Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Reversals....Old School...Political Putz

It’s time to give our “beloved” (hack hack) local Robed Readers a break:

It's Week Four of:"THE REVERSAL OF THE WEEK”©
By everyone’s favorite Captain.

Although we normally focus on a local robed Judge for this weekly feature, instead, with the judicial campaigns moving into the summer swing and with the possibility that Miami-Dade County could have as many as 18 newly elected judges come this September, (YES I did say 18), I thought that it would be nice to shift our focus to what some of the other fine jurists of our State are up to:

INQUIRY CONCERNING A JUDGE, RE: JUDGE JOHN RENKE III, 31 FLW S337, May 25, 2006; the Florida Supreme Court has decided to hand down the ultimate sanction against this Pinellas-Pasco 6th Circuit Court Judge. What is interesting about this case, is the fact that Judge Renke is being removed, not for anything he did on the bench, but for numerous campaign violations that got him elected to the bench in 2002. Also interesting is the fact that the Supreme Court rejected the Judicial Qualifications Commission's original recommended sanctions for fines and reprimands.
The Court found that Renke made flagrant misrepresentations about his qualifications in his 2002 campaign. 1] He misrepresented in a campaign brochure the fact that he was an incumbent judge, when he wasn’t; 2] He misrepresented in the same brochure that he was Chair of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, when he wasn’t; 3] He misrepresented in the same brochure that he was being endorsed by the Clearwater firefighters, when he wasn’t; 4] He misrepresented his judicial experience, when he actually had none; 5] He misrepresented endorsements from two supposed public officials, when they were actually members of the Pinellas County Republican Party; 6] He misrepresented his experience as a practicing attorney, claiming that he had eight years of experience handling complex civil trials, when in fact he had never tried a jury trial, never sat first chair in a trial, and his only trial was a small claims case; 7] He misrepresented his opponent’s experience, claiming to have more trial experience than his opponent, when in fact his opponent had much more trial experience; and 8] He also was found to have funded his campaign race with an illegal $95,800 contribution - more than 90 percent of the campaign's financing - from his father, former state Rep. John Renke II, who enlisted the Republican Party's help in the nonpartisan campaign.

The Court stated, "In essence, Judge Renke and his cohorts created a fictitious candidate, funded his candidacy in violation of Florida's election laws and successfully perpetrated a fraud on the electorate in securing the candidate's election.

INQUIRY CONCERNING A JUDGE, RE: JAMES R. ADAMS, 31 FLW S317, May 18, 2006; here the Supreme Court went much lighter on the Administrative Judge of the Lee County Court and only handed down a public reprimand.The JQC charged that during 2004 Judge Adams violated three canons of the Code of Judicial Conduct by having a romantic relationship with an attorney who appeared before him in a considerable number of cases. The allegations specified that Judge Adams granted numerous continuances requested by the attorney in five cases, and that Judge Adams dismissed the charges in four traffic cases in which the attorney represented the defendant.

The Supreme Court stated, “Judges must do all that is reasonably necessary to minimize the appearance of impropriety. They must remain cognizant of the fact that even in situations where they personally believe that their judgment would not be colored, public perception may differ.
CAPTAIN OUT ........................

Rumpole notes that former Judge Renke would fit right in here in Dade County, and could probably weasel a part time 100K job out of BB until the next election cycle.
(<---daily gratuitous cheap shot at our favorite local PD)
As to the Judicial Lothario Judge Adams, our advice would have been to deny a few of those motions for continuance and spend a few extra bucks at dinner. But remembering that Judge Adams does wear the black robes, we realize he has forgotten what it means to pick up a check, so granting the motion was probably his way of saying "your place or mine?"
Query: Which mean spirited ASA turned the two lovebirds in?


An old time reader echoes our sentiments completely:

rump i do miss the old days on the blog. we used to talk alot about rory steins ghost employee job and his danish/donut/bael eating habits. it was all in fun as i am sure mr stein took it that way.now the blog has denigrated into really nasty name calling and slander. calling one candidate gay and saying another sucked her way to judgeship is really unbecoming.this blog used to be a great place for practitioners to discuss the bench in the hope that when they were discussed maybe they would modify their behavior. you know they read this site religiously.i vote for censorship as too many of the contributors are baby lawyers in PDo and SAO who just love calling each other names.

Rumpole agrees. We really can do without the name calling. Of course we could also do without half the judiciary and 90% of the candidates running for judge, and what chance do we have of that happening?

D’Arce strikes again?

We received two anonymous emails (not posts) within the last week on this subject:

Rumpole: have you heard whether it is true or not that your friend D’Arce marched the candidate who is opposing Judge Slom into the filing room in Tallahassee to help her file her papers?

Rumpole replies: We have not heard that rumor and would like anyone who knows anything about it to post or email us. If true, we sincerely hope that the young woman running against Judge Slom gets the full benefit of the wisdom and experience of a political putz like D’Dopey. If that occurs, then come November you can count on her saying this: “would you like to super size your order sir?”


Ahh…it stinks to be back at work listening to the phones not ringing.

See You In Court.

123 comments:

  1. Rump - why is this post not about Brummer?

    I'm going to cry.

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  2. I believe there was a picture in the Miami Herald of Judge Slom's oppponent filing her papers at the Miami Dade County Department of elections

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  3. CAMPAIGN REPORT:

    4:55 is correct. Filing for County Court Judge only requires that one find their way to the Miami Dade County Div. of Elections - oh - and $4,853 in filing fees.

    Only Circuit Court Judges need make their way up to Seminole country.

    CAPTAIN OUT ...........

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  4. Rumpole, when this JQC investigtaion is over...and and and when this State Attorney Investigation is over ... and and and ...when my criminal case is over ... and and and...when I get off probation...then then then...I'm gonna get you but good.

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  5. rumpole. perhaps you should have put yourself in the PD poll. until then, it looks like Vereen is our winner followed by abe laeser?

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  6. Pursuant to rule 2.3-11D of the Rumpole Rules Of The Blog, we cannot print a post against Brummer on any Tuesday when court is not held on the previous Monday. Sorry.

