Despite Screw Up At Sun-Sentinel, Castillo Will Make Great County Commissioner
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Angelo Castillo knows he blew it.
The Pembroke Pines City Commissioner says he should have answered the question at the Sun-Sentinel editorial board.
Angelo and Lisa Castillo
Castillo, who is running for county commission, was channeling his inner Richard Nixon when he tried to squirm around the question: “What role does Judy Stern have in his campaign?”
He is seen on a Sun-Sentinel video equivocating. Fudging. Beating around the bush.
When he could have just said what he said to me: Stern is doing a little of his media work. She is helping design some mail pieces.
Voters Don’t Care About Stern
The Internet controversy over Stern begs the question: Do voters care?
That one is easy to answer: No.
Voters care about jobs. They care about taxes and the cost of government. They care about preserving our neighborhoods and our way of life.
Only a handful of voters even know who Judy Stern is. This is the ultimate inside baseball.
Stern, for the uninitiated, is a lobbyist and a campaign consultant. Some love her and some love to hate her.
There are people who believe that having Stern work on your campaign is like making a bargain with the devil. She helps get you elected and you are her’s forever, voting for every client she represents.
History and a look at the votes at the county commission proves this conspiracy theory false.
Lobbyists are definitely part of the problem at the county commission. So it is of some interest to know what role Stern has in the Castillo campaign.
Now we know. A very minor role.
Is Judy Stern a major issue in Broward County?
Stern is also working on former state Senator Steve Geller’s South Broward campaign against County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger. Stern is working in the deep background. Nobody is making noise about that.
The bottom line: Angelo Castillo is the best prepared person running for county commission in Broward today. Bar none.
He has a long career in both federal and county government, having worked in the administrations of New York City Mayors Ed Koch, David Dinkins and Rudy Giuliani. He worked for Govs. Mario Cuomo and George Pataki.
He was chief of staff of New York City’s Department of Consumer Affairs and Auditor General of the city’s construction authority. He has been a key administrator in the federal Housing and Urban Development’s South Florida office.
He was director of Human Services for Broward County, supervising 1,200 employees and a budget of $250 million.
He now runs Broward House, an AIDS treatment facility. He has been a Pembroke Pines commissioner since 2004.
He is unique in that he’s had an extensive look at government from both sides — as an administrator and an elected official.
Anyone who questions his ethics should remember this nugget from his resume. Castillo is an adjunct professor of business ethics at St. Thomas University’s graduate business school.
Is Angelo perfect? I put that question to his wife, Lisa Castillo. She rolled her eyes.
Nobody is perfect.
Does Angelo have a titanic ego, another frequent criticism? Show me a politician who doesn’t.
I have a prediction. Angelo will win and make a great county commissioner.
I’m not perfect, either, so I could be proven wrong. If I am, you can read about it hereand in the Sun-Sentinel.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Yeah, he effed up. Now he’s doing desperate damage control, of which you happily oblige. I don’t know of Mr. Castillo, but I am troubled by one aspect of his resume, his position at Broward House. Why does he pull down a salary of $150,000 to manage a place that begs for linens and toiletries on it’s website. There is something morally wrong with that. And that has nothing to do with Judy Stern
July 15th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
Buddy
The public does care about lobbiests. The press finally woke up after Stern’s friends and clients Eggeletion and Jenne went to prison. The light has been shown on the dirty business of people running campaigns then later lobbying those same candidates.
Angelo just made it more interesting in the video because he tried to avoid the question about Stern’s role in his campaign.
Stern has never been indicted or arrested, though she has bragged about being questioned by the FBI. Why should Angelo need to deny Stern working on his campaig? The irony is that Angelo in his attempts to distance himself from Stern have done more to make her appear unseemly.
The fall of Jenne, blowing the Israel race and Joe Eggs going to prison, Judy’s days as a player seem to be numbered. 42 judicial candidates and only 2 are using her. 20 something school board candidates, none are using her. Numerous House and Senate races and the only person who is using Stern is her daughter.
I saw on Pulp and Sun Sentinel blogs that she was shooed away from the Crist fundraiser hosted by Lori Parrish and Ron Cacciatore. I have to guess it’s true since she never denied it.
All the big fundaisers for Alex Sink and other Cabinet positions taking place in Broward and Stern can’t crack a Host Committee.
Hey, I am no fool, they will all take her and her clients money behind closed doors ie Geller.
In Fort Lauderdale, the Mayor and all Commission seats had contested elections and she only had Rodstrom. Judy went around saying she would have the City Manager fired after that election and to date he is still there serving out his cotract. It appears she can’t deliver anymore.
Granted word around Sunrise she does have Wishner, if true, even Roger is avoiding be associated with Stern.
If you believe the rumors around the County Building Stern is playing both sides in the County Commisson races by playing nice with Margret Bates and Al Jones as well as Castllo and Sharief.
People like Stern never die. She will always be the bad girl to do a hatchet job no one else wants to do, but with blogs, the Feds and new enemies by the day, her best days are behind her.
FROM BUDDY:
The average voter cares about the idea of lobbyists.
The average voter has no idea who Stern is.
I’ve also heard talk that Stern is quietly working for two sides in Castillo’s race. Word is that she is backing Sharief to split the black vote and help Castillo.
I believe Stern has more influence in Fort Lauderdale than you write here.
The problem with Stern and the reason candidates hide her participation in their campaigns is that she has many enemies. When she works openly on a campaign, you pick up all her enemies.
