Florida the rules are different here Chapter CLX

Today elections are being held in the city of Boynton Beach. According to the Sun-Sentinel, Precinct 7122, has one registered voter. That one registered voter is supposedly living in Nevada now. Such efficient election systems we have here in the Sunshine State. Isn't this a great state or what?

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Boynton Beach - The effect of Precinct 7122 on the outcome of the city's District 2 race will likely be zilch during Tuesday's elections.

That's because the precinct, a thin, 2-mile sliver along Federal Highway, has just one registered voter. And, in fact, that voter no longer lives in Florida, according to relatives in Nevada. The voter's mailing address is in Kentucky.

In Palm Beach County, where there are 788,712 registered voters, such seemingly bizarre precincts aren't so rare. Of the county's 780 precincts, 61 of them had fewer than 25 registered voters. And records show there were 15 precincts countywide with just one registered voter, just like in Precinct 7122.

Boynton Beach has two other precincts without enough voters to fill a bus. One has 19. One has only six.

The Supervisor of Elections Office is responsible for carving out precincts and recommends changes to the Board of County Commissioners, who ultimately have the final say.

The overlap of districts for U.S. Congress, state House and Senate, County Commission, School Board and municipal offices must all be taken into consideration when drawing each precinct's boundaries, said Charmaine Kelley, deputy chief of the Supervisor of Elections Office. Each precinct can have only one of each, plus any at-large municipal offices.

"It's layer upon layer upon layer," she said. "7122 exists because it could not be absorbed into any of the surrounding precincts. It doesn't match anything."

Kelley said the county reviews its precincts when the state evaluates its Senate and House districts every ten years in a process called reapportionment. The state is due for reapportionment in 2012.

Florida Senate spokeswoman Kathy Mears said the state's "reapportionment expert said he's not heard of a precinct with one voter."

She recited Chapter 101 of the state statutes, which recommends that in any election with "fewer than 25 registered electors of the only political party having candidates on the ballot at any precinct, such precinct may be combined with other adjoining precincts."

Rowdy Democrats

From today's Palm Beach Post-

Smackdown: The county's Democratic Executive Committee voted 114-66 Thursday night to reject a measure pushed by Chairman Wahid Mahmood to allow the party and Democratic clubs to endorse Democratic incumbents who are challenged in Dem primaries.

Debate was raucous at times but never unruly enough to merit intervention by the uniformed sheriff's deputy who came to the meeting at the request of party leaders.

Though they would be the presumed beneficiaries of party and club endorsements, most of the Democratic elected officials on hand voted against the measure.

County Commissioners Burt Aaronson and Addie Greene voted for the incumbent-protection plan. Aaronson and Greene both won their seats — you guessed it - by challenging and defeating Democratic incumbents in primaries. But that's ancient history. Both are up for reelection in 2008 and could draw primary challengers.

That present incumbents who unseated incumbents themselves, would favor automatic party endorsement of incumbents, comes as no surprise. Hypocrisy is rampant in politics and Palm Beach County is no different.

I do find it amusing the local Democratic party(Who has an office a half mile from my home), felt it necessary to have police at the meeting. Who would think a meeting of Democrats would erupt into violence? Aren't they opposed to war?

Linked to- Bright & Early, Rosemary, The World According to Carl,

Come on over Harriet

From the Palm Beach Post-

Democrat Harriet Lerman is pondering another run for the county commission seat she narrowly lost in 2004 to subsequently disgraced Warren Newell. Two other Dems are already in the race: Boynton Beach City Commissioner Carl McKoy and state Rep. Shelley Vana. In what may be a bit of preliminary opposition research, Lerman recently obtained a copy of a WPBR AM-1340 radio program in which county GOP boss Sid Dinerstein criticized Vana's holding a school district job that allows her large blocks of time off to attend to her legislative duties in Tallahassee.

TFM can hardly be called a Shelley Vana fan. Click here, here, and here for examples. Shelley juggles being state legislator and working for the Palm Beach County School system. That in spite of her spending at least two months of the school year tending to legislative work in Tallahassee. I've always questioned how Vana does this and she has juggled being head of the Teacher's Union on top of that.

I don't live in the Commission District you're running for, but help yourself Harriet. Glad to be of service.

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Casting Call

Palm Beach Post politics columnist George Bennett talks movies today.

Laura Dern will get the scenery-chewing opportunity of a lifetime as Katherine Harris. But there's no official word yet on who'll portray Palm Beach County elections celebs Theresa LePore, Charles Burton and Carol Roberts in an upcoming HBO movie about the 2000 presidential recount.

Former county elections chief and butterfly ballot designer LePore, the most famous local figure in the ballot brouhaha, said Friday she hadn't talked to anyone connected with Recount, which is slated for release next year. The movie's writer, Danny Strong, said he played phone tag with LePore more than a year ago while researching the script but was never able to set up an interview.

Why is playing Katherine Harris a scenery chewing part? Isn't that a term used to describe famous or theatrically trained actors playing roles some would consider beneath them? Like a villain in a James Bond movie or some action flick. Take for instance Tony winning actor Jonathan Pryce in Tomorrow Never Dies, Shakespearean actor Alan Rickman in Die Hard (Which incidentally was Rickman's movie debut), Actor-Playwrights Steven Berkoff in Octopussy or Robert Shaw in Jaws or the multi-talented Gary Oldman in Air Force One. If you want an actress playing a role many would consider beneath their talent, try Meryl Streep in Death Becomes Her. All of those I listed above are what I consider scenery chewing roles.

