The state has shut down Rep. Paula Stark’s long troubled political committee for not paying $16,225 in fines for missing a string of campaign finance deadlines in 2023, records show.
The Florida Department of State’s Elections Division sent a Nov. 6 final order to revoke the registration for Friends of Paula. The state could file a complaint in circuit court to fight for the fines and recoup attorney fees, according to an Oct. 22 letter sent to Joel Davis, Stark’s boyfriend who chairs Friends of Paula.
Stark and Davis did not respond to a request for comment Friday for this story.
The political committee, which is operating $10,000 in the red, has reported questionable expenses for years on large restaurant bills and more recently for $953 at a St. Cloud car mechanic.
How the fines accrued was the political committee filed its M3 campaign treasurer’s report 204 days late in 2023 which led to a $11,000 fine, according to the statement of facts from the final order.
Davis appealed and argued “staffing change and the death of a key employee resulted in the failure to file the required reports,” according to the records. “Once Mr. Davis became aware of the oversight, he implemented internal controls and made sure all outstanding reports were brought up to date. New internal controls include checklists, written processes and appointing his personal executive assistant with direct authority to oversee the filing of the reports.”
But the state didn’t buy it, and the Florida Election Commission upheld the $11,000 fine.
The records said Davis’ excuses “do not justify Respondent’s failure to timely file the report.”
Davis, who did not attend the hearing, did not give any evidence or additional details to prove the employee’s death, the staffing changes or “how these circumstances directly resulted in Respondent’s failure to file the 2023 M3 report,” the final order said.
Davis also missed more deadlines that year.
The 2023 M4 campaign treasurer’s report was 173 days that year, resulting in a $1,121 fine. So was the 2023 M5 report — 141 days late, costing $2,054 — as well as the 2023 M6 report — 131 days late, a $2,049 fine.
By the Fall of 2025, the Friends of Paula was notified that the state was planning to cancel its registration, but the group did not respond or try to appeal, records said.
Stark, who represents House District 47 that Democrats are eyeing to flip back, is already facing two candidates seeking to oust her.
Jorge Figueroa, the President of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida and Anthony Nieves, a former state investigator, have filed for the office.