Broward’s Latest Shame: Insiders Betting on Ilene Lieberman Re-Election

BY BUDDY NEVINS

If you didn’t have enough reasons to be disillusioned with Broward’s shady politics, here is another one:

An increasing number of political insiders believe that if Commissioners Ilene Lieberman runs, she will easily be re-elected next year.

“She’ll walk into that seat again.  It’s terrible,” one lobbyist told Browardbeat.com.

Watch the lobbyists and business interests back Lieberman’s re-election with beaucoup bucks. They expect she will have no real opposition after she helps gerrymander her district.

Lieberman?!?!?

The same commissioner embroiled in a corruption scandal.  She reportedly got immunity for testifying.

Lieberman has been questioned  about her ties to the same corrupt developers who landed former Commissioner Joe Eggelletion (right) in a federal prison.

Lieberman’s role in the corruption investigation is just the icing on the cake. Lieberman has a record of using her position to be a paid lobbyist for developers.

Isn’t Lieberman term limited?

Yes, but those involved in Broward politics also are betting that the term limit law will be tossed out in court.  If that happens, these same folks believe she will run again.

Watch for Lieberman’s Tamarac-based district to be redistricted in an attempt to insure her re-election.

The first move– cut Lauderhill out of Lieberman’s District One.  Or at least the portion where Lauderhill Commissioner Howard Berger lives. Berger has opened a campaign account against Lieberman and put $80,000 of his own into it.

James Ale, a business management consultant, is another early challenger.  He has raised $30,000, half of it his own.  He lives in Sunrise, which would also be easy to cut out of the district.

In another strike against him, Ale told the Sun-Sentinel he is thinking of switching from Democrat to Republican.  That would make it harder if not impossible to win.

There is no one else so far.

How To Beat Lieberman

That’s too bad because there is at least one veteran political consultant is itching to work for free to get rid of Lieberman.  The consultant envisions eviscerating Lieberman with relentless attack ads.

There is plenty of material for such ads.  Her role in the corruption investigation and as a lobbyist would just be a start.

Its unknown whether Lieberman would buckle under the pressure of such a scorch-and-burn campaign.  She walked into office in 1996 after the incumbent dropped out and has never had a tough re-election.

If a judge tosses out term limits and she runs again, Lieberman would be ignoring the will of the voters.   Term limits overwhelmingly passed in a March 14, 2000 referendum.

It is not that the term limits are so onerous. Broward term limits are 12 years, compared to the eight-year limits for president, governor and state legislators.

Lieberman will have over 15 years as a commissioner by 2012 when voters wanted her term to be over! That’s because the law was passed after she took office.

It would be a pity if no one has the guts to take on this deeply flawed commissioner….assuming she has the gall to run again.



20 Responses to “Broward’s Latest Shame: Insiders Betting on Ilene Lieberman Re-Election”

  1. Woody says:

    I just sent Tamarac a bill for damages for this very thing. NO KIDDDIINNGG!! SEE BELOW!
    Money owed to the residents of Mainlands #7 for lost property value and reasonable
    compensation for emotional distress and loss of future golf course living.

    (1) 120 homes with golf course lots
    Loss in property value @ $15,000.00 $1,800,000.00
    Value for lost future quality of life. $10,000.00 $1,200,000.00 ( Golf course view )
    (2) 105 garden view homes with lost value. @ $7,500.00 $787,500.00
    The total loss of property value do to public corruption $3,787,000.00

    Note:
    ( a ) All values are estimates, and reflect the recent changes real estate value.
    ( b ) Estimates of value have been established using information currently found through basic realty websites and internet search engines.

  2. Floridan says:

    Just what we need to further elevate the political process, “relentless attack ads.”

  3. Stockpiling Maalox says:

    Is that headline suppossed to read “Re-Election” or “Indictment”?

  4. Someone explain please says:

    We hear a lot of talk about ethics at the county commission level of government. Can someone please explain why our county permits county commissioners to lobby municipalities within Broward County? The fact that some use a different last name when lobbying suggests to me that they’re even aware of the appearance of impropriety. Somehow it’s all better when the lobbyist has a different last name from the commissioner, even though it’s the same person????????

    FROM BUDDY:
    The new ethics law forbids county commissioners from lobbying a city in Broward. I believe it to be a reaction to Lieberman’s active lobbying of cities.

  5. Keep It Straight says:

    Lieberman needs to retire…go out without shame or the voters will finally DEFEAT her! Vice-Mayor Berger is actually a good person and I know he be 10x’s better than her!

  6. Tomas Tripparro says:

    Lieberman is an embarrassment. Is She is arrogant enough to run again?

