Hallandale Beach Circus: Meeting Shut Down Over Bribe Allegations
BY BUDDY NEVINS
One only has to drive through Hallandale Beach to see what a failure the City Commission has been.
Bumper to bumper traffic at all hours of the day caused by people moving in and out of a canyon of high rises approved by lax commissioners.
Why has Hallandale Beach turned into one of South Florida’s biggest parking lots?
Commissioner Bill Julian was indiscreet enough to answer that question on Channel 10 this week: Developers are paying bribes.
When Commissioners Keith London and Michele Lazarow tried to discuss the Channel 10 report at Thursday’s commission meeting, they were removed and the session was shut down by Mayor Joy Cooper.
Julian’s story, inadvertently left on an answering machine, was that he was promised 300 campaign workers from a developer’s lawyer if he approved yet another big- sprawling project. He also thought he could get the developer to donate a van to a food bank he supported.
The only evidence Channel 10 apparently had: Julian’s word.
Obviously that wasn’t good enough for the Sun-Sentinel and its Editor/Publisher Howard Saltz. The paper removed the story off its website after a few minutes.
(Update: After this piece was written, Politico writer Marc Caputo posted an interesting piece on how the Sun-Sentinel has “censured” controversial stories in the past. It is linked here. )
Now I’m not saying the story shouldn’t have run on Channel 10. TV has a different standard with news chosen by which story has good visuals. In this case, the station had the audio tape to broadcast along with the buffoonish Julian making laughable comments during an interview. The story, pieced together by veteran reporter Bob Norman, was too juicy to avoid.
Channel 10 accomplished one admirable goal: Showing voters that Julian is a blowhard and a clown.
Julian was most likely bragging to inflate his importance and got caught on tape.
The idea of putting 300 campaign workers on the streets of Hallandale Beach for a city election is ridiculous. It is massive overkill. What would that many workers do?
As far as the van for the food bank, who knows?
No doubt something is amiss in Hallandale Beach. Just look at the tape below of today’s meeting degenerating into chaos and you’ll realize what is wrong with the city.
The City Commission.
From Commissioner Michele Lazarow’s Facebook page (click to start player)
Below: The Sun-Sentinel removed this story minutes after posting it. Michele Lazarow, who is an opponent of the mayor on the sharply divided commission, wrote on Facebook that “The Sun Sentinel editor is working for the Mayor. Rips down every negative story that hurts her “boys.”
August 25th, 2016 at 9:29 pm
The citizen comments portion of the regular Dania Beach City Commission this week was taken up mostly by residents of a condo that is in danger of being overshadowed by huge rental buildings. Many of the people commented that they do not want Dania Beach to become Hallandale. Well, good luck!
Dania Commissioners voted some months ago to allow 14 story buildings on main highways.. Now, property owners can build to that height because code says OK. US 1 through Dania is becoming a canyon of cheap hotels. One commissioner who is running for reelection actually said, “Well, at least people will have something to look at.” when she voted for the increased height allowance.
Developers own South Florida.
August 25th, 2016 at 10:16 pm
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Broward State Attorney’s Office
attn: Timothy Donnelly
RE: Hallandale Beach Commissioner Bill Julian
Dear Mr. Donnelly:
The purpose of this complaint is to highlight the apparent violations of Florida Law, and the blistering fucking stupidity of Hallandale Beach Commissioner Bill … Julian.
Bill, fat, dumb, and stupid is no way to go thru life, son.
As you are well aware, Florida Statutes prohibit an elected official from trading favors for votes. I’m thinking like Florida Statute 83 Misuse of Office.
On film, Julian admits that while he’d not take a Cadillac, he’s got no problem with accepting a couple hundred volunteers for his upcoming, and now roasted and toasted, re-election effort.
Take for instance the following excerpt from Bob “Not Always Truthful In Print” Norman’s recent piece on WPiG.
In the conversation with an unidentified person Julian talks of the developers buying “a frigging van” for the Hallandale Food Pantry, his favorite city charity, adding that it was something he “couldn’t tell anybody.” He also said that the developer’s attorney Debbie Orshefsky offered him 300 campaign workers for his reelection.
“Orshefsky tells me before this, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll have 300 people out in the street for you when you run for office,’” the vice mayor says on the audiotape. “So I want to see that.”
…He’s an idiot that one.
Therefore, please fully investigate this matter…and stick your boot up his ass.