Something did come of it: a film that has such A-listers as Dern, Kevin Spacey, Ed Begley Jr., Denis Leary and Bob Balaban in starring roles and Sydney Pollack as an exec producer. Shooting is expected to begin soon, with the Jacksonville area being used for most locations.

Strong said a New York stage actress is penciled in to play LePore, and the Burton and Roberts roles are "pretty much locked up, but I don't know if I'm supposed to be saying."

As to who should portray him, Burton said, "I figured it would be George Clooney or something. Brad Pitt. Tom Cruise. I've heard nothing."

If Jackie Coogan was alive, he'd be perfect for Burton. Ok, I shouldn't be a casting director then, LOL. How about Adam Arkin then as the Judge?

In other political casting news-

LePore lost her 2004 reelection bid to Arthur Anderson in a close and bitter race. Now state Rep. Susan Bucher, D-West Palm Beach, has opened a campaign to challenge Anderson in 2008. LePore said she's not taking sides.

Anderson is a three-time Knucklehead award winner. He always seemed miscast to me as the Elections Supervisor. Palm Beach County voters should use the 2008 election to give Anderson the pink slip.

Linked to- Bullwinkle, High Desert Wanderer, Pirate's Cove, Right Wing Nation, Rosemary, The World According to Carl,

Veil of secrecy

From the Palm Beach Post-

WEST PALM BEACH — Some secrets regarding a grand jury report about the city's pay-to-play politics may soon be revealed.

Seven months after the panel harshly criticized West Palm Beach as a place where developers looking to do business in the city believe they must contribute to officials' campaigns, entire sections of its investigation report remain sealed.

That's because motions by state Rep. Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach - and possibly Mayor Lois Frankel - to have sections deleted have led state courts to keep even the existence of the efforts an official secret. The motions have been kept off open dockets or filed without names.

But that may be changing.

As a result of The Palm Beach Post's inquiries to Florida circuit, appellate and Supreme courts, judicial officials have agreed to make the existence of the cases and details about motions available to the public. Still under discussion in the state's highest court is whether to allow the release of more than anonymous case numbers and to identify in public dockets the names of those seeking to have grand jury reports expunged.

Chief Circuit Judge Kathleen Kroll agreed last week to release case numbers and dockets for three cases that involve protests of the grand jury presentment. Kroll had denied those efforts to alter the report, and the cases have been appealed to the 4th District Court of Appeal, which has permitted no trace of them to appear on its online docket.

In fact, one 4th District Court of Appeal case that was listed on the docket in May was removed about two weeks ago, after that court's clerk determined it should not be public. That case was filed by Republic Properties Corp., a former city hall construction contractor that objected to a negative reference in the grand jury report.

The existence of a second case, by Brandenburg, is known publicly only because she disclosed it several months ago in an interview, though neither she nor her attorney Don Pickett would discuss the matter further.

Frankel will not comment on whether she filed the third case. The state attorney responded to her criticisms of the grand jury report by calling for a follow-up grand jury investigation.

Florida grand juries are volunteer panels seated to conduct investigations and hear witness testimony, under direction from the state attorney's office.

The local state attorney's office is rather useless. At present Barry Krischer is in Australia. When asked why Krischer wasn't pursuing local corruption cases, his spokesman said.

"Barry didn't want to help people settle scores through bogus cases," Edmondson said. "Besides, the cases (Kanjian) is referring to were not developed by law enforcement but by The Palm Beach Post looking through divorce files. This office doesn't have the legal basis to intrude on the privacy of elected officials.

What a useless piece of crap Krischer is. Jim Exline, Tony Masilotti, Ray Liberti and Warren Newell would all still be in office if it was up to the local State Attorney. In each of those four cases, the feds were the ones to bring charges against the corrupt local politician.

Is Krischer on the take too or is he just too lazy or incompetent? Who's paying for the vacation to Australia by the way?

Back to what's going on in West Palm Beach, I fail to understand why the grand jury report hasn't long since been made public. In Florida, there is a thing called Sunshine laws. Which requires government to be done in the open. Here we have a grand jury report done where no charges were made, but its still being kept secret. Why? Are our courts bought off too, just like the politicians?

If Brandenburg and Frankel are clean, they have nothing to fear from the report and no need to keep it secret. If they are afraid, I hope they have plans for a stay in federal prison.

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Local GOP silence

From the Palm Beach Post-

It's been a tough summer for fans of old-fashioned party bossism.

After the Palm Beach County Republican Party board of directors' high-profile failure to influence Gov. Charlie Crist's appointment for a county commission vacancy last month, the GOP inner circle last week opted not to make any endorsement for the latest school board opening.

County Republican Chairman Sid Dinerstein and his kitchen cabinet loudly endorsed Boynton Beach Mayor Jerry Taylor to fill the commission vacancy when Warren Newell quit under a corruption cloud. Crist picked school board member Bob Kanjian instead.

With Kanjian's seat vacant, the Republican board last week considered endorsing wealthy Delray Beach activist Nick Loeb, Ocean Ridge Commissioner Nancy Hogan and Palm Beach Shores Commish John Workman. All were fine, Dinerstein said, but none stood out from the pack enough to get a GOP stamp of approval.

Also, since Crist knew he was creating a school board vacancy by appointing Kanjian, Dinerstein said he suspects the governor's people might have someone in mind and "they don't need us to get into the mix."

