Judicial Candidate’s Foolish Alliance With Discredited Former Sheriff Lamberti
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Judicial candidate John Contini needs to take whatever money is in his campaign account and buy a clue.
His Facebook page’s cover photo is Contini posing with former Sheriff Al Lamberti.
If the pix is removed after this post, here it is:
So what’s wrong?
The questionable Lamberti is not what voters should see first when they click on Contini’s campaign page.
First of all, Lamberti’s was rejected by voters in 2012. He’s a loser! What does he bring to a campaign that warrants him a prominent place on the campaign Facebook page?
What’s far worse is that Lamberti is highly suspect after the arrest of Lt. David Benjamin on charges based on Benjamin’s relationship with Ponzi scamster Scott Rothstein.
Federal prosecutors said Benjamin accepted $185,000 worth of cash, gifts and other perks from Rothstein in exchange for doing what Rothstein wanted, according to my pal Paula McMahon at the Sun-Sentinel.
Just one allegation:
“Benjamin also helped Rothstein load $500,000 in cash and millions of dollars worth of watches onto a private jet when Rothstein fled from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport to Morocco in October 2009 as his massive investment fraud unraveled, according to the charges,” McMahon wrote.
“Benjamin was one of former Sheriff Al Lamberti’s top aides and the agency’s head of Internal Affairs investigations during his administration,” McMahon added.
What’s this have to do with Lamberti?
Either he knew about Benjamin’s wrongdoing and did nothing, which means Lamberti should be indicted.
Or he didn’t know, which means Lamberti is a horrible administrator who doesn’t know what his top aides are doing.
Either way, Contini should not be posing with him.
Lamberti is political poison. Contini is clueless.
Contini’s opponent is Judge Steve Feren.
June 8th, 2014 at 7:34 pm
Contini will never be an elected judge in this county so there’s no real story here. But you could have led with – Lamberti meets with Criminal Defense Attorney. After all, it’s just a matter of time before the Rothstein trails catch up to “old pal Al.”
Also did Al give Contini one of his last remaining Sheriff’s lapel pins? Maybe the two are closer than we previously thought.
June 8th, 2014 at 8:01 pm
Hey Buddy. I don’t think I would be making baseless allegations against a career law enforcer unless you have proof. Why don’t you print about Sheriff Israel being found guilty on ethics violations……why don’t you write about Sheriff Israel ‘ s horrible reputation In Northwest fort lauderdale… What fair is fair Buddy.
June 8th, 2014 at 8:01 pm
Buddy this is one of the worst articles that you have ever written. What happened to innocent until proven guilty? I had the pleasure of working for Al and he was a great sheriff unlike this low life… Israel is the sheriff only because he switched to Democrat and so many idiots only vote for anyone who is a Democrat and not if they are qualified and there is no proof that Al knew what Benjamin was doing or they would have already let it be known so quit being judgemental without knowing the facts
June 8th, 2014 at 10:52 pm
Buddy,
Chief Frank Adderley authorized & approved a bodyguard detail for FLPD Command Staff & Officers to protect his drinking “Buddy” (pun intended) Scott Rothstein, Adderley claimed ignorance when he got caught on his out of town private jet trips to sporting events, free meals, free drinks, free cigars, and what ever else he received … for free…..
June 9th, 2014 at 7:51 am
@RR
Why don’t we discuss why Lamberti instructed his staff to physically destroy a hard drive?
Let’s just start there, since that’s most likely criminal.
June 9th, 2014 at 8:04 am
I was ready to vote for Contini because Feren is a lazy, inept judge. Now I can’t bring myself to support a candidate who shows the poor judgement to embrace Lamberti. Lamberti and the agency he ran was in the pocket of Rothstein. Anyone who brags about the support of such an individual as Lamberti loses my support. I will not vote in that race.
June 9th, 2014 at 8:37 am
Was that picture not one of many that were taken at the ASIS Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner? From the Contini page, it seems like a dozen or so pictures were posted of the event.
Why not report how Judge Geoffry Cohen staged a fundraiser at his house for a sitting judge? Does that not break all the rules? The fact that you were sleeping in your bedroom during the event doesn’t mean it didn’t happen or occur.