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  7. Miller Beer commercial:

    Man Rule #4; if the traffic attorney is HOT, then you gotta do her; after all you are the Admin. Judge

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  8. my guess is some cop did the complaining; maybe it was Davenport

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  9. Judge Renke has obviuosly recruited a lot more of those attorneys who have no trial experience - and they all filed here in Dade County

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  10. juan is the lonliest number that you'll ever do

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  11. Suggestion for poll: Who are the hottest traffic attorneys in Dade County?

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  12. Hot traffic attorneys: Antelo for sure!

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  13. Rumpy, I personally saw D'Arce walk in with Armenteros to the DADE Elections Dept. just under an hour from the high noon deadline.

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  14. in my country there are problems....
    ali g

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  15. ya know, I thought I saw anonymous at the elections department.....

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  16. Wasn't deadline for filing weeks ago? Who cares.

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  17. ELECTION UPDATE ............

    IMPT. CAMPAIGN - JUDGE - DATES

    On Friday, June 2, 2006, the deadline for filing applications for the two vacant County Court seats (Judge Silver and Judge Dakis). The Gov. will get 12 names from the JNC and then pick two new County Court Judges.

    July 17-21, 2006 is the one week open filing period for the four new seats, three Circuit and one County. Those that file will face election in September.

    The Captain knows of at least three candidates who will be filing - but we will hold off on giving out names until a later date. There is also a large push by the "BIG" politicos to try and get some of the challengers tothe incumbent judges, to withdraw from those races and file in an open seat during that week. More to come.......

    CAPTAIN OUT ............

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  18. And who may these big politicos be Captain? Is that legal?

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  19. Politocos..schmolitocos...

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  20. I thought the real money in Miami didn't care about the criminal courts.

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  21. All the more reason an appointment and merit retention system would benefit all.

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  22. If nothing else The Captain's chosen reversals at least show that ineptness and unethical behavior are not unique to Miami-Dade County.

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  23. I heard Josie Veliz told the "big politicos" that whoever bought her a free dinner could convince her to pull out of Murphy's race.

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  24. anyone catch that picture of sari addicott (pando's opponent) in the paper sunday.

    Did Tiny Tim die? Cause if not - DAMN - that's him! (her) him....

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  25. To:Anonymous@Tuesday, May 30, 2006 8:56:03 PM

    While it is true that we do not care about the rat infested, roach
    ridden, filthy, and unclean Criminal courts (and thats just the building)the judges that reside there will, if they are reelected, eventually make it over to the pristine, clean, and beautiful Civil Courthouse.

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  26. Juan, Two, Three, what are we fighting for? Don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is.....

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  27. up! - story about to run on CBS 4 about some trouble with the PBA Chief

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  28. juan, singular sensation

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  29. Morpheus believes he is the Juan.

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  30. For all you Judges "BIG POLITICOS", campaign workers/volunteers, consultants, family, and Treasurers, Partners at Firms and especially other Judges calling candidates on behalf of Judge's with opposition read this link so you can see what occurs when you try to scare candidates:

    http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/pub_info/summaries/briefs/05/05-1446/Filed_08-17-2005_NoticeofFormalCharges.pdf

    Judicial positions do not have any entitlement. Stop scaring, blackmailing, threatening and coercing candidates to file in open seats or withdrawal from races. This is a campaign violation and remember the election is determined by democracy. It is sad to see that those who are supposed uphold the law are the main ones breaking it and diminishing our democratic system of government.

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  31. ....Juan nation under god, indivisible...

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  32. I LOVE VICTORIA, JOSIE, GINA, GLORIA, CECILIA, JUAN, MIGNA AND GEORGE!

    MAKING HISTORY, PAVING THE WAY FOR 2008!

    LIKE THE JUGGERNAUT, KEEP GOING AND GOING WITH FULL STRENGTH.

    XOX

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  33. a juan to be left alone

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  34. Who's doing the scaring of candidates for the incumbents? Hector Lombana? Anybody else? Inquiring minds want to know...

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  35. Juan definitely brought Judge Slom's opponent to the Miami Dade Elections - being from Broward she needed help finding it - and he proudly proclaimed to the few who would listen that she was his candidate - adding her last name as well for another nice touch - her voter registration, law firm website, and homestead exemption all have her with only two names - interesting new tactic in elections - the same applies to Judge McWhorter's opponent - election qualifying deadline finding a third last name disease.

    Juan needs to get his computer back and get back to work in time for the July 2l qualifying - how does the JQC and the State Attorney expect this guy to make a living?

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  36. To Big Money.....
    Only criminal lawyers are civil, Civil Court may look pristine, but it's just frosting on the turd cake

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  37. Ivan Hernandez or Robin Faber ?What say you bloggers ?

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  38. Faber is a nice guy but he has zero chance to win.

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  39. It's true Faber is the better candidiate, but Hernandez has more political power.. Too bad

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  40. to 7:52 am

    Why? Hernandez is very vulnerable, Faber is a great candidate.lets get the rigtheous indignation going and remove D'arce's assistant!

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  41. it's not even going to be a contest.
    slom is gonna get killed in his race as well. and with all his complaining in the herald today. be a man.

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  42. thanks for logging on Ivan

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  43. any truth to the rumor that George Alvarez used to go to court with Fuchsia hair and that D'arce dyed it for him?

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  44. Nice to see Rivera (PBA don) finally in hot water. He's a corrupt turd and has been for years.

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  45. From today's Miami Herald:

    Posted on Wed, May. 31, 2006



    Judge's assistant at center of bitter judicial races
    Controversy that has been swirling around a judge's assistant has bled into three unusually testy judicial races.
    BY SUSANNAH A. NESMITH
    snesmith@MiamiHerald.com

    For the first time in years, three intertwined judicial races are actually prompting controversy, intrigue and -- gasp -- personal attacks.

    Miami-Dade County Court's tripartite tempest is unusual because judicial races have traditionally been quiet, behind-the-scenes affairs between insiders, even in the county's rough and tumble political environment.

    Besides, the judicial canon of ethics prohibits candidates from discussing issues and most have declined to publicly comment on each other in the past.

    Not so this year, and some observers think the bitterness is a harbinger of things to come as all 15 contested races for judge heat up for the September election.

    ''Everyone is talking about how ugly this summer is going to be with all these campaigns,'' said Brian Tannebaum, former president of the county's criminal defense attorney association.

    The fuss seems to begin and end with Juan D'Arce, a judicial assistant who also runs a consulting firm that works on judicial campaigns.