Dinerstein & Co. were eager to get into the mix a few weeks ago, voting 10-0 to endorse Taylor for the commission seat.

I'm glad Crist had the sense not to listen to the local party bosses. There was too much of a dark cloud over City of Boynton Beach Government to be taking a chance on Mayor Taylor.

Despite a Knucklehead win, and some mocking from me on another occasion, Governor Crist has shown pretty good judgment in office since being elected last year. I think there is more than a fair chance the Governor will appoint the right man or woman to the school board.

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Meaningless Endorsements

From the Palm Beach Post-

As Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama pile up endorsements from local elected Dems, freshman U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, remains conspicuously unattached.

Mahoney, whose eight-county district has more registered R's than D's, says he - and his constituents - are waiting to be impressed.

"When I look at my district, I haven't seen anybody make a compelling case that's going to get people in my district excited. I haven't seen that in either party," Mahoney says. He says he's talked to Obama, Clinton and Sen. Chris Dodd about their presidential campaigns and to operatives for Sen. Joe Biden and "two Americas" decrier John Edwards.

Mahoney, elected with a slender 49.5 percent last year in the aftermath of the Mark Foley scandal, is one of the national GOP's top targets for defeat in 2008. The other local freshman Dem who represents a swing congressional district, Rep. Ron Klein of Boca Raton, hasn't endorsed a presidential candidate either.

Does the endorsement or lack of endorsement from matter to your average voter? To me, I could care less though I'm sure it matters to some people and can be used for fundraising purposes. To me I rather make the decision on who is the best candidate in any race, rather than rely on the judgment of others.

That Mahoney and Klein haven't endorsed anyone for the 2008 Presidential race, matters absolutely nothing to me.(I'm a registered Democrat and at the moment I'm leaning to Bill Richardson, even if I gave him a Knucklehead award once. Then I also gave ones to all the other leading Democratic candidates also at some time in the past too. How's that for endorsements?) Either of them could endorse a half Albanian, half Martian green lesbian female with two heads whose mother crashed at Roswell in 2008, and I'd shrug my shoulders. On second thought I'd probably make it big news on my blog first.

Note- I will admit endorsements can have some use. Like when Governor Crist recently had to fill a seat on the Palm Beach County Commission. In that case I'm glad the Governor didn't listen to local officials.

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Another job to fill

The appointment of Bob Kanjian to the Palm Beach County Commission means Governor Crist now has another job to fill.

Bob Kanjian left the Palm Beach County School Board last week with high praise from Superintendent Art Johnson and the board's remaining six members.

Now, they're left to wonder along with the public: Who's going to join the team, and when?

Gov. Charlie Crist, who appointed Kanjian to the Palm Beach County Commission, so far has no deadline for choosing an interim member to fill the District 4 vacancy.



Crist's office is taking applications for the nonpartisan post, and seven people expressed interest as of 5 p.m. Friday, said Anthony De Luise, the governor's press secretary. One is Terry Pereira, of Boynton Beach, who lost to Kanjian in last year's election.

The appointee will serve until a special election in November 2008 decides who serves the final two years of Kanjian's term.

The district stretches from Singer Island to Delray Beach. Responsibilities of the $40,887 job include overseeing the superintendent and setting policies for the nation's 11th-largest school system and its 166,000 students.

TFM lives within this School Board district. Should I apply? I don't think calling Governor Crist a Knucklehead and a stand up comedian in addition to my being a sarcastic blogger would help me land the job. Oh well.

There's rarely turnover on the School Board. Three members last year were re-elected without opposition. Kanjian and Pereira were the only two candidates who aimed to succeed Tom Lynch, the board chairman who did not seek a third, four-year term.

Some political observers have suggested few want to run for the board because of general satisfaction with the school system, a lack of controversial issues, difficulties with unseating incumbents, and a heavy work and time commitment.

Other than the payroll mess, which wasn't the fault of the school board, I have seldom blogged on issues involving the County School board. There just hasn't been anything blog worthy.

Wahid Mahmood, chairman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party, said his organization plans to recommend some applicants for the School Board seat within the next week.

*****

Sid Dinerstein, chairman of the county Republican Party, said Friday that party leaders are to meet today to discuss whether to endorse a candidate.

I hope Crist ignores both Dinerstein's and Mahmood's attempts at kingmaking. The recommended choice of Jerry Taylor for the Newell seat left much to be desired.

Other School Board applicants are: Jan Porter, of Palm Beach Gardens, an education activist; Patricia Murphy Propheter, of Lake Worth, an attorney and former teacher; Ronald E. Giddens, who lives west of Boynton Beach, an optometrist; Stephen Waldman, of Boynton Beach, a child-care supervisor; Nick Loeb, of Delray Beach, a private wealth manager; and Stanley I. Warshaw, of Boynton Beach, an international trade consultant.

I don't know a thing about any of the applicants. At least my State Representative, Shelley Vana, isn't on the list. Shelley wouldn't get a thumbs up from me.

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Predictable

How are local Democrats reacting to Susan Bucher's just announced run to unseat Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Arthur Anderson? George Bennet at the Palm Beach Post has the answer.

Democratic state Rep. Susan Bucher's challenge of Democratic incumbent Arthur Anderson for the nonpartisan elections supervisor's job creates a dilemma for Dems.

"I would like to see our incumbents, good incumbents, being protected by the party," county Democratic Chairman Wahid Mahmood told the Politics column.

