JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM. Winner of the prestigious Cushing Left Anterior Descending Artery Award.

Monday, October 21, 2024

THE POLLS ARE OPEN - ELECTION CENTRAL - COUNTY COURT - RUNOFF

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION CENTRAL - COUNTY COURT - RUNOFF

The polls open today for EARLY VOTING. Over the next 14 days, you can cast your ballot at any of the 33 locations open daily from 7am until 7pm. To find a polling location, you can go to this link.  If you pass on this opportunity, you must have ordered your Absentee ballot from the Department of Elections, or, you will need to show up to your own precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

The only judicial race facing voters in Miami-Dade County is a runoff in County Court.

Group 29 (Judge Myriam Lehr retiring)

Christopher Benjamin v. Alina Salcines Restrepo

In the August primary, this was a three-person race. Christopher Benjamin received the most votes garnering 98,108 (39%) of the 253,299 votes cast. Alina Salcines Restrepo received 91,044 (36%). Former Judge Scott Janowitz was eliminated from the three-person race after collecting 64,147 (25%).

Christopher Benjamin has been a member of The Florida Bar for 22 years. He is Of Counsel with International Law Partners, LLP., and a panelist with the ADR firm of Salmon & Dulberg. He works in the areas of general litigation and serves as an arbitrator, mediator, and special magistrate. He has been a certified mediator and arbitrator for 15 years and in 2010 he was appointed as a Hearing Officer in the 11th Judicial Circuit’s Traffic Division where he served until 2020. In 2020 (and again in 2022), he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives to represent the people of  District 107.

Benjamin has raised $111,096. Benjamin did not loan his campaign any money. Of note, in his Financial Disclosure, Benjamin lists his Net Worth at NEGATIVE -$292,937.

Alina Salcines Restrepo has been a member of The Florida Bar for 24 years. She has worked in a law firm with her brother who is also a lawyer and she has been a solo practitioner as well. She concentrates her practice in the areas of real estate, probate, criminal, civil, traffic, estate planning, and bankruptcy law.

Salcines Restrepo has raised only $35,014, but she has added $40,000 to her campaign in the form of a loan. She lists her Net Worth at $1,170,733.

The winner earns a six-year term and an annual salary of $186,034.

IN OTHER ELECTION NEWS .....

It looks like a dead heat heading into the final two weeks of the presidential campaign. Seven states will decide the election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada are the only states polling too close to call. In Florida, Rick Scott continues to hold a healthy lead in the polls over his opponent, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. 

What are your predictions on the outcome of the Presidential race? Regardless of who is declared the winner, will there be endless court battles in some of these key states? Will any of those cases end up before SCOTUS?

CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

I see that Ariana is running against Safie for chief. That will be a close race.

Anonymous said...

Cap, wasn’t Benjamin an APD ?

Anonymous said...

Are mortgages considered part of net wealth? I owe over a $1m on my home loan so my net wealth would be negative too

Anonymous said...

I think Trump will win. I know too many people who voted for Biden last time and are voting for Trump this time. The bigger question in my mind is whether Trump leaves office at the end of the term.

Anonymous said...

Me and Ben got the same networth. He’s got my vote.

Anonymous said...

I believe that Former President Donald Trump will have a lopsided win with about 330 electoral votes. He will win all States except California, New York, Washington, Oregon, Illinois and Minnesota.

Anonymous said...

I think the reason nobody is making comments is that nobody on this blog cares less about these two candidates.

Anonymous said...

President Harris is my prediction.

Anonymous said...

Ariana funded by the SAO?

Anonymous said...

JD is so cute

Anonymous said...

Betting against the odds I see.

Anonymous said...

You need to make better financial decisions.

Anonymous said...

Attorney General Aileen Cannon? She is number one on the transition team list. Thoughts?

Anonymous said...

Hopefully the outcome won’t be based on your circle. I know a lot of people who voted for Trump and are now voting for Kamala….. it’s all relative until we see…..

Anonymous said...

