ORLANDO, Fla. -- Senator Gary Siplin was back to his old habits Monday in his first public statements since having his theft conviction overturned, answering questions by professing his love. "I love you" seems to be his uniform answer to controversial questions he doesn't want to answer.

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RAW VIDEO: Siplin Speaks Publicly For First Time

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"I love you with all my heart, mind and soul," Siplin said, responding when Eyewitness News asked him if taxpayers were still paying his wife several thousand dollars a month for him to rent the legislative office building in Pine Hills that she owns.

Surrounded by city and county leaders, Siplin did talk about the reversal of his felony grand theft conviction

"Senator Siplin did not take one red cent from the state of Florida," Siplin said Monday morning.

Siplin was convicted on grand theft charges for putting senate aide Naomi Cooper to work on his re-election campaign while she was still taking a paycheck from the state. An appeals court ruled the evidence was too circumstantial.

"The past several months have been very difficult for me," Siplin said during the Monday press conference.

The court battle seems to have impacted Siplin's legislative career as well. He sponsored 31 bills this year and only two of them passed. When Eyewitness News asked him about his top legislative accomplishment, he didn't give a straight answer.

"Being a voice for the downtrodden, for Hispanics, Puerto Ricans, little kids in Parramore," Siplin answered.

"He has not been an effective leader for his people," government watchdog Mike Walzak told Eyewitness News.

Despite all the controversy, Walzak thinks Siplin's overturned conviction will help him win votes and get laws passed.

"When you go after the king and lose, the king becomes more powerful," Walzak said.

Siplin said he plans to run for re-election in 2008. Cooper, meanwhile, agreed to pay back the state $14,000.