesty is a Christian.[10]
Controversy
Amesty campaigned as a successful business owner and educator for the Florida House but has faced allegations of filing false information about her family's unaccredited university, falsely claiming to run a thriving restaurant that was actually closed and failed to pay taxes on her $1.3 million home.
Central Christian University, run by Amesty and her father, has not paid its 2022 property taxes, owing over $18,000 in late fees as of September 2023. Her restaurant, Pollo Juan, also owed over $37,000 in unpaid property taxes as of a 2023 Orlando Sentinel report. [11]
Amesty, who portrayed herself as wealthy and accomplished despite a history of financial instability, loaned herself $200,000 for her campaign and won endorsements from prominent Republicans. [12] However, her businesses and finances have come under scrutiny. Her university's tax forms didn't account for all its money, and its political activities appeared to violate non-profit rules by hosting an event with an organization operated by Proud Boy Enrique Tarrio. [13]
In addition, Amesty's claims about faculty and staff at her unaccredited Central Christian University were contradicted by individuals who stated they never worked there, further accusing Amesty of false notarization of documents. [14]
Inaccurate information was also found on the university's websites, including fake academic credentials for alleged employees. [15]
Her acquisition of a mansion in the name of her nonprofit also met heavy scrutiny in the press, as well as her failed attempt to gain tax exempt status for residence.[17] Following her campaign, Amesty moved to a home owned by Dimitri Deo, a businessman listed in the Panama Papers.[16] [17]
Amesty has also been involved in legislative controversies related to sponsoring and voting for legislation benefiting her own industry, as well as dubious special interests hundreds of miles outside her district. [18]
More recently, Amesty also faced allegations of being a supporter of Russian interests due to her education in Moscow State University, attendance at a conference honoring Russian President Vladimir Putin as keynote speaker in 2014 at the Russian Institute of Ruspolitology, as well as now deleted pro-Russian posts on social media. [19]
References
- ^ "Candidate Q&A: Carolina Amesty, Florida State Representative District 45 (REP)". 11 August 2022.
- ^ "Carolina Amesty - 2022 - 2024 ( Speaker Renner )".
- ^ "Carolina Amesty wins Republican Primary in HD 45". Florida Politics. Scott Powers. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
- ^ "Carolina Amesty". BALLOTPEDIA. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
- ^ "Carolina Amesty crowned winner in HD 45 race against Allie Braswell". Florida Politics. Jacob Ogles. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
- ^ a b "Carolina Amesty". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- ^ Ogles, Jacob (2022-11-09). "Carolina Amesty crowned winner in HD 45 race against Allie Braswell". Florida Politics. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- ^ Powers, Scott (2022-08-10). "Donald Trump Jr. endorses Carolina Amesty in HD 45". Florida Politics. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
- ^ Barnes, Brooks (17 April 2023). "DeSantis, in Latest Volley Against Disney, Suggests Punitive Steps". The New York Times.
- ^ "Carolina Amesty - 2022 - 2024 ( Speaker Renner )". www.myfloridahouse.gov. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/08/08/rep-amesty-leaves-trail-of-falsehoods-unpaid-taxes-and-bills-records-show/
- ^ https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/209512/carolina-amesty
- ^ ttps://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/08/08/rep-amesty-leaves-trail-of-falsehoods-unpaid-taxes-and-bills-records-show/
- ^ https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/03/20/carolina-amesty-notarized-document/
- ^ https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/08/08/rep-amesty-leaves-trail-of-falsehoods-unpaid-taxes-and-bills-records-show/
- ^ https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2022/10/03/opponent-blasts-gop-candidate-amesty-for-living-in-home-owned-by-religious-nonprofit/
- ^ https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/12148069
- ^ https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/02/22/central-florida-gop-lawmakers-with-ties-to-private-schools-vote-for-voucher-expansion/
- ^ https://ruspolitology.ru/istoriya/rop/
- Living people
- Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
- Women state legislators in Florida
- Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Florida
- Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
- American people of Venezuelan descent
- Christians from Florida
- Seminole State College of Florida alumni
- University of Central Florida alumni
- 21st-century American legislators
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 1994 births
- 21st-century Florida politicians
- Florida politician stubs