Newly Elected Judge’s Campaign Hired Ex-Con
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Newly elected Circuit Judge Dennis Bailey paid a notorious corrupt politician and ex-con more than $4,800 to round up votes for him in the November election.
Bailey hired former County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion for “poll work” in late October, according to Bailey’s final financial report before the November 4 election.
Eggelletion served roughly 2 ½ years in a federal prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of money laundering and failing to file income tax. He also pleaded guilty to state charges of accepting bribes from two developers, serving the time concurrent with the federal charges.
He was released in July, 2012.
“That’s not what he is today,” Bailey told Browardbeat.com.
Bailey said he talked to Eggelletion several times and attended his church before hiring him to coordinate five poll workers. Eggelletion received a payment Oct. 23 of $2,540 and another Oct. 27 of $2,282.
The candidate may have been introduced to Eggelletion by lobbyist Judy Stern, who was also listed on his campaign expenditures. Stern and Eggelletion are close.
Bailey beat family lawyer Rhoda Sokoloff in this month’s General Election in a squeaker — 50.58 to 49.42 percent.
Who knows? Maybe the work Eggelletion did pushed Bailey over the top.
November 11th, 2014 at 10:27 am
What is Eggs supposed to do? This is what he knows. He served his time, did his penance and that’s that.
The man is not perfect, but who is? Look at our current county commission. Sharief, Ritter, Chip ALL have their faults. Lieberman and Keechl did too. Nevermind the Judges.
What about Geoff Cohen…? (More on that later, promise.)
November 11th, 2014 at 10:44 am
Looks like the Judge may have violated 106.07(4)(a)(7) as this case shows;
http://www.fec.state.fl.us/FECWebFi.nsf/0/B02707E33B8A33CC85257C24006F73FB/$file/186.pdf
I am sure Joe paid all 5 of those poll workers by check to comply with reporting to the IRS. Judge Bailey no doubt will give a 1099 to Joe for his taxes. With Joe’s history with the IRS, no doubt he will be cautious to do things by the book in declaring this income.
Of course it is only a coincidence that Joe just recently came off of probation and now appears to be on the books for campaigns again.
November 11th, 2014 at 11:19 am
The criminals just keep recycling or re-electing. When can Broward get a break?
November 11th, 2014 at 8:51 pm
I agree to the first response to this non story. So what does it mean he should never be able to have a job after serving time!!!
November 11th, 2014 at 9:52 pm
Buddy below is the form Tim will be receiving.
http://floridajqc.com/images/JQCComplaintForm.pdf
November 11th, 2014 at 10:41 pm
So what else is new in broward. No one will do anything about it. Sad but true.
November 12th, 2014 at 7:02 am
Advice to judge: He who gets into bed with a snake will be bit. End it now before the snake owns you.
November 12th, 2014 at 8:55 am
I feel bad for Judge Dennis Bailey, I have known him for years and he is a very trusting person, maybe to a fault. It seems to me that many of his problems in this race have had to with Judy Stern as his consultant. Everyone knows from Stern’s history the black and white MLK cards were her idea not Dennis. Now he gets bad press because of Eggelletion being on his reports. It is clear that Stern is trying to get Eggelletion some sort of credibility by being associated with Judge Dennis Bailey. Judge Dennis Bailey should be praised for running a successful campaign and yet again the win is diminished because of Stern.
Congratulations Judge Dennis Bailey on your win, you will make a great Judge.
November 12th, 2014 at 9:04 am
I agree with No. 8. The problem is no doubt Judy Stern, who the press said went to Satz to try to get a deal for Joe Eggelletion early on. Stern gets candidates in trouble.
November 12th, 2014 at 3:49 pm
I am a supervoter as is my entire family. I am disgusted AFTER voting for Dennis Bailey to learn that Stern was his consultant and that he used Joe Eggs!! I wish I would have known before so that I could have voted for Sokaloff instead. This is terrible.
November 12th, 2014 at 9:38 pm
I can think of a hundred ex-cons who I would hire in a minute to work on campaigns. I have hired many and they have all done fine jobs. If a person was convicted of voter fraud I might be hesitant to hire them, otherwise you are just being prejudiced and engaging in cheap character assassination. One of the finest campaign publicists in Dade County is an ex-con. So what? Many Judges have hired him and he did a great job for them.
Once I brought a sitting Judge to a bad neighborhood to campaign. He went under a tree and was surrounded by a bunch of very tough unsavory looking characters. He introduced himself and said he was running for re-election. First guy said “Yeah, I know you. You put me in jail.” Second guy said “Yeah, you put me in jail, too. Third guy said “You put me in, too”
The Judge, without missing a beat asked “Was I fair?” They all said yes, and that they would support his campaign, even though they couldn’t vote. True story. He won, but subsequently went to jail himself.
November 13th, 2014 at 2:33 pm
Seth, he was jailed for political corruption. Its directly related. Its like hiring a bank robber to work your cash register.
He deserves another shot at life….in another line of work.
November 13th, 2014 at 7:11 pm
To # 8 and # 9. Are you joking or for real? Dennis Bailey has a post graduate degree. He is just as responsible. That is like someone who tells you to go into a store and hold the gun, and you blame it on the other person. He knew who he was hiring (eggleton and stern) and what you are saying is that he is not responsible for who he hires. Give me a break. You must be friend’s with the Judge to be. He wanted to win and that is all he cared about, I guess he just doesn’t like the truth that came out. Speak to his formers WIVES. That is plural.
November 16th, 2014 at 3:51 pm
I agree w/ #11. Who cares. At least Eggie is working. As far as Judy Stern behind it is why this made news. (nice hair cut Judy)..