So is registered Democrat Anderson a "good incumbent" who merits protection?

"In my view he has done a pretty good job," Mahmood said. But he added it would be "premature" to comment on the Bucher challenge, and "I can't stop somebody from running for an office."

*****

Democratic County Commissioner Addie Greene, a key Anderson supporter in 2004, said she's "disappointed" in Bucher.

"I think he's done an excellent job. ... No one is perfect. The amount of mistakes that he has made does not justify somebody coming out to run against him," Greene said.

Party officials with rare exception, will always support an incumbent no matter how competent or incompetent they are at the job. TFM on the other hand sees primary challenges as giving voters a choice. The more choices available, the more likely the right person will be elected to public office.

As for Anderson, there is plenty of evidence to say he isn't doing a competent job as elections supervisor, alone an excellent job as Adele Greene says. For instance.

1- Two months ago Dr. Andersen asked for a 87% percent increase in his office budget.

2- He hired people for the elections office who had worked on his campaign. At salaries higher than current employees.

3- Dr. Andersen sees part of his work as informing voters about local issues, like the ongoing Scripps debacle(another multi million dollar waste of money by our local politicians)among others. He was elected Elections Supervisor not town crier.

4- It came out after the election that Dr. Andersen didn't disclose a loan to his campaign and some bank accounts he has on financial disclosure forms. Dr. Andersen has agreed to pay a fine to the Florida commission on ethics as was today reported in the Palm Beach Post.

That was in a blog post written barely six months after Arthur Anderson was elected to office. More recently we have these events.

1- Giving an audience to goofball Clint Curtis.
2- Miscounting the results of one Palm Beach County City's race.
3- Delays in announcing the results of last September's primary.
4- The sending out of absentee voter envelopes without the ballots!
5- The miscalculation of how much optical scan ballots would cost.

When you add all this up, Arthur Anderson looks pretty incompetent to me. How about you?

Linked to- Bright & Early, The World According to Carl,

All politics is local

There are two stories out of today's Palm Beach Post. First Charlie Crist has appointed someone to replace Warren Newell.

After just nine months on the job, Bob Kanjian will trade in his school board seat for a spot on the county commission.

Gov. Charlie Crist on Friday selected Kanjian, a Republican, to replace Warren Newell, who resigned last month while under federal investigation for allegations of privately profiting from matters on which he voted as a commissioner.


"Bob's business experience along with his commitment to public service will be a great asset," Crist said in a statement. "His leadership on the Palm Beach County School Board and various civic organizations demonstrates his dedication to the community."

Kanjian, 41, an attorney and businessman, will finish out Newell's term, which ends in November 2008. He was one of at least 28 people who applied.

*****

The county was prepared to swear him in at Tuesday's commission meeting. But Kanjian had not submitted his resignation from the school board as of late Friday.

Kanjian isn't the worst selection Crist could have made. Still picking someone from outside the district, and who is currently serving in another elected position, makes Kanjian less than the ideal choice.

Now a school board seat is open. Maybe my wife will apply. LOL, I actually mentioned it yesterday and she said why not.

Three-time Knucklehead winner and Elections Supervisor Arthur Anderson, will have opposition in next year's election.

State Rep. Susan Bucher, D-West Palm Beach, will challenge incumbent Arthur Anderson next year for the much-scrutinized job of Palm Beach County elections supervisor.

"I think it's important that we get our voting right and bring back our voter confidence," said Bucher, who must give up her legislative seat next year because of term limits.

Anderson, who ran on a similar platform in 2004, said he has delivered on that pledge with only "minor" setbacks and will file papers soon to seek reelection.

The elections supervisor is a nonpartisan position that has ignited intense partisan heat. Anderson, a Democrat, unseated two-term incumbent Theresa LePore in 2004 after LePore's infamous 2000 presidential "butterfly ballot" design drew international attention and the wrath of many local Democrats.

I really don't know alot about Bucher. What I know about Anderson makes me hardly inclined to vote for him in 2008.

Linked to- Bright & Early, The World According to Carl,

Multiple choice

Governor Charlie Crist interviewed seven candidates in his effort to replace former Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell.

FORT LAUDERDALE — Seven local applicants to replace former Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell met Wednesday with Gov. Charlie Crist.

Key talking points during the interviews included integrity, honesty, taxes and property insurance reform, candidates said. But Crist has not decided who he will appoint of the 26 who have applied.

*****

Interviewees include several candidates whose names have been circulating for weeks and one who emerged Tuesday: Diane Birnbaum, a suburban Boynton Beach resident who was a local aide to former U.S. Reps. Dan Mica and Harry Johnston and who helped found the Palm Beach County Women's Chamber of Commerce.

Others who interviewed were former Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations President Dagmar Brahs, former commission candidate John Carroll, former state Sen. Don Childers, school board member Bob Kanjian, Boynton Beach's mayor, Jerry Taylor, and vice mayor, Jose Rodriguez.

All the candidates are Republicans except Birnbaum, who is a Democrat.

The Palm Beach Post editorialized today on they thought was the best candidate.

In cutting the field of 26 applicants for ex-Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell's seat to seven finalists, Gov. Crist chose three with the right mix of credentials and integrity. The best of the three is Dagmar Brahs, a former west Boynton community leader.

Since Newell faces prison time for public corruption, whoever the governor chooses for District 3 must have no ethical issues. Ms. Brahs is construction administrator for former Palm Beach County Engineer Herb Kahlert's Karl Corp. Mr. Kahlert lost his county job in 1991 after The Post revealed that he owned land in the path of county roads, over which he had authority.