    Adding to the plot: D'Arce is currently under investigation by the state attorney's office for allegedly politicking on government time and using heavy handed tactics.

    In one race, D'Arce's boss -- County Judge Ivan Hernandez -- has drawn opposition from a lawyer who accuses the judge of poor judgment for failing to fire D'Arce as a judicial assistant.

    In the other two races, judges claim that D'Arce, as a consultant, recruited people to run against them because they told his boss about allegations that D'Arce made an anti-Semitic comment.

    And to add one more wrinkle, one of those judges says the candidate D'Arce found to oppose him was a traffic hearing officer the judge fired for incompetence.

    D'Arce could not be reached for comment and his attorney declined to give him a message.

    ''Obviously Mr. D'Arce claims not to have made the [anti-Semitic] statement,'' attorney Henry Ferro said.

    And he denies politicking on the job, Ferro said. The state attorney's office, which has seized D'Arce's work computer, is still investigating.

    Here's a look at the three races:

    GONZALEZ VS. LEIFMAN

    County Judge Steve Leifman thinks he may have provoked the nastiness that has emerged in all three campaigns.

    ''I fired the guy who happened to be buddies with the judicial assistant I had a little issue with who happened to run campaigns and who happened to be targeting the judges he didn't particularly like,'' Leifman said. ``There you have it, the perfect storm.''

    Leifman, the administrative judge over the traffic hearing officers, says he dismissed his judicial opponent, Juan F. Gonzalez, after a series of complaints he termed ``bizarre.''

    ''He was screaming at people, yelling that he was the holy trinity and he needed to be obeyed,'' Leifman said.

    There are 20 letters of complaint in Gonzalez's personnel file. Most of them claim he didn't listen to both sides or that he got angry and yelled in court.

    But Gonzalez denies that Leifman fired him.

    ''My commission was not renewed,'' he said. (Leifman says he decided to not renew his commission to avoid embarrassing him by officially firing him.)

    Gonzalez says that, along with complaints, he received commendations. There are none in his personnel file.

    He also denies that he is running against Leifman because he lost a job he held for 11 years.

    ''In other seats you have competent judges, female judges, Hispanic judges,'' Gonzalez said.

    Asked if he meant to imply that Leifman was incompetent, Gonzalez said: ``He's called me incompetent, intemperate and he fired me. I don't think that is the truth as I understand it. In that sense, he is incompetent in remembering my service to the people of Dade County.''

    And Gonzalez believes that the criminal investigation into D'Arce was motivated by an attempt to hurt him because the two are friends and D'Arce is volunteering on his campaign. Gonzalez said he has been questioned by detectives.

    ''If you dig deep, it's not about Mr. D'Arce, it's not about Judge Hernandez [D'Arce's boss],'' he said. ``They want to link him to me. That's my opinion. I could be wrong. You know this is getting so personal right now.''

    SLOM VS.

    ARMENTEROS-CHAVEZ

    County Judge Sam Slom, an administrative judge, said he is facing opposition from a Hispanic woman candidate recruited by D'Arce.

    Slom said D'Arce is angry with him. The reason: He complained about D'Arce to his boss, Judge Hernandez.

    ''There can be no other logical result except that this is being done for vindictive purposes,'' Slom said. Slom suspects that D'Arce recruited Cecilia Armenteros-Chavez to run against him because as a Hispanic woman, she has a perceived advantage in a county where Hispanics and women are still underrepresented on the bench.

    ''Mr. D'Arce wants this election to be based on the fact that he can bring in a candidate who he thinks demographically presents an advantage [over] me,'' he said.

    About Armenteros-Chavez, Slom says: ``I can't understand why Ms. Armenteros would chose to align herself with somebody who is currently under investigation by the state attorneys office.''

    When she qualified to run against Slom, with D'Arce at her side, Armenteros-Chavez said she didn't think ethnicity should be a factor in her race.

    ''I grew up in New York,'' she said at the county elections office shortly after qualifying to run against Slom. ``I'm more American than I am Hispanic.''

    She did not respond to repeated e-mail requests for an interview. When asked for a phone number to reach her during the campaign, she told The Miami Herald she would have to ask her husband before giving out her number.

    HERNANDEZ VS. FABER

    Robin Faber says he filed to run against Judge Ivan Hernandez, in part, because Hernandez didn't fire D'Arce.

    ''Mr. D'Arce is essentially taking the mantle of the judiciary and using it for private gain,'' Faber said.

    Hernandez did not return repeated phone calls requesting an interview for this story.

    Ferro, D'Arce's attorney, insists his client has done nothing illegal or prohibited by the cannon of ethics.

    Judges are prohibited from doing any sort of campaign consulting, but judicial assistants aren't bound by those rules, Ferro said.

    ''I don't disagree with the fact that it looks bad, but I don't think there's anything to prohibit Mr. D'Arce from conducting that kind of business,'' he said.

    D'Arce is on leave from Hernandez's office.

    http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14704505.htm

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  46. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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  47. Liefman and Slom sound like intimidated little children. Buck up and campaign, you are the better canadates.

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  48. BONO said:
    We're Juan, but we're not the same.

    The Beatles said:
    Juance there was a way, to get back homeward, Juance there was a way to get back home...

    Bill Haley said:
    Juan, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock.

    and Axl Rose said:
    Your Juan in a million, yeah that's waht you are. You're Juan in a million babe, you're a shooting star.

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  49. The Phoenix will rise again, especially now that Pandora's Box has been opened. The sting will be ever painful. Be prepared.

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  50. I am confused Ms. Nesmith, why does the Miami Herald not print your racist story in El Nuevo Herald? Be prepared for the backlash to come from your (ignortant, since this is how you treat them) Hispanics.

    By the way, your newspaper does not even put email addresses on El Nuevo Herald as you do in the Miami Herald so readers can email the reporters. Why? Does the Miami Herald think Hispanic readers cannot read or use a computer to send emails? This is the truth. Comments from the Peanut Gallery?

    Shameful.

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  51. The Herald should focus there articles on the possibilities that the Miami Dade Judiciary may finally become closer to being more representative of the population. Not on Judges complaining about others taking part in democracy.

