Janelle Perez Sends Misleading Claim That Opponent’s Text Uses ‘Post-Cancer’ Photo
MIAMI (FLV) – Democrat candidate Janelle Perez sent a misleading tweet with a picture of her in a hospital bed claiming her opponent sent a post-cancer picture in a text message with the word “SICK.”
Perez faces Republican candidate Alexis Calatayud for state senate District 38, which includes Miami Beach and parts of North Miami.
“If you think it’s disgusting that my Republican opponent is sending around a text message with the word “SICK” and using a photo of me post-cancer, donate to our campaign and help us fight back against these shameful political tactics,” Perez said.
Perez then asked people to donate to her campaign.
However, Perez’s tweet is misleading as Calatayud’s mass text referred to Perez’s healthcare company and did not include the picture Perez first tweeted.
Instead, the mass message included a picture of Perez at a podium and made references to seniors becoming sick.
“Perez owns a healthcare company that PROFITS more by REJECTING seniors’ medical care. Seniors get less, Perez gets more. Seniors get SICK, PEREZ gets RICH. Now Janelle Perez wants to be your next State Senator. Say NO to Janelle Perez.”
Campaign Text
Calatayud responded on twitter with a picture of the text saying “the only person using this photo is you.”
Florida’s Voice Editor-in-Chief Brendon Leslie fact checked Perez’s claim on social media with a picture of the text.
“I was disgusted when I saw your tweet but I got ahold of the text message. They never used this pic or mocked your sickness,” Leslie said.
In response, Perez called the text “sick,” and then pointed to a picture from after she beat cancer in a campaign ad.
The campaign ad never refers to Perez’s cancer history. The campaign ad is solely focused on claims that Perez’s business profits more by rejecting claims for senior’s medical care. Here is the full campaign ad about Perez’s healthcare insurance business.
