Update: Sheila Alu Running For County Commission
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Sunrise Commissioner Sheila Alu filed papers Monday to run for county commission.
Alu wants to replace Ilene Lieberman next year.
A felony prosecutor, Alu has already told State Attorney Mike Satz of her plans. Sources say Satz was “supportive,” probably because it puts to rest rumors she would run against him.
Earlier this month, an appeals court upheld a term limit law for county commissioners. That law requires Lieberman to leave office after the November 2012 election
Although Lauderhill Commissioner Howard Berger is already running for the seat, Alu would be the immediate front runner. She is much better known than Berger and is a dynamic campaigner.
Alu talked to Berger and Lieberman before filing today. Here is the listing on the supervisor’s website is here.
A third candidate — Willie F. Roberson Jr. — is also running.
Alu is perhaps best known countywide as an undercover operative for the FBI. Using hidden recording equipment, she helped to snare corrupt politicians like former School Board member Bev Gallagher.
Lieberman’s future elected political career looks dim.
She is embroiled in the scandal over the construction of condos at two golf course in Tamarac which has resulted in several arrests. She is not charged with anything and has cooperated with prosecutors, but her connections with lobbyists and corrupt developers looks shady.
Lieberman is has been the commission’s poster girl for influence peddling. She was a lobbyist working in city halls while also on the commission.
Several sources, however, said they would expect Lieberman to look hard at running for Broward Clerk of the Courts. Current Clerk Howard Forman is running for re-election.
August 12th, 2011 at 6:37 pm
Where or where is Wishner? Never count him out. He knows how to come back. Run for Alu’s seat or for county commission?
August 12th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Aren’t they redistricting at the county. What is the time frame for all that?
August 12th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
My fellow bloggers, lend me your ears: My brother, Jake the Snake Roger B. Baby, is always waiting in the shadows to snatch some EASY prey (how fitting a statement, in reference to this article that this). After all he wasn’t the first, nor will he be the last to traverse the political CANYONS of Sunrise and Broward County. So, yes, Jake the Snake Roger B. could come back, and that would definitely be an interesting show. Aside from the circus Jake the Snake brings, I love watching politicians dreams get crushed. I can envision it now: The blogs start talking the Snake up, he starts to believe the hype causing him to enter a race. With his hopes high, his graveyard starts coming to life like MJ’s Thriller. However, this version of thriller will end more appropriately. The infinite demise of the overly self-inflated, megalomaniac, that is Jake the Snake Roger B. Baby.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Alu and Berger? Dynamic? I don’t think so. This is the best we can do?
At this point I don’t vote in this race if I live in the district. Who knows what district any of us will live in.
August 13th, 2011 at 11:52 am
Wow, what a shock. Well w/ term limits prevailing(always go with th ewill of the people). So Lieberman is now termed out, along w/ Rodstrom. Other will follow next time around being Jacobson. Att/Commm. I mean if she fells she can (Alu) win, well we will just see. This snake in the grass you have to watch, and I mean watch closely.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
The intent of term limits was to insure we get new faces in government and keep politicians from getting entrenched in their positions and developing a power base. Instead, what we got is all the same faces playing musical chairs and only rarely do we get a political newcomer. I enjoy seeing former political allies, all Democrats, eating each other alive to stay on the government gravy train, but this ossified Democrat political machine has got to go.
August 13th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Oooh her! My goodness who doesn’t love her! She is the greatest thing since warm apple pie! Is that her name Alu? Ooh Shelia ! You have our vote ! And his vote and his vote and his vote and his vote Lol. Congrats to you call us when you need us to put the fires out. Alu is a lot better visually than liberthing. Come on guys isn’t Alu hot!
August 13th, 2011 at 8:27 pm
That district is ripe for destruction in redistricting. It’s one of the least compatible with the Fair Districts standards the commission is going to use and there’s no incumbent to protect it. Howard will have to fun against Dale and Sheila will have to run against Lois.
August 14th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
Alu is a menace who has made unnecessary trouble everywhere she goes. She had constantly difficulty in the State Attorney’s Office, fighting with her supervisors, cutting out from work and generally not holding down her case load. Everybody in the office knows she is carried by Satz because he was scared she would run against him or file some sex complaint against him.
I can’t believe anybody who knows the real Sheila Alu would vote for her.
August 15th, 2011 at 9:47 am
Isn’t Alu from Sunrise? The Commission seat she is going to run for does not include any parts of Sunrise. She planning to move? Interesting.
