By Javier Manjarres

Last night’s Republican primary congressional debate in Davie between the candidates vying to replace Debbie Wasserman Schultz came and went without any fanfare.

The only candidate not in attendance was Karen Harrington who was unable to attend to due a prior commitment.  During the opening statements, Osvaldo “Ozzie” deFaria was called out by an audience member regarding his claim that he was directly responsible for creating 2000 jobs and $800 million to the economy.

I have created over $800 million to the economy. I’ve created over 2000 private sector jobs – Ozzie deFaria

Just as deFaria finished making this assertion, someone in the audience yelled out,”prove it.”

deFaria was unnerved by this challenge, it forced deFaria to ante up and attempt to prove his claim. deFaria nervously held up a recently mailed political mailer from his campaign that stated the testimony of three of his past business associates.

deFaria said the following as he held up the mailer-

I’ve created over 2000 jobs, $800 million to the economy, and $1.5 billion, don’t take my word for it…-Ozzie deFaria

deFaria simply cited his three past business associates as proof positive that he did do what he said he did. So, we’ll do just as Ozzie asks us to do- we won’t take his word for it.

As you see below, in the actual political mailer, none of these past business associates corroborate deFaria’s jobs and/or economic numbers claims. All three of these past associates merely state that Ozzie is a swell guy and that he has good business skills. deFaria is just regurgitating his own claims.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the Ozzie deFaria ‘Proving’ his claims.

[vsw id=”ki9CCKjWwPk” source=”youtube” width=”425″ height=”344″ autoplay=”no”]

Heck, I am sure that the other candidates could find three associates from their past who could vouch for whatever claims they needed to make.  But when it comes down to it, deFaria could not back up his own claim, plain and simple.

Is deFaria taking credit for jobs that AT&T created collectively within all of its business departments?  deFaria himself said that he was an employee of the company and actually he managed one of AT&T’s divisions.

How did deFaria add $800 million to the economy? Is he using AT&T’s total or partial sales/earnings numbers as well?

deFaria is basing his entire campaign on his business acumen, and there’s no problem with that- and we are not questioning his success in business.  But if deFaria was so successful in business, why does he have so many public records filed against in during the past seven years, including several legal matters and two judgment lien against him, one domestic and the other foreign?

So again, as Ozzie asked us- don’t take his word for it- we’ll take the word of the Broward County Clerk of the Court.

 Here is the list of deFaria’s civil court actions. deFaria’s 2006 Repeat Violence and Battery Arrest record can be found here.

Broward County Case Number: COCE05011501	State Reporting Number: 062005CC011501AXXXCE
Court Type: Civil Division – County Court	Case Type: CC Enforce Foreign Jgmt </= $15,000
Incident Date: N/A	Filing Date: 07/28/2005
Court Location: Central Courthouse	Case Status: Disposition Entered
Magistrate ID / Name: N/A	Judge ID / Name: 51 Dishowitz, Martin R.
Style: Terra Mgmt Co Plaintiff vs. Osvaldo Defaria, Jr. Defendant

•