Beaufort Co. candidate still owes $34K to minority group from 2013 lawsuit, records say
A candidate running to represent Beaufort County in the S.C. House of Representatives has not repaid $34,000 he was ordered to in connection with a lawsuit filed by a minority nonprofit group in 2013, according to documents from the Beaufort County Court of Common Pleas.
Mario Martinez, 43, a Democratic candidate in the District 123 House race, was sued in early 2013 by the Mexican-American Coalition Corps, of which he was treasurer and director.
Martinez did not respond to seven attempts to contact him directly for comment via phone, text and email from Monday through Wednesday. One of those attempts included a scheduled meeting that he failed to attend at the newspaper office.
The Beaufort County Democratic Party referred questions about Martinez to his attorney.
The suit claims Martinez committed “wrongful, willful, malicious and intentional acts” that caused at least $8,076 in damage to the group. That amount rose to $34,000 when fines were added after Martinez did not respond to the suit and later did not make payments, according to Michael Mogil, his attorney.
The suit also claims Martinez committed “wrongful conversion and (disposing) of the funds of the Coalition for his own use.”
In November 2013, Martinez signed a settlement admitting he took the money and agreeing to pay the group $34,000, according to a confession of judgment document.
Mogil said Wednesday that Martinez spent the $8,076 in 2011 and 2012 on “immigration reform matters.”
Those expenditures, Mogil said, included an organized bus trip from Beaufort County to Washington, D.C., for a rally; payment for a member of the coalition to fly to Alabama on an immigration reform matter; and for T-shirts, local events and speakers.
When asked for documentation on those expenditures, Mogil said “since the matter and relationship ended in 2013 with the settlement, Mario does not have an active file on this matter.”
Through his attorney, Martinez claimed that a change in leadership at the coalition led to the request for the money to be returned. He said that request came after Martinez had already spent the money.
The coalition is no longer active, according to Lorena Colin, who served as deputy director of the group with Martinez.
Mogil said Wednesday that Martinez would like to repay the money but has not been asked for payment since the confession of judgment was signed.
Martinez is on the Nov. 6 ballot and is running against Republican incumbent Rep. Jeff Bradley. District 123 includes Hilton Head Island and Daufuskie Island.