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  52. The Herald should focus there articles on the possibilities that the Miami Dade Judiciary may finally become closer to being more representative of the population. Not on Judges complaining about others taking part in democracy.

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  53. All that people need to run is a reason and or desire to run, nothing else. Get a life whinners...

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  54. The Herald should focus there articles on the quality of the judiciary, not the ethinicity of the candidates.

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  55. Why do these sitting judges feel that they are entitled to sit for life? With the exception of Liefman, none of these county court judges have done anything to distingish themselves. Slom is a weak man evidenced by his quotes in the paper today.
    And by the way, the article enhanced that little twerp Juan D's standing. It makes him relevant.

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  56. how do i find what was said on this blog about information on political consultant BOB LEVY? the blog said he was convicted of felonies and spent time in prison. can you refer me to the blog comments by day and time? thank you.

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  57. Why did the Miami Herald not state that Laura, Leifman's JA was selling PERFUME in exchange of Motion Dates. I bought one for God's sake.

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  58. Here is the scoop! Slom has not had a division in 6 years at the very least, hears traffic officer calendars about twice a week, writes memorandums about the FL Law Journal and is the biggest supporter of the crappy restaurant at the REGB. As a matter of fact, I just saw all the emails he sends regarding food and the restaurant.

    This is what the other Judge told me: Slom get over $135K even though he hears a calendar that a Hearing Officer gets under $20K for doing.

    Also, all Administrative Judges have normal Calendars. Check the stats around Miami-Dade County. I just checked and it is true.

    Slom is the boss of Leifman and allows him to mandate high traffic fines and screwing of lawyers. Word is that the Traffic Attorneys all hate Leifman, but they should include Slom as he allows him to run a mock.

    Leifman speaks about being the Mental Health Judge, where is the Division? Thousands of Defendants come to Court on a daily basis and there is no Division to help them still. He goes further to force cops to get trained when he has never been a cop and can never understand the situations they encounter. By the way, he has no real Calendar either and lives off from Grant Monies. He can do that job as a State Representative making $27K, not a Judge earning $135K who does not do any Judicial work.

    Bottom line, the Dynamic Duo is GUILTY of being lazy, taking State monies for work they never perform and covering their ass by using the information they have access to as Administrators to mudsling their opponents.

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  59. how do i find what was said on this blog about information on political consultant BOB LEVY? the blog said he was convicted of felonies and spent time in prison. can you refer me to the blog comments by day and time? thank you.

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  60. I like him, but Judge Slom has the "big fish in a little pond" complex. Stop thinking you are untouchable and entitled to lifetime appointment. So you got an opponent. Now campaign and win the election. His comments after he got the opponent were that he hoped the voters would vote for him based on his qualifications. Now, he says this is a orchestrated event and he must be some type of victim. Sounds childish and desperate. Once again, I like Slom, but there are going to be a couple hundred thousand voters out there who dont sit in Au Bon pain every day and are going to make the decision. They will see Sam Slom and Cecilia Armenteros on the ballot. How do you think our majority hispanic county is going to vote?

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  61. TO SUSANNAH NESMITH: The reason Juan Gonzalez did not have any recommendations or commendations in his file is b/c pursuant to regulations those are not placed in his personnel file. Only bad stuff (basically) goes into those type of personnel files. Please do a better job of checking the facts instead of just relying on what Leifman or his hacks tell you to write. You seem to be much better than past Herald reporters covering our beat (That guy Trenton Daniel was a particular embarassment), but don't be lazy and check every fact.

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  62. TO SUSANNAH NESMITH: The reason Juan Gonzalez did not have any recommendations or commendations in his file is b/c pursuant to regulations those are not placed in his personnel file. Only bad stuff (basically) goes into those type of personnel files. Please do a better job of checking the facts instead of just relying on what Leifman or his hacks tell you to write. You seem to be much better than past Herald reporters covering our beat (That guy Trenton Daniel was a particular embarassment), but don't be lazy and check every fact.

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  63. Childish and desperate is right. Win or lose Slom, you've already lost.

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  64. Who is the fuckbird making veiled threats re: that corrupt piece of shit Bob Levy. Some people deserve to die. That's just unconscious knowledge.

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  65. NEWS FLASH .....

    As reported by the Miami Herald:

    Cecilia Armenteros-Chavez announced Wednesday that she had decided to withdraw her candidacy against county judge Sam Slom.

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  66. Weak slut! Fuck Slom!

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  67. Armenteros-Chavez drops out of judge's race

    BY SUSANNAH NESMITH
    snesmith@MiamiHerald.com

    Judge's assistant at center of bitter judicial races
    County court contenders speak up
    Cecilia Armenteros-Chavez announced Wednesday that she had decided to withdraw her candidacy against county judge Sam Slom.

    Armenteros-Chavez qualified to run against Slom on May 12. She said Wednesday that she had decided last week to instead run for one of four open seats that were recently created by the legislature. Qualifying for those seats will be in July.

    ''I've decided I'm going to go for one of the open seats in July, feeling that Judge Slom should remain in his present seat,'' she said.

    ''I'm appreciative of her decision to withdraw,'' Slom said.

    Armenteros-Chavez denied allegations reported in Wednesday's Miami Herald that she had been recruited to run against Slom by a political consultant and judicial assistant who has had run-ins with Slom.

    ''(Juan) D'Arce didn't recruit me,'' she said. ``I'm my own person and I decided to run for that seat. Maybe it's just as well to run for a different seat because I don't want these issues to be the focus of the election.''

    D'Arce is under investigation by the State Attorney's Office for allegations he campaigned on government time. His attorney, Henry Ferro, denied his client had done any politicking on the job.

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  68. SOUTH DADE NEWS FLASH: Judge B. Miller canceled her Calendar without warning this morning to Hundreds of Attorneys as well as hard working Plainitffs and Defendants who missed work to be in South Dade Court.

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  69. Police union boss' off-duty pay under fireThe county's inspector general said payments to the head of the Miami-Dade police union for off-duty work at the union smack of favoritism.

    BY SCOTT HIAASEN

    shiaasen@MiamiHerald.com

    Sgt. John Rivera, the head of the Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association, has received more than $100,000 over the past three years for performing off-duty police work, county records show.

    His assignment, according to an inspector general's report: to patrol the union office.

