The Democratic candidate aiming to unseat Florida Senator Rick Scott is facing scrutiny for her call to cancel student debt, despite owning a $3 million house.
Former Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and her husband purchased their Pinecrest, Florida home for $1.15 million in 2009. Mucarsel-Powell, who disclosed having student loan debt ranging from $15,001 to $50,000 in 2021, has been vocal about the need for student debt relief.
In a tweet from February 2019, she expressed frustration that she and her husband were still making loan payments. Mucarsel-Powell co-sponsored the No Student Loan Interest Act in 2019, which aimed to cancel interest on certain federal student loans.
She has also compared the student debt issue to the problems with the healthcare system, criticizing the profit-driven nature of financial institutions. Mucarsel-Powell's campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the matter.
Despite losing her House reelection race in 2020, Mucarsel-Powell is seen as a promising candidate by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which supports her bid to become the first Democrat elected to represent Florida in the Senate since 2012. The committee stated that Senator Rick Scott is "highly vulnerable" and that Mucarsel-Powell would be a strong candidate to defeat him. It is worth noting that Mucarsel-Powell's husband also carries a significant amount of student debt, amounting to up to $100,000. Instead of paying off the debt, he has invested most of his earnings in real estate.
The source of Robert Powell's wealth has raised controversy. As an attorney, Powell worked for firms owned by Ukrainian oligarch Ilhor Kolomoisky, who is known as one of the wealthiest individuals in Ukraine. The Daily Beast reported that Powell earned nearly $700,000 in just two years while working for Kolomoisky's firms.
This business relationship has drawn concern from experts familiar with Ukraine, as Kolomoisky has alleged connections to criminal schemes and contract killings. The nature of Powell's work with Kolomoisky has been described as "highly suspicious" by Anders Aslund, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Edward Chow, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, emphasized that working for someone like Kolomoisky should raise concerns about the source of wealth. Kolomoisky was arrested in September by Ukrainian authorities on charges of money laundering over $130 million. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the arrest as a crackdown on corruption and a signal that those who had exploited Ukraine would no longer be above the law.
In November, following significant Republican gains in Florida, Mucarsel-Powell criticized young people on Twitter for not supporting pro-debt-cancellation Democrats more strongly. She urged students and members of Generation Z to participate, engage, and vote for representatives who prioritize their interests and future. Mucarsel-Powell claimed that Republicans had attempted to block student debt relief through legal means, while Democrats continued to fight for it.
As Mucarsel-Powell seeks to unseat Senator Rick Scott, her call for student debt cancellation has drawn attention due to her ownership of a $3 million house. Critics argue that her personal financial situation raises questions about the need for taxpayer-funded debt relief.
The issue of her husband's work for a Ukrainian oligarch has also raised concerns about the source of their wealth. These factors may impact Mucarsel-Powell's campaign as she vies to become the first Democrat elected to represent Florida in the Senate in nearly a decade.
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