I hope it’s not even close. Fajardo is disgusting. Watch her speak at federalist meetings GROSS. TERRIBLE. Sayfie is AMAZING.

Anonymous said...

9:18 , yes your debts including your mortgage are in the equation but so is the equity in your home included, so w todays home valve you likely have a positive net wealth

Anonymous said...

We know Khalil

Anonymous said...

Red Colorado, Vermont, and Massachusetts lol

Anonymous said...

Will drive the Miami Cuban MAGA nuts

Anonymous said...

The most interesting comment on this post is Fajardo v. Sayfie. It deserves its own post. What’s the word under ground?

Anonymous said...

Fajardo aiming for federal appointment to district or 11th when Trump wins. She thinks being chief judge will help her. Sayfie will soundly win and Ariana will again leave the bench. Good riddance!!!

Anonymous said...

@9:11 home is worth 3.5m

Anonymous said...

The State wants fajardo to win because they think she and Wolfson screwed them in Smith.

Anonymous said...

Fajardo is operating at Rundle’s request.

Anonymous said...

Dirty Politics

Anonymous said...

Trump is a lock

Anonymous said...

Guy is in trial and has a newborn, 7:35. Your obsession with him is weird and giving fan behavior. Are you same person obsessed with Shawn?

Anonymous said...

There has never in the history of this nation been a less qualified person’s name mentioned for this distinguished position. If she were to be named AG, it’s really time to move to another country. Dispute that

Anonymous said...

I heard an ASA smelled like crap during a trial this week.

Anonymous said...

Fajardo V Safie is like a strategic proxy war started by the SAO.

Anonymous said...

Exactly

Anonymous said...

I don’t think so.

Anonymous said...

Fajardo is paid off by KFR. This retaliation for the Corey Smith show.

Anonymous said...

Fajardo should stay out of the mess created by the SAO - she will lose support for her ultimate goal of becoming state attorney

Anonymous said...

Comments are lagging behind.

Anonymous said...

It’s too close to tell really.

Anonymous said...

Doesn’t the State realize they screwed themselves?

Anonymous said...

Trump will win because we care about our children

Anonymous said...

The state is SO butt hurt over the Honorable and Courageous Judge Wolfson doing the RIGHT thing in the face of absolute misconduct by the SAO. She threw them a bone by not going further. She should vacate the judgment next.

Anonymous said...

She should have disqualified the entire office and let another SAO review with fresh eyes. Rather than being thankful they continue to trash her.

Anonymous said...

No the state is in complete denial for a million reasons. More careers will be lost.

Anonymous said...

Please stop. You care about power and patriarchy. (And perhaps fetuses?) You do not care about children after they’re born or you wouldn’t support a man that wants to dismantle the department of education, Medicaid, loan forgiveness, DACA.. if you cared about children, you’d care about child care affordability, our broken foster care system, our oppressive juvenile justice system, lack of healthy meals at schools, LGBTQ rights, not banning books.

Stop acting like oppressing women means you care about children. You don’t.

Anonymous said...

When Fajardo returned to the bench she expected Sayfie to give her seniority for the years she wasn’t on the bench and give her the assignment she wanted. That didn’t happen.

Anonymous said...

“I think Trump will win. I know too many people who voted for Biden last time and are voting for Trump this time. The bigger question in my mind is whether Trump leaves office at the end of the term.” Are you kidding? Have you seen how old Trump is? Check out his physical condition. He’s leaving in a box The man had 24 months left, tops.

Anonymous said...

Kamala will win.

Anonymous said...

The republicans will soon have the house the senate the Supreme Court and the presidency. And at some point we will have to reflect and ask ourselves why did this happen. Or you can just insult the other side !

Anonymous said...

The answer is (or should be) yes. Both assets and liabilities are considered in determining your net worth. So, if all you have is your home and your mortgage, your net worth would be calculated by subtracting 1 million dollars (a liability in your mortgage) from 3.5 million (your asset in your home), resulting in a 2.5 million dollar net worth.