    Rivera's pay as the leader of the county's police union has been funneled to his county paycheck in what Inspector General Chris Mazzella called a ''flagrant abuse'' of an off-duty work program designed to provide police officers as extra security to private businesses, according to a report released Tuesday.

    In the report, Mazzella said the arrangement between the PBA and the police department smacks of ''favoritism'' to the union, and said the department has ignored its own procedures in handling the union deal.

    Rivera was paid $44,405 last year through the off-duty program -- money that was reimbursed to the county by the union. The county also pays Rivera a $77,700 police salary as part of the PBA contract, though he performs union duties exclusively.

    Because the off-duty payments come through the county, they increase Rivera's police pension benefits.

    CITING PRECEDENT

    Rivera, a frequent critic of Mazzella, said the inspector general is ''making something out of nothing'' and meddling in union business. He said the payments were first approved by former Police Director Fred Taylor and later endorsed by former Director Carlos Alvarez, who is now county mayor, and current Police Director Bobby Parker.

    Two other union officials -- both of them vice presidents -- received off-duty payments in the past, Rivera said. He said he has received the payments only since the late 1990s.

    ''Since 1993, this has been going on and been approved,'' Rivera said. ``They're trying to twist it.''

    Parker did not return a phone call seeking comment. Through a spokesperson, Alvarez said he could not comment because he had not seen the inspector general's report.

    Mazzella declined to comment further on the report. But he's planning a second report focusing on the PBA deal.

    ''The next report will clearly address the question of authorization,'' Mazzella said.

    Tuesday's report criticized the PBA deal as part of a broader examination of the police department's off-duty program. The program is supposed to be self-sustaining, with businesses, not taxpayers, bearing all the costs. But the report found that this was not the case and said off-duty programs cost the police department at least $420,000 a year.

    The police department has also failed to collect $660,000 in overdue bills -- including some that date back six years, the report said.

    In a written response to the report, Parker emphasized that he inherited the program when he was named director in March 2004. He did not directly address the PBA's off-duty agreement.

    JOB AN EXCEPTION

    Mazzella's report said the PBA assignment was the only off-duty job that went to a single officer. Off-duty jobs are supposed to be handed out among a rotating group of officers, the report says. And unlike most officers, who file daily reports of their off-duty work, Rivera files a pay voucher every two weeks for ''varied'' hours of extra work.

    The department's PBA file was also among more than a dozen that lacked the original work application. Rivera said he couldn't find the application in the union's files, either.

    Rivera said he doesn't work typical overtime or off-duty shifts, fearing it would create the impression that he's using his position to get extra work. Instead, the union board agreed to pay him extra through the off-duty program.

    In addition to Rivera's pay, the union also must pay the county's share toward his benefits and administrative costs, just like any other private vendor.

    Rivera also said the off-duty program is not exclusively for security work, despite Mazzella's findings. ''There are off-duty jobs where people are hired for their expertise, not just for security,'' he said.

    Rivera has been attacking Mazzella for months -- both in court and in a newsletter he writes on the PBA's website. One cartoon posted on the website portrayed Mazzella as a turkey.

    ''Christopher Mazzella, another self-anointed, self-righteous, pompous jerk who believes he is above the law, continues his shenanigans,'' Rivera wrote to his 6,500 union members this month.

    Rivera and the union have also filed three lawsuits since January attacking Mazzella's authority.

    ''And there's more lawsuits coming,'' Rivera said Tuesday.

    Miami Herald staff writer Jack Dolan contributed to this report.

    I THINK I HEAR KFR SNICKERING IN THE BACKGROUND!

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  70. Who pressured her into withdrawing from the race? Who refunded her filing fee? What kind of promises were made to her in exchange from withdrawing from the race? Inquiring minds want to know...

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  71. Congratulations Slom! You are re-elected for 6 more years which come with a probe on how you scared this poor attorney off your race.

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  72. Slom extorted Armenteros-Chavez.

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  73. This further add credence to my belief that Public Sector Unions ought not exist.

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  74. Call the FDLE, FBI and Jeb Bush! Something is wrong with this picture. There must be a law!

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  75. Jeez. Maybe she really did withdraw to run in an open seat as opposed to running against a good judge. Or maybe she didn't want to deal with the D'Arce mess. Sounds like good judgment to me.

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  76. LOL. Yeah, sure. Maybe she was scared off. This is Miami.

    Slom a good Judge? That makes M. Shapiro sound like an awesome Judge.

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  77. Did Hector Lombana have anything to do with Armenteros' withdrawal?

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  78. She doesn't get her filing fee back...Is anyone reimbursing her?

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  79. Maybe she has bigger plans - go for the open seat, win, and use it to clean up the bench. Brilliant!

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  80. Slom is a good administrative judge if we measure good administration by maximizing revenue with high fines and costs.

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  81. Funny, this is not a Checkers Game, it is Chess Game. No matter what, you are trapped win, loose or withdraw. LOL.

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  82. Running in an open seat is crazy. All the crazy lawyers who are scared (with god reason) of sitting Judges will be filing. Stay in the race if you still can and kick some ass. Slom is weak, ugly, pompous, has never done Civil law and frankly a fool who needs to be investigated for all the horrible things he is telling the Miami Herald. I seen that man drive down the wrong way on a one way for years when he leaves to go home. He is a law breaker and destined to indictment by the Florida Senate.

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  83. Juan way, or another, I'm gonna find you, I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha.

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  84. Oh Sussanaaah, don't you cry for them! Who feeds you the stuff you put in your articles? Check around the REGJB and talk to everyone, not just the campaign partisans for the incumbebts and opponents. Investigate why Juan Gonzalez was not renewd as a traffic magistrate and whether an incident in juvenile court allegedly prompted it. Investigate what incident in the past led to the longstanding feud between Juan D'Arce and Steve Leifman. Ask attorneys who have practiced in front of Hernandez, Slom, Leifman, and Gonzalez (when he was a magistrate) their honest opinion about them. Ask attorneys and their staff about how they were treated by D'Arce when calling for something as simple as a hearing date. Investigate who's trying to portray these races as ethnic/gender power struggles instead of just plain ol' nasty Dade County politics as usual with an element of personal vindictiveness by some the participants. Just do some good, impartial investigative reporting, and, yes, you might actully win a Pulitzer1

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  85. Her article does not seem impartial to me. It seems she is getting her information straight from the terrible threesome- Leifman, Slom, and Faber. Very biased information indeed.

