Stacy Ritter Kicks Off Re-Election

BY BUDDY NEVINS

County Commissioner Stacy Ritter started her re-election campaign Tuesday by filing official papers to begin collecting campaign donations.

 

 

The race promises to be combative.  She already has an opponent –State Rep. Ari Porth, D-Coral Springs.

Porth announced earlier this year he will run for Ritter’s County Commission District 3 seat in Northwest Broward. He said he will open a campaign account after May 6 when the 60-day legislative session ends.

The reason Porth is waiting involves Florida House Rules.  He prevented from soliciting campaign contributions while the Legislature is in session under House Rule 15.3 (b).

Ritter will run on her record:

“I’m very proud of the many significant accomplishments I’ve helped usher in during my term of service on the Commission.

“Both as Mayor and Commissioner, I worked hard to make the expansion of our airport and seaport a reality. Those two projects alone will have a lasting effect on Broward’s economic development and have already put people back to work.  Over the next 5 years, the direct and indirect benefits of these expansions will lead to thousands of additional new jobs and millions of dollars of added value benefiting every taxpayer and resident in our county.

“I’m also proud that Broward voters approved the Charter change ordinance I introduced that established the Office of County Inspector General. The creation of the IG will have a profound and positive impact on the day-to-day operations of our county,” she wrote Browardbeat.com in an e-mail.

True.

But Ritter’s first term she was elected in 2008 after eight years in the state House was a mixed bag.

She  prodded bureaucrats to finally start expansions of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades. She also was behind replacing the dilapidated courthouse, a project which languished because of  two decades of commission dallying.

The courthouse and airport projects, however, have numerous opponents.

County Commissioner Chip LaMarca won office last year, in part, by running against the multi-million dollar cost of the courthouse project during a recession. Others object to the noise that will be generated by longer runways at the airport.

Ritter’s term has also been dogged by millions of bytes of negative publicity on the Internet, much of it concerning her lobbyist husband Russ Klenet. Ritter or Klenet have never been charged with wrongdoing, but that has not stopped the drum beat of criticism which she calls “slander.

Ritter blamed some of the criticism on her support for the controversial airport, seaport and courthouse projects.

“Unfortunately, there are some people who don’t agree with my strong and outspoken leadership on these and other issues.  Those are the naysayers and critics who have used half-truths and innuendo in an effort to bully me and sully my reputation,” she wrote. “Well, I will not be bullied.”

She predicted she would have support despite the allegations against her.

“I believe I have been a sound and strong voice for the voters in my district and, with their continued support, will be honored to represent them for another term,” Ritter wrote.

Ritter is facing more bad publicity.  An opponent of the airport project filed a complaint with the state Election Commission.

The complaint hit pay dirt and Ritter is facing 28 non-criminal violations of state election laws from her 2008 campaign.

Ritter answered the Election Commission allegations this way: “I am open, transparent, and a workaholic for the people of Broward County. I will continue to serve the public, and do so in a manner that promotes integrity and trust in government.

Having said that, the proper forum within which to identify specific campaign expenditures is before the Florida Elections Commission , a very public process. As I respond to the FEC?s pertinent inquiries, I will be certain to keep the public and my constituents involved in the process.

Porth has not said whether he will make the numerous allegations against Ritter part of his campaign.

He has a potential ethics problem himself.  He is a prosecutor working for State Attorney Mike Satz, which printed reports say is investigating Ritter.   Voters can decide whether an investigation of Ritter looks like Satz trying to help the campaign of his employee, Porth.

Porth said he will quit the State Attorney’s Office when he files for office against Ritter to avoid any conflict.



19 Responses to “Stacy Ritter Kicks Off Re-Election”

  1. Dee Dee says:

    Get ready for County Commissioner Ari Porth.

  2. Broward Politico says:

    Who is investigating Ari Porth for the no-show job Mike Satz gave him? And who is investigating Mike Satz for giving Ari Porth the no show job?
    Buddy, remind me of the name of the US Attorney for South Florida. Isn’t he Mike Satz’s good buddy? Hummmmmmmm

    FROM BUDDY:

    Wilfredo Ferrer is the U. S. Attorney for South Florida. I have no idea what his relationship is with State Attorney Mike Satz.

    As far your loaded questions about Ari Porth having a “no-show” job, I have no knowledge of that either. Porth has been at his office many times when I called him.

  3. Jay B. says:

    I would move back to Broward County simply to vote against Stacy Ritter. With all of the negative information out there regarding Ritter, some of it is even true, I find it difficult to believe that Ari wouldn’t use it in the campaign.