Ms. Brahs, however, manages property and construction - not real estate - and says she would quit if appointed. And as a former president of the Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations, which represents roughly 80 neighborhood groups and perhaps 80,000 residents, Ms. Brahs is the best-prepared on issues.

Palm Beach County School Board member Bob Kanjian would bring business experience and community involvement to the job. But Mr. Kanjian, a reluctant applicant, has no plans to quit his real-estate businesses. He owns a title company and a company that markets and sells housing for small builders, both of which could present conflicts on a commission that doesn't need any more. Appointing Mr. Kanjian also would leave a void on the school board, where he has served well.

A third good candidate, Democrat Diane Birnbaum, has been retired since 2000. In this area, she is known best for her 17 years as an aide to former U.S. Reps. Harry Johnston and Dan Mica. She has lived in the district for nearly 10 years, has a common-sense understanding of government and has no plan to seek the seat permanently.

The Post pretty much dismissed the other four candidates, two I feel with good reason. The City Commision of Boynton Beach, where Jerry Taylor and Jose Rodriguez both serve, is under scrutiny for pay to play allegations. They shouldn't be appointed to Newell's seat.

I disagree with the Post's selection of Brahs. Charlie Crist should pick Diane Birnbaum. All being equal, she is the only one of the three top candidates to actually live in the district. If Brahs or Kanjian want to be on the County Commission, fine let them run where they live.

We'll now wait and see who Crist appoints.

Linked to- Bright & Early, The World According to Carl,

Lets play Name a County Commissioner Part II

The latest news on the search for Warren Newell's replacement.

Palm Beach County School Board member Bob Kanjian, a buzz-generating applicant for the gubernatorial appointment to replace shamed former County Commissioner Warren Newell, owns a company that markets new homes for small- to mid-size builders. Kanjian said virtually all of Building Solutions LLC's dealings are outside the unincorporated areas where the commission's actions could have an effect on his business. He said the builders he works with typically deal with "finished" land rather than coming before local governments for zoning approval.

Considering the mingling of public business and private gain that led to criminal charges against Newell and jail-bound former Commission Chairman Tony Masilotti, Kanjian said he'd be extra vigilant about avoiding potential conflicts if Gov. Charlie Crist appoints him to the District 3 vacancy.

"I'll be the first one to recuse myself," Kanjian said last week. And, he added: "If all the sudden you see me as a partner in a bunch of deals, you need to write about that."

Kanjian lives in Commissioner Jeff Koons' District 2 but said he would establish residency in District 3 if Crist chose him.

In a county of over a million people, I'd think Governor Crist can find someone who actually lives inside of District 3 to represent it. Like with Dagmar Brahs, another mentioned replacement, I think the Governor should take a pass on Kanjian.

It's good to hear Kanjian will recuse himself if a conflict of interest arises. However shouldn't that need being said?

Linked to- Bright & Early, The World According to Carl,

Full-time work

Former Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell was indicted yesterday.

West Palm Beach - Former Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell faces five years in prison for secretly pushing a series of complicated, "corrupt schemes" that brought him more than $500,000 in illicit profits, federal prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Newell, 52, will make his initial court appearance today in West Palm Beach on charges of honest services fraud and tax evasion. In addition to jail time, prosecutors are seeking more than $400,000 in fines and forfeitures, according to charges made public on Tuesday.

*****

In three land deals outlined in the charges, Newell used his longtime engineering firm, SFRN Inc., to hide his financial stake from the public in "cleverly designed transactions," as IRS special agent Luis Rivera put it.

The former commissioner pocketed a $366,000 "secret success fee" as part of a $200 million transaction in which the South Florida Water Management District bought land for a water reservoir from Palm Beach Aggregates, a major land holding west of Wellington, prosecutors said. Newell obscured the payments by listing them as "bonuses" from SFRN and "personal loans" from his longtime business partner, Dan Shalloway. Shalloway could not be reached for comment, despite calls to his office and cell phone.

In another deal, Newell is accused of taking a "kickback" for using his elected position to persuade the county to pay $14 million for the development rights of a Hypoluxo marina, the Palm Beach Yacht Center, even though the rights had been appraised at $9.3 million.

Not only did Newell dock his boat there at half price, but he paid only a "very small portion" of his expenses with the marina, accumulating a $48,000 debt, federal prosecutors said. Newell never paid that debt, instead using a payoff from the marina, which was funneled through his engineering firm and disguised as a bonus, to cover the costs, prosecutors say.

If Newell is found guilty or pleads guilty as is expected, I hope he gets the maximum sentence. Newell was a disgrace to the people of Palm Beach County he was elected to serve.

Four politicians either under indictment, or pleading guilty to corruption charges, doesn't mean the FBI's work is finished in Palm Beach County.

West Palm Beach - The FBI is establishing a full-time, permanent public-corruption squad in Palm Beach County, after a series of criminal cases that brought down two county and two West Palm Beach city commissioners.

"We are putting resources where the crime is," said FBI special agent in charge Tim Delaney.

Delaney said the expansion also was a result of the county's population growth, but acknowledged that the four new agents -- three investigators and a supervisor-- would focus only on corruption by elected officials.

With allegations of 'Pay to play' in West Palm Beach and Boynton Beach, besides other shady dealings in Riviera Beach and Palm Beach Gardens, I think these new FBI agents are going to be busy for some time in Palm Beach County for some time. I wonder how scared Mayors Lois Frankel and Jerry Taylor are right at this moment.

