Video: Candidate For Judge Gets Big, Big Endorsement
BY BUDDY NEVINS
There are endorsements and then there are ENDORSEMENTS.
Candidate for Circuit Judge Maxine Streeter hooked a big, big one on tape last week: Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth.
Listen to Butterworth’s praise of Streeter below starting at roughly 1:20 into the YouTube video. Noting he had roughly 1,000 attorneys work for him during his 16 years as the state’s leading lawyer, Butterworth calls Streeter one of top five.
Its a terrific video endorsement for a judicial candidate to snare, especially in Broward County where Butterworth is a icon among Democrats.
The video was taped at a fund raiser for Streeter at the luxe home of super lawyer Bill Scherer, a multi-millionaire downtown Fort Lauderdale property owner who recently made beaucoup bucks recovering money for folks ripped off by Ponza schemer Scott Rothstein. Streeter works at Scherer’s firm so his endorsement on the tape is no surprise.
Streeter also got support from Mayor Jack Seiler of Fort Lauderdale.
It is true that Streeter’s campaign consultant, Michael Ahearn, has his legal practice housed in the same suite of law offices as Seiler. It is also true that in his day job, Seiler is a respected litigator who would not formally endorse a judicial candidate unless he believed the person would make a good judge.
Seiler and Scherer aside, it is the gushing endorsement from Butterworth — former chief Florida lawyer and the last big Broward statewide victor — that gives her campaign legitimacy among donors and voters.
And the endorsement is on tape!
Asked how much Streeter raised at the fund raiser, Ahern gave the campaign version of “the check are in the mail.” He said a final figure would be calculated once the last checks were received.
Streeter is running for Broward Circuit Court, Group 9. Currently she has three opponents — Andrea Gunderson, Lea Krauss and Jason Rosner.
January 18th, 2016 at 1:51 pm
Butterworth’s endorsement is major news and very influential … if you have a time machine to take us back to 1986. He endorsed Gunderson for judge in 2014 and it didn’t do anything to elect her. She lost.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:10 pm
None of the endorsers had to endorse to help themselves but only did so I think because they genuinely feel Miss Streeter would be the best candidate.
Sadly a other candidate in thw race is supported by not very successful opportunists who you can bet are thinking how that candidate could benefit themselves not the Bench or Public.
It’s getting boring have “the usual suspects” in the Leftwing of the Democratic Party support less than stellar candidates because they out pander responsible stellar candidates like Miss Streeter seems to be.
And frankly where Mr Ahearn rents his office seems to be a bit unrelated to her qualifications m
Judgeship or who Mayor Seiler thinks is a good Judge.
I doubt if Mayor Seiler farms out his opinions to anyone else – whether or not they have an office in the same building as he does.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:27 pm
I wonder what happened to the Krauss campaign Web page that showed her 150 emdorsments? It has been a dead link for a couple of weeks. I wonder if the rumors are true that many on the list never signed endorsements cards or were shocked to discover Lea failed to tell them who else was in the race, (Dave Aaronberg?)
ttp://www.kraussforjudge.com/endorsements/
http://www.browardbeat.com/candidate-for-judge-and-her-150-plus-endorsements/
January 18th, 2016 at 8:57 pm
Unsure before, but this has sealed the deal for me. I’m voting for Krauss or Rosner.
January 19th, 2016 at 8:39 am
What no pics. Buddy(I love pictures). So noted that Mayor Seiler was there(for future reference concerning endorsements). Also I was very impressed w/ the big fish stuffed on the wall behind them. When viewing the endorsement from Mr.Butterworth Atty.Scherer appeared to be very thirsty…
January 19th, 2016 at 10:09 am
Give Krauss credit, no one worked harder 2015 to raise money and garner support. A judicial campaign is a marathon not a sprint. What one did in 2015, means little if it cant carry over to 2016. It looks like 2016 is not starting off so promising for Krauss;
Krauss cancels fundraiser the same night as the Scherer/Streeter event, note only one RSVP.
https://www.facebook.com/events/936979803056754/
Look at the handful of people at the Krauss fundraiser hosted by big shot lobbyist Bernie Freidman at Becker & Poliakoff. Also a low turnout at another one hosted by the Eppy Group.
https://www.facebook.com/theeppygroup/photos/a.127479027358062.20287.116249058481059/778148615624430/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/KraussForJudge/photos/pcb.1004332286305994/1004328959639660/?type=3&theater
January 19th, 2016 at 10:13 am
IF true that the vaunted 150 endorsements included people who did NOT endorse or were “misinformed” about a KNOWN PROBABLE opponent someone is in deep do-do!
January 19th, 2016 at 12:48 pm
Could that have been Lea Krauss whining to a very powerful black activist that she had $100k in the bank and how dare he not support her?