MIAMI -- Joe Garcia is the Democrat trying to unseat incumbent Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart. Garcia was a Florida Public Service commissioner during the 1990s.

A 30-second spot produced by the campaign of Diaz-Balart inferred that Garcia went to Ken Lay, the disgraced CEO of former energy trading company Enron to help him have President George W. Bush to appoint him to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The voice-over states, "Enron’s convicted CEO said Joe Garcia was on our short list of people we would be comfortable with."

Ken Lay did say those words during a PBS "Frontline" interview in March 2001. But the context of that interview showed that Lay spoke with several candidates and was attempting to downplay the appearance of influence he might have had over Bush's decision of whom to appoint.

The ad also alleges that Garcia "begged Enron's convicted CEO to get him a job."

That is false, according to Garcia, who said his conversation with Lay was one of many he had with people and groups interested in the positions of a potential energy regulator.

He also refuted a line in the ad that alleges Garcia, as utilities commissioner, supported a “huge rate hike on Florida families".

Garcia said he was not on the panel that approved the increase, and was chair of the commission when the PSC overturned it and approved a large rate decrease.