Linked to- Bullwinkle, The World According to Carl,

Still looking

Governor Charlie Crist is still searching for someone to replace disgraced Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell.

At least 21 people have applied to Gov. Charlie Crist's office for the appointment to replace Warren Newell on the Palm Beach County Commission.

But don't be surprised if Crist picks someone else.

People close to the process say the guv's headhunters haven't limited their search to the official applicant pool.

As I previously noted, I don't live within the boundaries of County Commission seat three. So I can be eliminated. LOL, I don't think calling Governor Crist a Knucklehead award would have helped my cause in any case.

That doesn't necessarily rule out logged-in candidates like Boynton Beach Mayor Jerry Taylor or Dagmar Brahs, the former Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations prez who's backed by County Commish Karen Marcus. But it does suggest that Crist's office hasn't been bowled over by the names it has received so far.

Brahs lives outside the District and the city administration of Boynton Beach is under a dark cloud at present. If Crist appoints Taylor to replace Newell, I will give Governor Crist another Knucklehead award.

Former state Sen. Don Childers said he sent in an application Friday after he was encouraged to do so by a representative of Crist's office.

Among the outside-the-pool names that have been mentioned in Tally: school board member Bob Kanjian, who has supported property tax cuts and spending limits for local non-school-board governments. Appointing Kanjian would give Crist a twofer, as he'd also get to name Kanjian's school board replacement. Kanjian went through the governor's vetting process before Crist appointed him to the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council in May.

I have no opinion on a potential selection of either Childers or Kanijan. My knowledge of both these men is very limited.

Bottom line- I have no problem with Governor Crist taking his time. The people of Palm Beach County deserve the best possible man or woman to fill the 3rd District County Commission seat.

Linked to- Bullwinkle, Morewhat,

Yes Boynton won't do

Palm Beach Post columnist Joel Engelhardt writes about who shouldn't be chosen to replace disgraced County Commissioner Warren Newell.

Looked at that way, the Heart of Boynton controversy makes Boynton Beach the perfect breeding ground for the successor to Warren Newell, who resigned from the Boynton-area District 3 seat in disgrace over allegations that he voted on deals that would help friends and associates. Consider the stalled Heart of Boynton as a line on the résumés of Mayor Jerry Taylor, a former aide to County Commissioner Mary McCarty, and Vice Mayor Jose Rodriguez.

On July 10, three weeks after disbanding its Community Redevelopment Agency board by a 3-2 vote - with Messrs Taylor and Rodriguez on the prevailing side - the city commission voted to end negotiations with Heart of Boynton developer Intown Partners. Intown failed to show that it had money for the project, commissioners said. Intown principal Samantha Simons argued in vain that without the city's financial commitment, her backer could not commit. When commissioners rejected her pleas, she lashed out.

Ms. Simons said Commissioner Ron Weiland took an unusual interest in her private dealings, asking when she was going to pay a lobbyist, former Boynton Commissioner David Katz. "My response to Commissioner Weiland," she said, "was 'David Katz doesn't work for me. Why should I pay David Katz?' "

The incident occurred in March, she said, but she didn't see fit to share it publicly until July - after the vote to dismiss her company. Sharing it in March would have been political suicide.

Go read Engelhardt's column in its entirety. There is just too many allegations of impropriety at present for Governor Crist to even consider appointing Mayor Taylor to replace Warren Newell. To be blunt, its time to appoint someone without prior political experience, and especially one not annointed by the local party hacks....I mean officials. The Palm Beach Post would probably say the learning curve would be too steep for such a Commissioner, but right now do we have any local politicians who aren't ethically challenged in one way or another? The more I read the news, the more the 'pay to play' culture looks to be the way our all our local officials work.

You can color me cynical if you want to in regards to all local elected officials.

Linked to- Bright & Early, Pirate's Cove, Pursuing Holiness,

Lets play Name a County Commissioner

The latest news on who will fill the seat of disgraced Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell.

County Republican leaders will recommend to Gov. Charlie Crist that he appoint Boynton Beach Mayor Jerry Taylor for the open Palm Beach County Commission seat vacated last week when Warren Newell resigned under a federal criminal probe.

The board of directors of the county GOP voted 10-0 on Monday night to endorse Taylor, a former aide to County Commissioner Mary McCarty who has won four nonpartisan mayoral races in Boynton Beach.

Taylor is one of at least a dozen applicants for the job.

"We think that Jerry Taylor is so far above any of the other names who live in that district that this is a slam dunk for the citizens of that district and for the governor," county Republican Chairman Sid Dinerstein said.

How much weight the Republican endorsement will carry with the Republican governor is unclear.

"The governor will approach this appointment the same way he approaches all his appointments, and that is to look for someone who can best serve the community," Crist spokeswoman Erin Isaac said when asked what effect a partisan endorsement would have.

The local kingmakers have spoken, and what a bunch of fools they are. Palm Beach County government doesn't need another politician with ethics problems. Because there is plenty of monkey business going on in Boynton Beach.

BOYNTON BEACH — When the community redevelopment agency meets tonight, city commissioners take over as the agency board, marking the end of a barrage of back and forth accusations of mismanagement and kickbacks that led to the ouster of the appointed seven-member body.

*****

• The purchase of 7.83 acres in May from former CRA Chairman Larry Finkelstein for $7 million; the land is planned for an affordable-housing community. Finkelstein bought the property after he left the CRA board.