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  86. Besides all those things listed by 2:44:00, Ms.Nesmith should investigate the pressuring and intimidation going on behind the scenes in the judicial races. That's a story unto itself.

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  87. Who recruited Faber to run? Is it true that his campaign literature doesn't have his photo so that voters will think he's a woman in a gender-bending attempt to pull a John Plummer? Inquiring minds want to know...

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  88. how do i find what was said on this blog about information on political consultant BOB LEVY? the blog said he was convicted of felonies and spent time in prison. can you refer me to the blog comments by day and time? thank you.

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  89. why are we assuming sloms opponent was intimidated? Maybe she made her own decision

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  90. It is assumed she was threatened to switch seats because I am sure these posters have heard or seen some of the tactics by the dirty politicos. Even Captain referred to it yesterday.

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  91. RUMPOLE!

    It seems that campaigners from all camps are trying to spread their talking points and trash on your blog. I suggest you go back to approved posting so that you can filter out the campaigning here. It is taking the fun out of the blog, which should be filled with good old hate inspired trash talking and rumour mongoring, not attempts to gain votes. Any campaign posts should be attributed to a real name.

    s/ Really Anonymous

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  92. I agree (VOTE FOR LEIFMAN) that campaigning on the (VOTE FOR MURPHY) blog should be (VOTE FOR FABER) moderated

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  93. Its true that Bob Levy was in jail so then it is true that he is just as bad as D'Arce's investigation. Captain, Rumpole who's campaign is he working on?

    See old campaign article called "ODOR IN THE COURT" about judicial campaigning below:
    http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/1994-08-31/news/feature2.html

    "What's the difference between a bribe and a loan anyway, if you don't repay it?" Levy scoffs. "Nothing." When it comes to financial chicanery, Levy is qualified to comment. He served more than two years in federal prison in the early 1970s for economic crimes.

    TO the inquiring poster, here is the information you requested.

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  94. Every member of the Judiciary (and its hopefules) in Dade County should read the article from the New Times. It makes the entire bench, some of whom are still sitting judges, look like a bunch of bumbling bafoons!

    Thanks for the link 3:23 --VERY entertaining!

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  95. Get a layperson's perspective on Judicial candidates....



    Court review of campaign rhetoric: a slippery slope

    By HOWARD TROXLER, Times Columnist
    Published May 30, 2006

    There's a famous quote from Potter Stewart, a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 1964 case about obscenity.

    Stewart said he couldn't spell out exactly what was legally obscene -- but he added with a touch of irony, "I know it when I see it."

    Last week, the Florida Supreme Court kicked out a circuit judge in Pasco County, John Renke III, for violations in his 2002 campaign.

    The court declared itself fed up with campaign misconduct by judicial candidates in Florida. It said it will strip of them their robes for that reason alone.

    And yet, even though it confidently pronounced Renke's 2002 campaign to be a "fraud," the court offered no additional standards for future cases.

    In the tradition of Potter Stewart, the Florida justices seemed to be saying, we know a dishonest campaign when we see it.

    Another famous quote about the law is that "hard cases make bad precedent." But maybe the trouble with Renke was that the case was too easy.

    Renke played fast and loose in his 2002 race. He worked at his daddy's law firm and had practically no trial experience. His campaign made him sound more like Perry Mason.

    The court said Renke's campaign committed "nothing short of fraud on the electorate." On top of that, his campaign was financed by some conveniently timed "loans" he made to his campaign that happened to match big payments from his father's firm.

    On the other hand, some of the individual complaints against Renke were relatively piddly, hardly capital offenses:

    He used the slogan, "A Judge With Our Values," which you could argue made it look like he already was a judge.
    He posed in front of a nameplate saying "John Renke III, Chairman," for a photo citing his service on a water board. Actually, he had been chairman of a smaller committee. Big woop.
    He posed with firefighters for a photograph with a caption saying he was "supported by our area's bravest." But no firefighters union had formally endorsed him. Again, big woop.
    Other charges launched the Supreme Court down the slippery slope of judging campaign rhetoric. Renke said he had "real judicial experience" as a hearing officer. He said he had "broad civil trial experience" when he had rarely seen the inside of a courtroom.

    The court's opinion of those claims, which is perfectly reasonable, is that Renke's brief stints as a hearing officer and his office work on cases at the law firm, weren't really "judicial" or "broad civil trial" experience.

    And yet, at what point does evaluating these kind of claims become an entirely subjective judgment? Plenty of first-rate lawyers rarely step into a courtroom, after all.

    How many trials, exactly, makes a lawyer qualified? How many give you "extensive" or "broad" experience? Is it 25 instead of 30? If one lawyer has 100 traffic ticket trials and the other a single case that he won in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, which is better? More to the point - if they claim extensive experience, are they in jeopardy if the Supremes disagree?

    If a fellow calls himself "admired" and he is the most hated lawyer in town, is that a violation? If he has the patience of a bratty 2-year-old but claims "judicial temperament," is it a lie?

    "I am uncertain what the standards are," wrote state Justice Charles J. Wells, who dissented from the decision to remove Renke, "by which campaign misrepresentations rise to the level of fraud."

    That's exactly the problem. Without such standards, every judicial campaign in Florida has the potential to result in an automatic followup round of ethics complaints and second-guessing, with regulators nitpicking campaign brochures and trying to guess how the Supreme Court will react to them.

    The Renke decision further muddies an already muddy situation in Florida, where candidates for our more than 900 trial-level judgeships live under a strict set of rules on what they can and can't say.

    Renke's case might have been easy for the court. Others won't be. If the court truly intends to get more aggressive, then future cases will need to be decided on something other than the justices' seat-of-the-pants (robes?) opinion.

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  96. I'm glad my story has sparked some debate and I certainly don't want to wade into that. Chatter away. But I do need to clear up a couple of errors and misconceptions.

    The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald have separate newsrooms, with separate reporters and editors. Only on the very rarest occasions does either paper run translations. That separation was a decision made by the people who publish both, believing that the readership of each is distinct, and worthy of its own unique mix of news. I have no idea why El Nuevo doesn't run email addresses. That issue would need to be brought up with them.

