Buddy: Ilene Lieberman Doesn’t Belong On The Bench
BY BUDDY NEVINS
After Ilene Lieberman’s conduct at this week’s Broward County Commission meeting, I doubt whether she is fit to be a judge.
I don’t know for sure that she is running. Lieberman’s refused to answer the simple questions below concerning a campaign.
A run for the bench has been widely expected for weeks at the Government Center, in legal circles and in the courthouse website JAAblog.
She even is believed to have picked veteran campaign consultant Judy Stern to help her.
In a non-denial denial, all Stern would tell me is that she remained “focused” on her other candidates until filing for judicial races closed noon on April 20.
I think Lieberman’s chances are good if she runs. That’s sad.
Forget about her controversial past as a lobbyist while serving on the commission. Forget about her wheeling and dealing. Forget about everything bad you might have heard about her.
Lieberman doesn’t belong on the bench because of temperament.
I’ve watched Lieberman for two decades. Her career has one common dominator: A My Way-or-the Highway attitude.
She is dismissive of other opinions and intolerant of anybody who disagrees with her.
She’s not a listener, a trait necessary in a good judge.
Why should she listen to others? She knows what’s right because she’s the smartest gal in the room.
And she’ll tell you that, again and again. I’ve heard her at least a dozen times use phrases like, “I know you’re not a laywer so just try and understand this.” Or something like, “You know I was head of my law school class?”
Lately there is a new wrinkle in the Lieberman story. She’s been interrupting her colleagues on the dais. She’s been erupting in shouting matches with other commissioners.
Talk about unjudicial behavior.
Take this week.
Lieberman and Mayor John Rodstrom went at it. It got so bad, Commissioner Sue Gunzburger had to step in. Here are the unedited minutes of the meeting:
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: I AM GOING TO ASK US TO BE CIVIL THIS IS NOT A BACK AND FORTH AND WHO SAID WHAT WHEN LET’S STAY ON THE ISSUES.
MAYOR RODSTROM: WILL YOU STOP ATTACKING ME ?…. LIEBERMAN STOP SPREADING INFORMATION ABOUT (ME)….
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: PLEASE THIS IS A CIVIL DEBATING PLACE. NOT ONE THAT GETS INTO PERSONALITIES.
MAYOR RODSTROM: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
All caused by our new judge.
Ilene Lieberman has done a lot for this county. She instituted reforms and improvements. She has used her office to help the community. Helping start an organ transplant center in Broward is one example.
That doesn’t make her good material for the bench…if she is running.
Below is the e-mail I sent to Lieberman two days ago. It was not answered. My offer to use any answer she submits without comment remains.
Ilene,
How are you doing?
Two commissioners and several other folks in politics have told me that you are about to open a campaign for judge.
1) When do you plan to announce this?
(2) Have you decided what seat yet?
(3) Is Judy Stern, as is widely rumored, running your campaign?
(4) Why do you believe you will be a good judge?
I will run your answers completely without editing — unless you want me to use excerpts — without comment.
Thanks for your time and your help.
Buddy
March 28th, 2012 at 7:51 am
Unfortunately, a lot of this will depend on the amount of money raised. If she sits on the CC dias and is allowed to raise money from all the people that appear before her it will give her a huge war chest. Really unfair.
March 28th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
She was the same as mayor of Lauderhill 20 years ago and apparently hasn’t changed a bit. She doesn’t belong on the county commission nor as a judge.
March 28th, 2012 at 2:39 pm
She’s a Jewish female and will have lots of special interest money. She’ll just be another Ellen Feld.
March 28th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
The Truth is she is corrupt.
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2004-10-14/news/our-mayor-the-lobbyist-part-2/
March 28th, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Buddy:
What is Ms. Lieberman’s legal background?
Has she ever practiced law?
What was her area of practice?
When did she practice?
Who did she represent?
Did she try cases?
She may be supremely qualified to be a judge, but I have no info. on her other than her political background.
How about telling us Buddy?
FROM BUDDY:
She is best known as a county commissioner since 1996. She is also a former commissioner and mayor of Lauderhill.
A lawyer since 1990, she practices with her husband Stuart Michelson under her married name Ilene Michelson. I can’t tell you who she represents or what kind of law she practices. A check of the Broward courts indicates she has done a little foreclosure and probate work.
March 28th, 2012 at 10:03 pm
When will we be rid of these corrupt, self serving pigs, feeding at the public trough? Why do they have to stay in Public Service? Do they think they deserve a lifetime paycheck, rotating from one position to the next? JUST GO AWAY!
March 28th, 2012 at 10:23 pm
let her run and let the very few engaged voters decide, aka A Land Slide. she has a bar license so she meets the minimal qualifications. all posting here could do the same if you PASS THE BAR. no points for winning, loosing or settling cases.
must be a slow day at broward beat
March 29th, 2012 at 7:23 am
Temperament is as important a qualification as any school or experience. Can be the smartest most experienced lawyer. Doesn’t mean should be judge if intolerant, not a good listener, cant admit being wrong at times, dont believe what others say is important to coming to a conclusion, or just plain rude. That is the issue. With so much footage out there over the years, wont be hard to get great clips of demonstrating the issue.
March 29th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Voters are unable to case a responsible vote for any judge candidate because they are limited in what they can say in a campaign. You can buy toothpaste without much risk simply by picking the package that appeals most to you. That is a terrible way to select a judge. Judges should not be required to undergo the indignity of running for office and raising campaign funds from the lawyers that appear before them. Panels of retired judges should be selected at random to review applicants and send up three names for every vacancy to the Governor for initial five year appointment. If they cut the grade, they get two additional appointed terms based on merit of ten years each. 25 years and out. That is the best way. Not perfect. But better than what we do now.