• The purchase of a historic 1902 home at 211 E. Ocean Ave., for $850,000 for future offices of the CRA. A property appraisal paid for by the CRA listed its value at $850,000, but the market value listed by the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's Office was much lower. Former CRA members said the purchase was part of a plan the city commission approved to rezone and redevelop the downtown area into commercial shops and restaurants.

• Expenses for lunches and use of a car from a limo service. CRA Executive Director Lisa Bright said all the purchases in question were legal and business related. She also said the chauffeured car trip with two CRA members and agency staff to the airport for Palm Beach County Days in Tallahassee cost less than a taxi or parking a car at a airport garage.

This is all going on in the city Taylor is mayor of. I don't know if he is involved in what's detailed above, but Palm Beach County citizens deserve someone who is free of possible ethics violations or possible criminal charges.

Thirteen other people have applied to replace Warren Newell.

• Robert Balogh, retired New York City middle school principal, no party affiliation

• Philip Blumel, financial planner and leader of commission term-limits referendum, Republican

• Dagmar Brahs, construction administrator, former president of Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations, Republican

• Emil Danciu, former Boca Raton mayor, Republican

• Robert Dovey, former Lake Worth city commissioner and aide to Newell for 12 years, no party affiliation

• Vincent Finizio, former Belle Glade city manager, Republican

• Richard Galeta, dentist, community activist and former Lake Clarke Shores mayor and councilman, Republican

• Dennis Koehler, attorney and former county commissioner, Democrat

• Harriet Lerman, former Maine legislator and loser of close 2004 race to Newell, Democrat

• Tim Morell, attorney, Democrat

• Tom Ramiccio, former Lake Worth mayor, current Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce director, Republican

• Jose A. Rodriguez, vice mayor of Boynton Beach and executive in electronic payment company, Republican

• Stan Smilan, retired airline pilot and candidate for several offices since 2000, Democrat

So far as I know, no sarcastic Florida bloggers among them. In any case, I don't live in District 3.

Governor Crist hasn't announced when he will name Warren Newell's replacement. I sincerely hope Crist makes the right choice. Boynton Beach Mayor Jerry Taylor isn't it.

Linked to- Bullwinkle, The World According to Carl,

Who will replace Warren Newell?

The Palm Beach Post reports on who Governor Crist may appoint to replace the disgraced former County Commissioner.

While Gov. Charlie Crist has provided few clues about how he'll go about selecting a replacement for Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell, local political operatives scrambled Wednesday to try to influence the appointment.

Much of the county Republican Party establishment appeared to be lining up behind Boynton Beach Mayor Jerry Taylor. But Commissioner Karen Marcus, an early Crist ally when most other big-name local Republicans were backing Tom Gallagher's 2006 gubernatorial bid, endorsed west Boynton civic activist Dagmar Brahs for the appointment.

*****

Taylor, 71, who worked 14 years as an aide to County Commissioner Mary McCarty, appeared to be the favorite of local Republican leaders.

Taylor "would be seamless. No learning curve required. ... He's above reproach," said Boca Raton Mayor Steven Abrams, a Republican who said a Crist emissary has already asked for his recommendations.

Taylor has three strikes against him in my book. His age, I'd want someone more youthful. Two he's too close to Commissioner McCarty. We don't need any inbreeding on the County Commission. Thirdly Taylor is supported by local GOP leaders. I don't really trust Abrams judgment or any of his other colleagues like County GOP Chairman Sid Dinerstein.

The Palm Beach Post editorialized today.

Though Gov. Crist has been more bipartisan than Jeb Bush, it will be a surprise if he picks a Democrat. Many Republican operatives favor Boynton Beach Mayor Jerry Taylor, who has said he would take the job. On Tuesday, Mayor Taylor said that his appointment would allow a "seamless transition." Yes, and that's the problem.

For 14 years, Mayor Taylor was an aide to Commissioner Mary McCarty. With all the news about ex-Commissioner Tony Masilotti and now Warren Newell, it might be easy to forget that Commissioner McCarty has had ethics problems of her own. She was sanctioned for elections violations from a political stunt after the 2000 presidential recount. Then, she broke ethics laws by hitting up people who do business with the country for money to pay her legal bills from the elections investigation.

So, Mary McCarty represents what the county commission has become in the past two decades, not what it should be. Also, Mayor Taylor is in the middle of a controversy involving the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and charges of corruption in the city

The last thing we need is another Commissioner with dirty hands. So if not Taylor, who are the other possibilities for the vacant Newell seat?

Brahs, 49, was president of the influential Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations from 1997 to 2000 before taking a job with developer Herb Kahlert. She works as a construction administrator overseeing the renovation of space for tenants in a Kahlert-owned shopping center and two office buildings.

Brahs lives just outside commission District 3, but said she would rent a home in the district if she is appointed. A registered Republican who describes her views as "liberal" for the GOP, Brahs was approached by Democrats about switching parties to run against Newell in past elections.

A carpetbagger. I mean in a County of over a million people, there has to be someone in the area. BTW the Post editorial board approves of Brahs if Crist were to select her. That's like the kiss of death so far as I'm concerned.

In addition to Taylor and Brahs, Boynton Beach Vice Mayor Jose Rodriguez and former Lake Worth Mayor Tom Ramiccio have expressed interest in getting the appointment. Rodriguez and Ramiccio are Republicans.