    If there is a regulation prohibiting commendations from appearing in county personnel files, I'd like to see it since there are commendations in the files of others. Maybe I could do a story on that regulation being violated.

    Unfortunately, most attorneys are hesitant to put anything on the record about someone they may be practicing in front of. I understand that and do what I can. Don't worry, many, many were called and their comments helped me understand the story, even if they refused to speak publicly.

    Like I said, chatter away. And rest assured, this won't be my last judges' race story.

    Susannah Nesmith
    Miami Herald
    snesmith@miamiherald.com

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  97. Thank you, Oh Susannah, for not calling me. I wouldn't have said anything bad about anyJuan in your story. I have to be in front of these judges all the time (when they do have calendars). All of these people who are complaining about your story wouldn't have spoken to you either. Why do you think they're posting anonymously? If you think you know something about what's going on, her email is above, put it on the record. But don't bitch when your client gets adjudicated.

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  98. Susan, don't let Slom off the hook not Leifman. Get a public records request as to their work hours and calendars and if what they do is the same practice for other Administrative Judges in Miami-Dade County. Also, get their computer records to see who they email and what they email about. Speak to the Cop's wives and ask them what is really happening. Also, show the residents of Miami-Dade County how many Anglos, Hispanics and Whites seat on the Miami-Dade County Judiciary and make sure you get a comment from Chief Judge Farina who has still to remove Slom or Leifman from their Administrative positions with all the stuff they have put on the record. One more thing, please let us know who are the campaign consultants for all the candidates and if they have a history like Al Lorenzo, Bob Levy and Armando Gutierrez. I mean, some sill over the City of Miami millions, others went to jail for economic crimes and others have used less than agreeable tactics in elections in the past. Oh, we do have that strange $25K payment way early in the campaign to an unknown who is friends with Hector Lambada.

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  99. What happened to the perfume selling JA, Laura who was passing out campaign donation envelpes from Chambers to help Leifman? Julie Kay was called on this, but she wrote nothing about it. Talk to Laura and ask her, the neighbors on her floor and even the cleaning lady.

    Did Laura not get a Bailiff fired by calling the Police also? What happened to the rumor of her dating Alberto Quirantes?

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  100. KFR paid Levy about 100K in her re-election campaign. Power politics for sure.

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  101. Susana, does that mean the El Nuevo Herald could go against The Miami Herald with a story that makes yours look like BS?

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  102. ALL READERS OF THE BLOG SHOULD READ THIS ARTICLE ABOUT HOW SOME THINGS JUST DO NOT CHANGE WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLITICS OF JUDICIAL ELECTIONS:

    http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/1994-08-31/news/feature2.html

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  103. Susannah can you post your phone number?

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  104. Anonymous at 2:58:13 PM said:

    "why are we assuming sloms opponent was intimidated? Maybe she made her own decision"

    Suuuurrrrrreeeee!!! Do you think for an instant that she would leave of her own accord a sure win after she had paid the filing fee? If you do, I have a bridge for sale in Monroe County that's 7 miles long.

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  105. considering she didnt file on her own accord, I guess she didnt pull out on her own accord. I would call and ask, but I understand her phone privileges are restricted.

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  106. Why would anyone throw away 5K to spend another 5K? This is a question for the FDLE and the FBI. Maybe her office treatened to fire her or something. People have to work you know. Hello?

    Let's do this, if you have lawyer job in which Ms. Armenteros can be hired and run for office, call her and let her know so she can finally speak to us.

    Rump, you have a job for her?

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  107. Susannah can you post your phone number?

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  108. Will the Bailifs ever get to become part of the Union?

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  109. Cause afterall...you're my Juanderwall.

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  110. My phone number is 305-772-4380. That's my cell phone, so call whenever is convenient for you.

    Susannah Nesmith
    Miami Herald
    snesmith@miamiherald.com

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  111. Chief Farina should be investigated for interferring in these elections......Can everyone say blackmail!

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  112. Why would anyone think Farina is involved in the Slom/Leifman/Faber situation?

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  113. Slom bullies his opponent out of the race. Nice. I heard he had a stable of judges calling Armenteros' bosses and "encourage" her to withdraw. And the bullshit with the Herald? I'm sure we'll see Susannah and Slom at Joe's stonecrabs sometime soon, with Slom paying the huge bill. Makes no sense to get out of a two person race and jump into an unkown race that could have three persons running for the same seat.

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  114. Only in Miami can a sitting Judge go on Hispanic radio and tell Hispanic listeners not to vote based on ethnicity and then cry discrimination as well as racism. If a Hispanic went on English radio and said the same, they would be accused of being anti-Semitic as well as lynched.

    What a double standard. If you do not believe me, listen to the recordings of Slom and Leifman on Hispanic radio. Thanks Ruby Feria.

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  115. Los hispanos consolidan su poder en Broward
    CASTO OCANDO

    Como una corriente fluvial que consolida su caudal e incrementa su poder paulatinamente, los hispanos en Broward continúan ampliando su presencia en los cuatro puntos cardinales del condado, ocupando más puestos de gobierno y de elección que hace un quinquenio, y proyectando ampliar su influencia política en el futuro cercano.

    En sólo tres años, la cantidad de funcionarios de origen hispano designados y electos a cargos gubernamentales se ha incrementado en Broward. Hay ahora más concejales en las ciudades, más jueces en las cortes y en las elecciones de noviembre de este año hay un nuevo aspirante hispano a la más alta instancia de poder local: la Comisión del Condado.

    En algunas zonas de Broward, como Pembroke Pines, West Miramar y Weston, muchos aspirantes a ingresar a la política están ''desempolvando'' con más frecuencia sus raíces hispanas como una forma de ganar prestigio y votos cruciales, a diferencia de lo que ocurría una década atrás, cuando los apellidos castizos debían combinarse con apellidos anglosajones, o en el peor de los casos, sencillamente eliminarse.

    ''Cada vez hay más hispanos en posiciones claves, no sólo en el sector privado sino también en el gobierno'', afirmó Frank Nieves, el presidente de la Cámara de Comercio Puertorriqueña de Broward.

    Los puertorriqueños, que representan la comunidad más numerosa entre los hispanos del condado, tienen a Broward como un destino preferido últimamente, acotó Nieves.