  7. Broward Politico says:

    Why would the state’s attorney’s office use a county commissioner to get at a mayor of a
    municipality? Lieberman testifies against Talabisco. Only Mike Satz knows.

  8. Wayne Arnold says:

    Amen, Mr. Nevins.

  9. Kevin says:

    They will need to take most of Lauderhill out of that district, anyway, given the fact that District 9 needs more voters. And that is exactly what will happen if there is not a serious attempt to make district two a second majority back district (which is possible even with 2000 census data, although it makes districts 2 and 9 look really, really gerrymandered)

  10. Im Just Sayin says:

    Its to bad Alu won’t run now and win just because they are friends.

  11. Sunrise Resident says:

    Sheila Alu is no white knight.
    The proof is that she is Lieberman’s biggest friend in Sunrise and voted to give a sweetheart contract to Lieberman’s husband as city attorney.

  12. Resident says:

    The problem is that while District 9 has to grow so does District 1 (Lieberman). So if Lieberman gives up parts of Lauderhill, she has to make it up even more someplace else. That population in is the south.

    Add to that that she lives east of Lauderhill in Tamarac and her district is running towards the southwest. Somehow she has to have it designed to connect the areas so she lives in her district.

    Either way, it would take a lot of help from other Commissioners to accommodate her.

    My guess is she will just try to have the lines run around specific neighborhoods to avoid challengers and not cut out a large part of a city.

    Berger would be a horrible County Commissioner. He is not a very good City Commissioner and not very smart. Many of his views make no sense.

    And if you take a look at Alu dealing with Ryan, Alu is not very good either. Very combative, not constructive.

    Neither bring anything to the county worth having. I’d rather have no representative than either of those two.

    There are some good people in Plantation though and Comm. Harry Dressler in Tamarac. Mayor Brady would be an improvement over the others, but I don’t think he needs it, wants it, or has the resources.

  13. Nothing to Add says:

    @Resident

    Good work. As an activist resident myself of District One your analysis is spot on. Keep it coming if you have more.

  14. Not what you think says:

    I suspect that Lieberman and Alu are not as friendly as they once were. That more than likely died when it was revealed that Alu was wearing a wire while meeting with her “friends.” Alu will run whether or not Lieberman runs as long as she’s not cut out of the district.

  15. Not what you think says:

    …and that revelation came after Alu voted for Lieberman’s husband.

  16. TamaracTalk says:

    Resident: I would love to see Tamarac’s Harry Dressler run for District one but I really don’t think he that type of political ambition. He would be great asset and is actively involved in the MPO. There must be some competition for this District as well as for the Honorable Stacy Ritter’s district.

  17. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    I think Lieberman will go after her term is up. Its bad enough that she pratically lived at the State Att. Off. this past year. So the last thing she wants to do is expalin herself and of her staff Bev Starcher(snitch) to the general public. I don’t think granting her and her cohorts Immunity will fly w/ the residents. As far as Comm/Att. Alu running for her seat, I doubt that Ms.Alu could pull it off(win) w/ the baggage she carries, but yeah go for it. Maybe her big-wig friends at the FBI could pull some strings for her. Its quite apparent that they don’t want to bring her on board. Oh don’t get me wrong they love the 411 on people, but in my observation they (FBI) will never hire her.(Alu).Nobody , nobody likes a rat.

  18. Saturday Jones says:

    This so gross. Can someone — anyone — indict this lady already.

    Where is the large expansive Federal Government when you need them. Apart from taking down Black Joe (egghead) and Beverly “Doggie Bag” School chick gone bad, what else has the Fed done that was not put in their lap (think Rothstein)?

    The feds need to jack this lady and her husband up and get them out of the way.

    Lastly, Sheila Alu is not the person she is portrayed to be by the local bloggarati. For goodness sakes folks. Please do not go down this road of foolishness.

    FROM BUDDY:
    This blog has been realistic about Alu, who I have known for years. Please read “The Story of Hurricane Sheila” here:

    http://www.browardbeat.com/the-story-of-hurricane-sheila/

  19. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    Local bloggarti? Are you kidding or what?. This woman(Alu) will step on anyone to get ahead. I mean my observations and the people that tell me about this lady are some elected officals, some area lobbyist, some lawyers , and some in her own dept. Please.

  20. James Ale says:

    I have decided not to switch to the republican party for obvious reasons. If you remember buddy I ran for Davie Town Council in 1997 against Jim Bush. I think I should start on a local level and move my way up, although I know that Lieberman needs to be kicked out. Still time to weigh out all my options. Would love your input