What happened to “lending the power or prestige of your office” in promoting the re-election of another? Several of the attendee’s at the beautiful garden picnic had no choice but to be there.
Corruption at it’s best. Vote for Steve Feren.
FROM BUDDY:
As a candidate, Contini should be in charge of his Facebook page. The picture with Lamberti was the main background picture on the cover page of his campaign site.
As far as Judge Cohen, the fund raisers are thrown by his wife, Property Appraiser Lori Parrish. He leaves the house when they take place.
June 9th, 2014 at 11:04 am
Buddy was not “pre-judging” Lamberti. He noted that Lamberti’s top right-hand “executive officer” and head of Internal Affairs ALREADY PLED GUILTY last month to Rothstein corruption charges of misusing his office. Buddy said there are ONLY two options to explain Lamberti’s role in this:
Either he knew about Benjamin’s wrongdoing and did nothing, which means Lamberti should be indicted.
Or he didn’t know, which means Lamberti is a horrible administrator who doesn’t know what his top aides are doing.
For all of you saying Al wasn’t involved, then you clearly are making the case for Buddy’s second option. And neither option is pretty for Lamberti.
June 9th, 2014 at 2:42 pm
So let me get this Contini will not be a good judge because.
1) He is a republican ?
2) He is religious ?
3) Because he has taken a picture with Lamberti ?
Got it! makes perfect sense. Now I know that the law has nothing to do with it.
June 9th, 2014 at 8:14 pm
Lamberti is as dirty as they come. I know I work at BSO. RR… did you used to work here Rick? Hopefully the Feds will finally end this embarrassing chapter of BSO history. Lamberti, Wheeler, Frey, Gillette, Cavallo, Santucci….all belong in prison for what they have done.
June 9th, 2014 at 8:30 pm
Those pictures, plural, were taken with a bevy of people of which Lamberti was just one.
I don’t know what everyone else saw, but I saw several pictures rotated on Mr. Contini’s Facebook page. The one with Lamberti was one of the pictures that was rotated in and then out.
Mr. Contini does not have a relationship with Lamberti, having met him at the ASIS Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner.
This is much to do about nothing.
Why don’t you write about Judge Feren’s relationship with the TAO Developer where he was getting a sweetheart deal on a condo he voted for while Mayor of Sunrise? Why don’t you write about how he was the only buyer who got his $100,000. back when the project went belly up?
This campaign should not be about who takes a picture with who. It should be about who is the most experienced to sit on the Circuit Court in Group 27 and that’s it.
June 9th, 2014 at 10:49 pm
Hey Buddy. I made a post #2 on this blog and you edited my remarks and printed on’y the parts you wanted and omitted factual information. Why did you edit my comments and only print the parts you wanted. You blog is clearly one sided to the horrible Sheriff Israel,. What did he promise you Elgins job or something. You have been totally off base in your article as of late. Post my entire post.
FROM BUDDY:
I don’t post or edit some comments because (1) they are off topic, or (2) they involve unproven or unfair personal attacks, or (3) they contain ethnic, homophobic or other types of slurs, or (4) they repeat what has already been said and/or are boring, or (5) they reflect poorly on Browardbeat.com.
I play no favorites with any opinions.
June 9th, 2014 at 11:14 pm
@joke
YES IT MATTERS
1 ) Whether he is a Tea Party Republican who believes the Blacks and Browns that come before him are “Takers” not “Makers”
2 ) Whether he is a Religious Fundamentalist who believes that members of the LGBTQ community who appear before him are abominations : Leviticcus
3 ) See number 1
June 10th, 2014 at 8:35 pm
Just an observation. Three Firefighter Associations, all located in the same headquarters and unknown which firefighter belongs to which Association until 3080 Union President ” BIG JOHN ” McNamara clarifies; and, each Association endorses Judge Steven Feren.
1. METRO BROWARD PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS
2. BROWARD COUNTY COUNCIL OF PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS
3. BROWARD COUNTY PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS
AND YET ANOTHER: BROWARD COUNTY COUNCIL OF PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION INC