Democrat Harriet Lerman, who nearly defeated then-Republican Newell in a 2004 commission race, and county Democratic Party Chairman Wahid Mahmood have also expressed interest in the appointment.

After speculation about a Newell resignation began months ago, Rodriguez and Lerman submitted applications to the governor's appointments office before the seat was vacant.

State Rep. Shelley Vana, D-Lantana, who plans to run for the seat in 2008, said Wednesday she isn't actively pursuing the appointment, but "if the governor called and said 'Hey, I want to appoint you,' I probably wouldn't turn him down."

Vana is my State House Representative. As much I'd not mind her losing her state house seat, I'd prefer not seeing her on the Palm Beach County Commission even more.

Bottom line- Crist should appoint Tom Ramiccio. Harriet Lerman would be my second selection.
Linked to- Bright & Early, The World According to Carl,

Trying to hang on

George Bennet writes today at the Palm Beach Post about Knucklehead Commissioner Warren Newell.

After months of lawyered-up campaign exile, Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell is making the political rounds again and saying he'll run for a fifth term next year "as long as my health is good."

Newell, a longtime Republican who switched to the Democratic Party in January, had his partisan coming-out on Saturday. He attended a James Carville-headlined fund-raiser for freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney at Morton's early in the evening, then went to his new party's Jefferson-Jackson dinner and worked the room like a veteran Dem.

Newell's been mum about his political plans for the past few months. A federal probe into his land dealings led Newell to hire a criminal defense attorney, but he said that situation isn't a factor in his political plans. What matters, Newell says, is his continued well-being after undergoing 2003 surgery for a perforated colon.

Just my take, but Newell's health will take a hit as soon as a indictmemt is handed down. I'm betting one will come down within the next year. Newell has been doing favors for people, and politicians don't do that for free. Voters aren't dumb, Warren should resign and let someone represnet the people of Palm Beach County rather than themselves.

Linked to- The World According to Carl,

Running for Congress(From Afghanistan?)

Florida 22nd news from today's Palm Beach Post-

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Allen West will try to redefine long-distance campaigning if he launches a Republican congressional bid for the nationally coveted Palm Beach-Broward seat of freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein.

West says he'll announce his plans next week, then take off for a final five-month stint in Afghanistan, where he has been working for two years as a contractor advising the Afghan military.

If West runs, he says he's prepared to conduct crucial early fund-raising, organizing and communications from roughly 8,000 miles away in Kandahar. He's been talking with Palm Beach Gardens-based consultant Donna Brosemer about setting up a campaign Web site and e-mail account that will allow him to post blog entries, respond to e-mails and hit up contributors.

West, 46, drew national attention in 2003 after he fired a pistol near the head of an Iraqi detainee to try to scare him into divulging time-sensitive information about a planned ambush of U.S. forces. The Army relieved West of his command and fined him $5,000. He retired after 20 years of service and received an honorable discharge.

West said he received thousands of e-mails from around the U.S. after the incident, nearly all of them supportive.

TFM blogged about Colonel West's candidacy previously here. I'm sure that surrogates can raise money for West's campaign while he is Afghanistan.

I wish Colonel West well,(TFM knows nothing of his political views yet. My blog readers know I'm not an automatic vote for a candidate for either party. Remember I'm a registered Democrat) but am very skeptical about the GOP's chances of winning back this house seat for the immediate future. The Florida 22nd district as drawn will always given the incumbent a big advantage.

Linked to- Amboy Times, Right Wing Nation, Yankee Sailor,

Florida 19th News

Incumbent Robert Wexler will have primary opposition in 2008.

Democrat Ben Graber, a former Broward County commissioner and state House member, announced Monday that he'll challenge six-term U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, in a primary next year.

Graber has been considering a Wexler challenge for months. He also flirted briefly with the idea of switching parties and running as a Republican against U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton.

In recent weeks, Graber has taken out ads in the Jewish Journal criticizing Wexler's stance on Iraq. Wexler voted to authorize the war in 2002, then was one of only three House members to vote for an immediate withdrawal in 2005.

Graber says the 2002 war vote was a mistake, but a speedy U.S. pullout would make a bad situation worse.

Graber said Monday he favors "disengagement and withdrawal," with the U.S. assuming a "secondary role" in Iraq by the end of 2007, then withdrawing about two-thirds of troops by the end of 2008. The remaining U.S. troops would then "back up" Iraqi forces.

Wexler, 46, hasn't had an opponent in his heavily Democratic Palm Beach-Broward district since 2002 or a close race since his initial run for Congress in 1996. He won the seat after running against Graber and two other Democrats in a primary. Graber finished third and then endorsed Wexler in a Democratic runoff against Peter Weinstein.

Graber, 58, lost a state Senate primary last year to Wexler-backed Jeremy Ring. At the same time, former state Rep. Irving Slosberg was losing a Democratic primary to Wexler-backed Ted Deutch.

Wexler chief of staff Eric Johnson called Graber's candidacy "a Slosberg-Graber joint effort that is more about payback than about advancing a Democratic agenda."

Graber denied a revenge motive.

As fun as any Democratic(Or Republican) bloodletting may be, Wexler's incumbent status has to make him a heavy favorite. This is a Democratic district, no serious Republican has ever made a run in the 19th.

As for the choice between Graber and Wexler, there is little difference. Just one Knucklehead versus another.

Linked to- Bright & Early, Bullwinkle, Conservative Thoughts,