Jacksonville Businessman Fined for Campaign Contribution Violations | News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --  A closed Jacksonville car dealership and its owner are at the center of a federal probe involving Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan.

According to federal court records, Buchanan was part owner of a car dealership with a Jacksonville man by the name of Sam Kazran.

The two owned the Hyundai of North Jacksonville dealership until 2008, when Kazran became the sole owner.

According to documents filed by the Federal Election Commission, starting in 2005, Kazran, "...arranged for (car dealership) employees and others to contribute" to Buchanan's 2006 and 2008 campaigns for Congress, and then reimbursed those contributions with money from the Hyundai dealership.

The federal complaint notes $67,900 was involved in the scheme and that Kazran and his dealership violated election laws by making contributions in the names of others and by making contributions which exceeded a set limit.

The courts have fined Kazran and Hyundai of North Jacksonville to pay back the exact amount in donations.

Kazran, who lives in the gated Queen's Harbor community, could not be reached by phone, and he did not return an email asking for a comment.

In court records Kazran filed in July, he requested Buchanan be considered for campaign violations as well.

Kazran wrote he is, "...caught in some political war...which he has no desire to be involved in."

Buchanan has not been fined and his office did not return requests for a comment.