Did Mahoney Help Second Alleged Mistress Win Federal Grant?

When Did Mahoney Get Involved with the Grant?

The story of the grant begins in 2004 after the devastating hurricanes in Florida. Numerous counties spent significant amount of money cleaning up debris from private roads. But when they sought reimbursement from FEMA, they were routinely denied.

So the counties turned to their congressional delegates -- including Mahoney -- for help. Mahoney and other members made phone calls on the counties' behalf but Mahoney took interest special interest in one: Martin County, where the woman worked, the staffers say.

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In early 2007 the woman and another Martin County official flew to Washington DC to meet with Mahoney about the grant, the staffers say.

Martin County had tried hard to get the reimbursement, but had been denied twice. After the meeting, Mahoney pledged to help, the staffers say.

Soon after Mahoney made phone calls and sent letters to FEMA as well as arranged for a special meeting with Paulison, where he was accompanied by the woman and another county official the staffers say.

Following the meeting, Mahoney wrote Paulison a thank you letter. "I greatly appreciate your thoughtful consideration of this matter," he wrote.

The results were not immediate. Mahoney had to meet with Paulison a second time, according to a press release on his website.

But by September, FEMA finally agreed to pay Martin County the $3.4 million, according to the county press release. A spokesperson for FEMA said in a statement that "after closer examination of the documentation the county submitted" they determined that the city had met the legal standard for reimbursement.

"I would like to commend our congressmen and staff for all their tremendous efforts to secure these funds," said Donaldson, in the press release, noting that Rep. Alcee Hastings and Sen. Mel Martinez had also supported the county efforts.

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