FROM BUDDY:
Alu is from Sunrise. Lieberman’s seat contains a strip of Sunrise…for now. Here is the link to the map:
http://gis.broward.org/maps/webPDFs/CommissionDistricts/comdist1.pdf
August 15th, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Expect commissioners to act as king makers for their replacements. The redistricting battle will be very interesting. Not only do they help select their own districts but who they will serve with also. All while trying to uphold the laws. It will be very interesting to see.
August 16th, 2011 at 5:28 am
To answer the redistricting question, there is a lot of speculation right now but here is a proposal that I think could pass the County Commission: http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h352/apollo_7692/?action=view¤t=BrowardCountyCommission.jpg&ref=nf
It would eliminate LaMarca’s seat as a swing seat and make it solidly Democratic, give Rodstrom more moderate territory, keep a black majority seat, and create a hispanic majority seat.
August 17th, 2011 at 8:33 am
Sorry but Ryan’s map won’t cut it. Rodstrom is not even running anymore and thinking along those lines violates the spirit of fair districting. That kind of thinking is precisely what we should be avoiding.
Districts belong to voters seeking officials, not officials seeking voters. Districts need to represent neighborhoods with commonality. Ryan’s map fails that test.
The biggest change to existing lines will need to happen in District 8 where they are over by about one third. Your map doesn’t achieve that goal and keeps 8 overpopulated. Miramar among other cities deserves to have more than one County Commissioner representing it, a rule that the Commission itself imposed as a factor in determining lines. Your map doesn’t do that.
Republicans deserve to have at least one County Commission set as do Blacks and Hispanics. But your map doesn’t do that either, look at the data. It just doesn’t cut it. Back to the drawing board Ryan. But I am proud that people are at least drawing maps and for that Ryan you have my respect.
August 17th, 2011 at 8:35 am
Sheila Alu is unbalanced. There is a lot of damage there. Be very careful.
August 17th, 2011 at 8:36 am
Alu says she did a good job in Sunrise. All she did was create disharmony and confusion. The only position she had was what was good for Sheila Alu. She is a career politician with no experience beyond running for office, getting her name in the paper and four years being a prosecutor, which doesn’t translate into experience that a commissioner needs. She is a blight.
August 17th, 2011 at 8:37 am
Lieberman’s handpicked replacement is Sheila Alu. Doesn’t that say something? When you lie down with dogs, you get fleas.
August 17th, 2011 at 5:06 pm
to “Sunrise Resident” (Comment# 15)
YOU ARE RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT ON!
………BUT THE CITY OF SUNRISE WOULD BE MUCH BETTER OFF WITH HER GOOOOOOOONE!
and that’s ‘da Bottom Line
cuz Stone Cold says Sooo!
August 18th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
District 8 is actually within the population deviation allowed in my map, they are all within +/- 500 people. Republicans dont “deserve” a commission seat, its up to the current commission as to whether or not they can compete in one. My map is a partisan map in that it eliminates the only swing seat on the commission, but it also turns District 8 into a hispanic-plurality seat and makes the seats more compact.
August 18th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Please do not disparage my canine friends, the vast majority of us do not have fleas
August 18th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
Ryan is most likely Ryan Saunders aide to LaMarca. I wonder if he is blogging on County time? Maybe someone should ask why the taxpayers pay this guy to never be in the office because he is a great always escorting Chip to events. Those of us familiar to the campaign last year know this guy was the campaign gopher and now he is an expert on redistricting?
FROM BUDDY: You are making the assumption that “Ryan” is somebody’s real name.
August 19th, 2011 at 1:54 am
Actually, it is my real name. And Im not afraid to take responsibility for my posts. I am Ryan Terrell, a local Democratic activist and former board member of the Florida College Democrats. Ive created numerous maps for school board, county commiss, state house, state senate, Fl congressional, GA, NC, SC, AL, and NY. Maybe the person calling out my credentials should reveal his/her real name and show me better maps if they are so great.
August 19th, 2011 at 6:38 pm
Sunrise will be looking at some new faces on the dais that’s good out with the old in with new. I wish I could say I’m sorry to see her go but I’m not. COUNTY S NEW CRIME FIGHTER THE ONE THE ONLY CAPE CRUSADING COMMISSIONER (alu) and not joe. Lol
August 23rd, 2011 at 5:15 pm
So besides Berger and Alou, which most people don’t seem to like (including me), who else could run that more would like?