    I find it funny that Ritter touts the creation of thousands of new jobs when discussing the airport, seaport and courthouse projects but fails to discuss the fact that there is no discussion on how to pay for them or how horribly overpriced these projects are. Should Broward County have a new courthouse or should those funds be used to bring back the missing bus routes, parks, county libraries or maybe to BSO for the raises they were promised 4-5 years ago?

    I look forward to the day Stacy Ritter loses the election and drives off into the sunset in the illegally obtained Chait golf cart.

  4. anonymous says:

    I would vote for Ritter in a minute over Porth. He’s a weeny. He votes most of the time with the Republicans and gets walked over by most politicians.

  5. Thunder says:

    Hopefully she’ll be running on her criminal record.

  6. Bob Adams says:

    Ari knows how to build coalitions and accomplish things for his constituents… and he is as honest as they come. He wll make a great commissioner!

  7. nothing new says:

    don’t forget that she was elected mid-term in 2006 when graber gave up his seat. i wonder what restaurants the new campaign will take her to…

  8. Nucky Thompson says:

    She’ll need plenty of donations to pay for those glamour shots.

  9. Porth can't win says:

    Porth is no “prosecutor”. Satz has him going after truants. That’s right. Porth is so weak as a lawyer that they only let him chase kids who cut school. He’ll be lost trying to make the kind of decisions the Commission faces.

    And he’s no Democrat either. He has supported many republicans including Crist for the Senate.

    Ritter gets bad “innuendo” press all the time but no criminal charges are ever files against her.

    The prosecutors should charge her or clear her. Until they charge her I’m going to support her over Porth. He’s really an empty suit and she’s a real tough cookie.

  10. The Fact says:

    Rep Porth is exactly what this County Commission needs. He is both honest and proven. He works across the aisle when it is best for the people of his district, but he is no Republican. He also does not spew hatred towards the other party like Ritter does often. Do you see the way she treats her fellow Commissioner Lamarca just because of his part affiliation? It is just pathetic to watch, even for this Democrat.

  11. Stormin' Norman says:

    The weeny versus the crook.

  12. Mary J. Thompson says:

    Ari Porth would be an asset to the County Commission. Ms. Ritter needs to move on, perhaps she and her husband could join forces in lobbying.

  13. ASA Alu says:

    Good luck Ari! You’re going to make a great county commissioner.

  14. Angus Beef says:

    Ritter or Porth???Porth or Ritter???

    Would I rather shove a flaming red hot poker in my eye or cut off my arm with a rusty wood saw????Would I rather cut off my arm with a rusty wood saw or shove a red hot POKER IN MY EYE???

    Help us all when all we have for our so-called “choices” are a couple of incompetent boobs !

    And Stacy, does Russ still use your campaign money to order Angus Beef from Whole Food Markets? And do you use your golf cart that the Chaits give you to pick up said Angus Beef?

  15. Patti Lynn says:

    Ari Porth is an honest, hard working individual. As a woman, I will always support equally qualified women over male candidates. I will be supporting Ari Porth. His honesty, diligence, and responsiveness to his constituents will be a welcome change in Broward County. I disagreed with him for his support of Charlie Crist, however, the Democrats in Kings Point agreed with him. He votes on what is best for those that he represents. Name calling is what is being used because his record can’t be faulted. You go, Ari Abraham Porth. You’ll make an EXCELLENT County Commissioner.

  16. Kiki says:

    What’s that rat Sheila Alu getting involved? She doesn’t have enough to do with being a junior G-Man and ratting on her friends. Now she is backing candidates. Go back under in your hole with the other rats.

  17. The Truth says:

    The Truth says Stacy Ritter can not win reelection. The Truth knows that Ms. Ritter has to do all she can to stay out of jail. You can not steal with one hand and beg for votes with the other. Ms. Ritter will not get contributions as the money go to the candidate everybody knows will be the winner. That is the Truth.

  18. The Brain Trust says:

    let her shake her tata’s…. that’s the only thing she’s good for.

  19. Dave says:

    $791 million for an elevated runway that will potentially serve as a parking lot for jets bound for New York? That’s right. Nice job Stacy. Delays are identified by the FAA as aircraft sitting at the gate, taxiway, or runway waiting to depart or taxi to the gate. Since Jet Blue has a Hub in FLL with numerous flights to the congested Northeast, I suppose there might be a few delays from their congested airspace up there. This is a “build it and they will come boondoggle”. Also, $65,000 for sound mitigation per home? That is crazy money for windows, insulation, and new a/c. No wonder there’s a lack of money to fund all homes affected. Elect someone with integrity, not Stacy.