FROM BUDDY:
Most of the appointed judges have proven to be better than those elected. I have supported appointed judges for years.
March 29th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
I have said alot about comm.Lieberman, make no mistake she is one, I mean one tough cookie. For her to be focused on Judy Stern for her campaign(judge) is another example on how smart she is. She is an attorney and a damn good one. What I don’t understand is why you let your friend get run over by the bus???(Mayor Talalbisco). I know what you will say she got her job back didn’t she(talalbisco), but wait maim this whole sherade went on for over a year. So if you where influential on getting the charges dropped, what took you sooo long? I mean I really feel bad for Mr.Talabisco for having to put up w/ all this BS for so long. Who’s paying for Talabisco Attorney, certainly not her, sue the State Att. Off, or Bev Stracher for getting her in the whole mess w/ the Chaits to begin with. Lieberman a fool no way. As far as her becoming a Judge? If she wants it believe me she’ll prevail. Lastly Comm.Lieberman make sure you are co-council when you go after that damn death trap plastic surgury center, go after them until you see, blood if you have to. And Mayor John Rodstrom you are the Mayor not Comm.Gunzburger(stay out of it)CONTROL the Comm.meeting!Mayor …..
March 30th, 2012 at 7:12 am
If there was a petition circulated among Broward County employees and commissioners asking for Ilene Lieberman’s removal, it would get the signatures of almost everybody. She is a bully who has only gotten worse in recent months. She is has about as much compassion for the average person as a wall. It is well know that she is behind much of what is wrong in county government the last 10 years and her conduct resulted in the necessity for an ethics law. Since she will no longer be able to get her husband, Stuart Michelson, work when she leaves the county, running for judge is all about getting a salary and a much bigger pension.
March 30th, 2012 at 7:28 am
You don’t speak for the employees. I work for the County and think Ilene does a great job. Unlike some of the other Commissioners, she is prepared at the meetings. and she was the only one who helped me when I had a problem.
March 30th, 2012 at 11:24 am
Sounds like “Pleeeese” is Ilene Lieberman’s aide Beverly Bard-Stracher — as Lieberman certainly helped her out when she needed it…
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/bestof/2011/award/best-local-girl-gone-bad-1460798/
March 30th, 2012 at 1:17 pm
To Pleeeese: Thank you Bev, in your case what you are saying is true……….
March 30th, 2012 at 8:36 pm
I wonder if she will run under the name she practices law under, Michaelson. If she wanted to avoid the taint of being Lieberman this may not be a bad play
FROM BUDDY: Good observation. Of course, running for office using the name Michelson appears to be a cynical and tricky move to distance herself from the controversies that dog her county commission service. I wrote a Sun-Sentinel column years ago on her use of the Michelson name rather than Lieberman. The New Times’ Bob Norman later wrote a similar story. Because her Bar license is under the Michelson name, she may have to run using that name.
Here is her listing on the Florida Bar’s website:
Ilene L Michelson
Member in Good Standing Eligible to practice in Florida
ID Number: – 850799
Address: Law Office of Stuart R Michelson
800 SE 3rd Ave Fl 4
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 333161152
United States
Phone: 954.4636100
Fax: 954.4635599
E-Mail:
vCard:
County: Broward
Circuit: 17
Admitted: 06/27/1990
10-Year Discipline History None
March 31st, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Well ,there you have it Buddy. Said it before Lieberman both th e wife and husband are no joke. I just didn’t like the way Mayor Talabisco was treated. However its over-mission accomplished she got her job back(Talabisco). Now us residents will have to pick up her legal bills(residents in Tamarac will anyway). Talabisco has ever right to recoup her legal fees. Go after Bev Stracher Tamarac residents, not Mayor Talabisco. Who by the way was the VICTIM in all of this…..
April 1st, 2012 at 9:19 pm
Ms. Lieberman/Michelson is not fit to be a judge. Her whole career is one of enriching herself and her husband. She is nothing more than a self serving politician.
April 10th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
interesting in 1990 passing the Bar under her married name. when did she marry? she was a lauderhill commish before broward county but under which name, maiden or married? yet she ran for county under maiden name in early 1990’s, perhaps to more clearly appeal to voter base?
FROM BUDDY:
After she married Stuart Michelson, she continued to use Lieberman for her political career.
I’m not sure exactly when she got married to Michelson, but I’m almost sure it was long after 1990. She must have changed her name with the Bar.
April 10th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Ms. Leiberman is the biggest bitch I have ever had the misfortune of knowing…She’s not fit to be on the bench. She thinks her shit doesn’t stink. No one likes her.
April 10th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
By the way, this “lovely” couple met when he represented her in an ethics lawsuit.
April 21st, 2012 at 1:02 am
As with any industry there are good and bad apples. It is a shame that unscrupoulous modification companies are spoiling a legitimate niche for competent hard-working professionals… that are not lawyers.
October 16th, 2012 at 9:07 pm
I have been before judge Ellen Feld and she is a real bitch and everyday I pray that she dies without an ass to sit on. I went to her court while I was not working after Capital One sued me and I presented all my unpaid bills and explained my situation and the whore awarded them almost twice what I owed! I explained to her that I was just out of school and been searching endlessly for jobs and that did not matter. What a dirty nasty bicth judge…I hope she rots in hell!I am black and also felt the bicth was racist!
December 3rd, 2013 at 4:41 pm
Michelson/Lieberman is a sociopath. She loves ruining lives. Does anyone about the “couples” person relationship with evil Judge Grossman and his Tourist decision-making wife. Its really unbelievable what goes on with Grossman, a man who took an oath he disregards.
Birds of a feather…..
August 7th, 2014 at 5:04 pm
Merely a smiling visitor here to share the love , btw outstanding style. Audacity, a lot more audacity and always audacity. by Georges Jacques Danton.