    ''Está explotando y sigue explotando la presencia hispana en Broward'', declaró Josie Bacallao, presidenta de la organización Hispanic Unity of Florida, la más antigua agrupación prohispana del condado.

    Según el Censo 2000, la población que habla español en el condado representa alrededor del 17.5 por ciento del total, pero para Bacallao la cifra ya debe estar ``por encima del 30 por ciento''.

    ''El poder económico de los hispanos está aquí'', indicó José ''Pepe'' López, el presidente de la Cámara de Comercio Latina de Broward. ''El movimiento de los hispanos se está multiplicando. Ahora hay más de 2,000 negocios administrados por empresarios hispanos. Hace dos años no llegaban a 700'', informó.

    No sólo en los negocios. En el terreno de la justicia, el podio de las cortes tiene más nombres castizos que hace tres años, y hay más apirantes a magistrados con apellidos latinoamericanos.

    El pasado noviembre, el gobernador Jeb Bush designó a ocho nuevos jueces estatales en Broward, de los cuales cuatro eran hispanos.

    ''Es todo un récord'', indicó Catalina Avalos, una abogada colombiana que lleva 22 años en Broward y es una de las seleccionadas, lo que la convirtió en la primera colombiana que es nombrada juez en Estados Unidos.

    De acuerdo con Avalos, ``los hispanos están creciendo en influencia en todas las áreas, desde la justicia hasta la política local y las agencias del gobierno''.

    ''Los hispanos tenemos la misma calificación profesional que otras comunidades para ser líderes'', manifestó Samuel López, un abogado puertorriqueño que es candidato a magistrado en el condado.

    La inmigración latina hacia comunidades del sur de Broward está provocando interesantes fenómenos políticos.

    ''Algunos bastiones tradicionalmente demócratas están cambiando a republicanos por la influencia latina'', afirmó Herb Vargas, un activista republicano de origen boliviano que es miembro del Consejo de Desarrollo Económico de Pembroke Pines.

    Vargas declaró que las familias hispanas jóvenes que se mudaron años atrás al sur de Broward ''están trayendo ahora a los abuelitos a vivir cerca de sus nietos'', y esta nueva tendencia demográfica ''va a influir en las elecciones'', porque las personas mayores que vienen de Miami-Dade son más activas políticamente.

    Según Isis Fernández, una activista comunitaria de Century Village, un complejo residencial en Pembroke Pines donde vive desde hace 13 años, los hijos de las familias hispanas que se mudaron a Broward en las últimas dos décadas ``son los que van a ejercer el liderazgo''.

    ''A nivel comunitario estamos creciendo'', señaló Fernández, quien es de origen cubano. ''Hace 10 años fundamos el club hispano con 40 miembros. Hoy día tiene 1,000 miembros, incluyendo algunos cuantos anglosajones'', expresó Fernández.

    El más reciente fenómeno vinculado a la hispanización de Broward es la ''estallido'' de la comunidad puertorriqueña, que ha convertido al condado en el destino más atractivo de la Florida para jóvenes profesionales que vienen por cientos desde la Isla del Encanto, o desde ciudades como Orlando, Nueva York y Nueva Jersey.

    ''Hay más variantes de oportunidades aquí'', afirmó Nieves. ''Y la gente se siente en una cultura similar y cercana a la isla'', acotó.

    Como un reflejo de este fenómeno, Nieves dijo que el número de miembros de la Cámara de Comercio se ha incrementado en el último año y medio de 250 a más de 400, junto a una notable presencia de más restaurantes, agencias de viajes, clubes y otras empresas dirigidas por puertorriqueños.

    A pesar de que los nativos de Puerto Rico integran la mayor comunidad hispana en Broward, con casi 55,000 miembros --según el Censo 2000--, la comunidad que le sigue, los cubanos, con alrededor de 51,000 integrantes, ha logrado una mayor penetración en términos de influencia y poder en la vida de Broward.

    La primera comisionada hispana del condado, Diana Wasserman-Rubin, también la primera alcaldesa de Broward, es de origen cubano, y es por mucho la figura política más influyente en el orbe hispano del condado.

    Su nombre figura en organizaciones como Hispanic Unity of Florida, la más antigua agrupación prohispana de Broward, y ningún aspirante a político lanza una campaña sin contar con su apoyo.

    ''Tengo el apoyo de Wasserman para mi candidatura'', aseguró Richard Sierra, un abogado nacido en Puerto Rico que llegó a Broward en 1988 y ahora aspira a convertirse en el segundo hispano en la Comisión condal.

    Sierra, que por diez años ha sido activista del partido demócrata, es el tipo de dirigente que piensa que los hispanos no están bien representados en proporción demográfica en la esfera del poder de Broward, principalmente debido a ``círculos de poder que no dan oportunidad a nadie más''.

    Sierra subrayó que una de las razones por las cuales decidió lanzarse es el hecho de que los hispanos no tienen actualmente una representación en el poder local que sea proporcional a la demografía.

    ''Tenemos más de 300,000 hispanos y tenemos la población para justificar tener otro asiento [hispano] en la Comisión del condado'', explicó.

    ''El problema'', se quejó Sierra, es que los aspirantes hispanos ``están limitados por un club exclusivo de políticos en Broward que no dejan espacio para nadie más''.

    ''El liderazgo hispano está ahí. Y si no entramos como hispanos y participamos en el proceso político, no podremos ganar elecciones'', advirtió.

    Otros se muestran más cautelosos a la hora de pronosticar la influencia política que desempeñarán los hispanos en el futuro de Broward.

    ''Tomará varias décadas parar tener una masa crítica, para que la gente sea capaz de contribuir al proceso político'', consideró, de Hispanic Unity of Florida.

    Los hispanos ''se están haciendo sentir más, pero todavía estamos a tres o cuatro años de hacer una campaña y ganar como hispanos en unas elecciones en Broward'', puntualizó ''Pepe'' López, quien también preside la Asociación de Votantes Latinos del condado.

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  116. check out this web site regards former (I mean judge) Ivan Hernandez

    www.operationrestorejustice.com

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  117. Seems like another investigation to me for sure.

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  118. Faber, I hope Carol makes good money because you are going to be paying an arm and a leg soon. Don't miss you license too muh neither.

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  119. Your website has a useful information for beginners like me.
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