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Rep. Alan Grayson asked to end Florida bid for U.S. Senate

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, is calling on U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D - Orlando to drop out of the U.S. Senate race in Florida.

Reid, who has endorsed Grayson’s opponent, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, Florida, in the Democratic primary, cited Grayson’s management of an offshore hedge fund and an ongoing investigation by the House Committee on Ethics.

Reid said that Grayson has "no moral compass" and that his actions "disgrace the Democratic party."

Grayson said that Reid's statements are part of a smear campaign and politically motivated.

In previous interviews with Eyewitness news, Grayson has dismissed the inquiry into the overseas account, saying that he has broken no rules and broken no laws. He has, however, closed the hedge fund’s operations in the Cayman Islands and changed the name of the fund from the Grayson Fund to another name.

On Thursday, the New York Times published its investigation into the Grayson account.  In its reporting, the Times found that Grayson, “promoted his international travels, some with congressional delegations, to solicit business.”

Rep. Grayson announced in late 2015 that he would not be seeking re-election in his U.S. House seat. Instead, Grayson said he would be running to fill the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican running for president.

Rep. Grayson said in a statement early Friday afternoon

"I'm running against a rigged system and the Washington Establishment, so it's no surprise that its departing figurehead, who failed so badly in the 2014 Senate races, relies on a false and misleading hyped story to try to pressure me out of this race. The reason why he is making such an absurd statement at all is that he knows that I'm well ahead in the polls, and heading for a strong primary victory.  Sen. Reid may well prefer corrupt Establishment errand boy Patrick Murphy, who routinely sells his vote to Wall Street lobbyists, and just last week hid from voting on his own bill providing amnesty to white-collar criminals.  Patrick Murphy publicly called on national TV for cuts across the board in Social Security and Medicare, among other essential programs.  Those are actions that truly disgrace our party and the Halls of Congress. Sen. Reid managed to find a way to lose six out of seven open Senate seats in 2014, and lose six incumbent Democrats when the GOP lost none.  Now he is personally attacking the clear choice of Florida Democrats, making the party into a circular firing squad.  The story to which he refers is replete with misleading statements, innuendo and outright lies, and despite that, there is nothing in the report that even suggest any improper or unethical conduct. I never used my Congressional office to advance any business interest or for personal gain, and to say so is utterly deceitful. I resent the attack on my 'morality,' and I question the morality and judgment of any elected official, much less one in my own party, who would sink so low as to engage in such a smear.  Thank goodness that he will be gone from Washington, DC when I am sworn into the Senate."