Genius out.
August 26th, 2016 at 11:02 am
Have have advocated for public purchase of waterfront properties especially ocean beachfronts and nearby land as zoning planning restrictions are limited legally and are NOT effective both in the US and outside the country.
That being said the Ft Lauderdale Miami Beach “movements” refusing to fund purchases are faux reforms just as these attacks on the financially and legally sustainable developments on PRIVATELY OWNED or PUBLICLY LEASED FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT on this blog are something less than the Wisdom of the Fathers.
August 26th, 2016 at 6:39 pm
Chaz, don’t hold your breath. But it’s so nice to see the momzurs exposed.
August 27th, 2016 at 7:42 am
at a minimum, a bar complaint should be filed immediately against Attorney Orshefsky for offering bribes. she should be barred from, appearing in front of the city commission while this case is under investigation
Tim Donnelley will look to white wash this and sweep it under the rug ASAP…he’s as ethically challenged as the city commission in Hallandale. The powers to be in Broward will not let this story develope steam.
FDLE should step in to investigate.
i provided Connelly “clear & convincing” information that a sitting Broward judge was being told how to rule by his wife and Connelly refused to investigate. I was told by people “in the know” that that would have lead to the flood gate opening for collateral review of ALL that Judge’s prior ruling including inmates he sent to death row. Satz will never allow this.
Politics as usual
FROM BUDDY:
First of all, there is no proof whatsoever that Ms. Orshefsky offered anybody a bribe.
Hallandale Beach Commissioner Bill Julian says she offered him a bribe. Ms. Orshefsky denies it.
That is not proof.
In addition, I have watched, interviewed and covered Ms. Orshefsky numerous times over the years. There has never been an allegation that she did anything unlawful.
Compare that with Alan Koslow, the former Hollywood City Commissioner and lobbyist for Becker Poliakoff who pleaded guilty this week to money laundering. Rumors swirled around him for years, or at least since he used city money to pay off (silence?) a girlfriend who had an adulterous affair with him. Now we know those rumors were based in fact.
August 27th, 2016 at 9:11 am
Buddy can you post an indepth report on whats going on at the sun Sentinel?
FROM BUDDY:
Uncertainty.
Uncertainty among the staff, advertisers and public about the survival of the paper.
Uncertainty about the strategy of a seemingly nutty parent company, which recently changed its name to Tronc from Tribune Publishing.
Uncertainty among the staff whether they will have jobs tomorrow.
Fear for the future is palpable in the newsroom. People don’t do their best work when they are worried about whether they will be able to feed their families tomorrow.
August 27th, 2016 at 12:08 pm
Cops should wear body cameras ONLY AFTER politicians do. We have a lot more to fear from dirty Politicians then cops. ALL POLITICIANS, especially those who feel they are too important.
August 27th, 2016 at 5:39 pm
Can a deep pocketed non developer with major non real estate income buy the Sun Sentinel and make a financial go of it?
August 27th, 2016 at 6:06 pm
Great idea body cameras for politicians ….start with Michelle Lazarow and Keith London , two commissioners that are connected at the hip , wonder what they talk about and conspire to do when they are out of the sunshine, the quicker the two of them are off the commission the better off Hallandale Beach Residents will be
August 28th, 2016 at 7:33 am
he mere appearance of impropriety is the standard here
August 28th, 2016 at 9:34 am
Dumb,dumb,dumb. I mean when you break the law you somewhat wnat it worth your while. a cool mill in your pocket etc. This dummy, i mean the legal fees he is going to pay is going to be threw the roof, same thing w/ Comm.Mckenzie in Ft>alu. What are they thinking. This was an easy one Bob Norman….
August 28th, 2016 at 5:24 pm
> Hallandale Beach Commissioner Bill Julian says she offered him a bribe. Ms. Orshefsky denies it.
> That is not proof.
No, but that’s enough to file a bar complaint.
If one was so motivated.
August 30th, 2016 at 10:03 pm
@6. KUMKWAT
whats going at sun sentinel?
well here’s whats happening in Chicago with their building
http://www.wsj.com/articles/tribune-media-to-sell-iconic-tribune-tower-in-roughly-240-million-deal-1472600233
September 3rd, 2016 at 4:19 pm
Commissioner Robert McKinzie was cited for paperwork errors. Nothing criminal and probably not civil.
Bad paperwork is simply that. Bad paperwork