By One way to get rid of a pesky reporter: Throw a bucket of water on him.
That's what the wife of a failed candidate embroiled in a campaign scandal did to Miami Local 10 senior political reporter Michael Putney.
The TV journalist came away drenched but not any more enlightened than when he knocked on the door. The caught-on-tape moment has made a splash on the Web.
But the strangest part of the story is that the soggy reporter isn't even the weirdest part. According to the Miami Herald, failed Democratic congressional candidate Justin Lamar Sternad is reportedly telling the FBI that the Republican, Rep. David Rivera, secretly contributed to his campaign—in an apparent failed attempt to plant a ringer candidate in the 25th District's primary election.
Sternad, previously a night-time hotel worker, ultimately lost in the primary.
But during his attempt to run, the father of five who makes just $30,000 a year, was allegedly funneled unreported cash through his campaign manager, Ana Sol Alliegro.
There's more: Sternad reportedly told the FBI that Alliegro acted as a conduit between his campaign and Rivera, whom she referred to as "D.R." and "the Gangster."
Sternad offered as evidence of the connection photos of his campaign manager with Rivera on Facebook and Twitter.
Questions arose when Sternad spent thousands of dollars on expensive mailers.
Rivera's attorney, Michael R. Band, told the Miami Herald, "We will respond when these so-called 'sources' are willing to go on the record." Band added, "We are not going to respond to unfounded rumors and innuendo. My client is in the middle of an election, and it's unfair for us to be shadowboxing with unnamed sources." Alliegro has disappeared from public view.
Certainly a juicy story that any journalist would want to cover, wet or dry.
In the video clip, as the reporter steps up to the Sternad family home, he sees a sign posted on the door that reads, "Have respect! We have 5 small children," and asks the media to direct their inquiries to an attorney. The sign adds, "Trespassers will be WET!"
In fairness, he was warned.