Most of you probably don’t know that Stern knows how to use the media very well. She remains one of the best behind-the-scene sources for reporters at the Sun-Sentinel, New Times and even Internet sites. She uses a cutout for Browardbeat, but I know when she is trying to leak material to me.
July 16th, 2010 at 3:47 am
Well he slept with a dog, surpise, he got fleas.
July 16th, 2010 at 6:40 am
Buddy:
My answer to your question – YES I CARE. Your comments notwithstanding nobody is going to convince me that the only thing Stern is doing for Castillo is designing a few mailers. Come on Buddy that is just unbelieveable. If you support candidates like Castillo or Ellyn Bogdanoff fine. Just don’t put BS out there and expect it fly.
FROM BUDDY:
Like I said, Stern has a lot of enemies. That’s why Castillo avoided answering the question.
I can only tell you what he said about Stern’s role. I got him to talk. The Sun-Sentinel didn’t.
I reiterate. Castillo has the best resume of any candidate running for county commission this year. I believe he will make a great county commissioner. No one running against him has his experience. I’m just stating a fact.
Why aren’t you upset about Stern working for other candidates?
Also, I have never written a word supporting the election of Bogdanoff to the state Senate.
July 16th, 2010 at 10:08 am
Buddy,
You got him to talk because you’re his supporter and you have a blog that people read. You’re the best source for him to get his point across.
And, I agree, his resume is impeccable (so much so that I call him “Mr. Government”) but that doesn’t mean he’s the best candidate.
July 16th, 2010 at 10:17 am
Buddy:
You may be correct when you say you have not written anything in direct support of Bogdanoff. That would be to honest and would probably force you to once again repeat that your son works for her. So instead you put up fluff pieces like the one about her husband being a tv star or write about her accusation that her opponent ran a push poll. Like I said before there is nothing wrong with printing your support for her. Just don’t try to act impartial when it comes to Ellyn Bogdanoff. It is beneath you.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:06 am
Buddy,
You’re right. Mr. Castillo will most likely win and most voters have no clue who Judy Stern.
So why not just answer the question?
And then after answering the question like that we are then suppossed to just buy that she has a very small and insignificant role on the campaign because he told us so?
What people do know is that they are tired of the influence these lobbyists – whether you know their name or not – have over the Commission and our County.
And they’re tired of candidates and elected officials answering questions like that.
On another blog (not to be mentioned) someone posted a link to another good take on this which I enjoyed. So I post it here if anyone else is interested:
http://www.chipburpee.com
FROM BUDDY:
I totally agree. Ask the question. Angelo screwed up by not answering it.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Hey Buddy, love your blog, tried to find your email but couldn’t, anyway Angelo was elected to the Pines Commission in 2004. Some other blogs are not getting this right either and are trying to blame him for votes in Pines that were made well before his time here. Keep up the good work though.
FROM BUDDY: You are absolutely right. Thanks. I corrected it.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Agree he has a wonderful resume, but doesn’t mean he’d be a good commissioner. It means he knows how to work/game the system. The question remains whether he’d use those skills for good or for bad/selfish purposes.
And not buying Castillo as a principled believer in anything. He was a Republican when it suited him to be R, and is a Democrat now that it helps him to be a D. But he doesn’t seem to believe in much beyond “what’s in it for me.”
July 17th, 2010 at 7:03 am
I totally agree with you Buddy, you are the “All Knkowing” and always have been. It’s a win for Angelo.
July 18th, 2010 at 10:50 am
This is the second mistake he has made with his mouth.
First he said he was running. Then he said he couldnt’ run because of the ethics laws. Then he said he could run.
Now he avoids an answer about Judy Stern. Then he admits she is working for his campaign.
What is the truth?
July 18th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Who really cares, Judy is not running for office!!!! She is a consultant and she does know her stuff, she makes a great living off of it.
July 18th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Here comes the slime and the lies just like you were warned. Campaigns lie when they have no substance. They have no choice if they want to win. Voters are looking for substance in this campaign. This time we will vote against the side that has no class and offers no substance.
July 19th, 2010 at 7:04 am
Miramar Protector: “Voters are looking for substance in this campaign.”
First of all, most registered voters won’t even make it to the polls.
Second, it’s all very nice to talk about substance, but what does that mean and how does it relate to the candidates? What do you consider substantive?
July 19th, 2010 at 7:43 am
Too wishy-washy for me…………..
July 19th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
@Beth The Bounty Hunter says:
“Who really cares, Judy is not running for office!!!! She is a consultant and she does know her stuff, she makes a great living off of it.”
————–
Let’s just see if Candidate Castillo lists Judy Stern’s “in-kind” contribution to his campaign for her volunteered media services.
I bet they will be listed on the final campaign report, date stamped and mailed on the last day, and actually mailed for Anchorage, Alaska.
July 19th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
But will his WIFE make a great City Commissioner?!
July 20th, 2010 at 11:28 am
After carefully and thoroughly eyeing all those who are applying for the District 8 Commission Seat, rest assured it will go to Angelo. I predict a landslide.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Castillo’s resume is not “impeccable”. Ask him why he left his job at Broward County.
July 22nd, 2010 at 7:47 am
The legal scrivener:
You ought to look up what Motzi Shem Ra is.
July 24th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
I agree with you Buddy on the Castillo race. He would make a good County Commissioner. All this he’s in then out then in again makes the average voter seem to be confused about what he is doing in regards to his campaign. I don’t know why he just did not answer the City Reporter’s question in regards to him hiring Judy Stern to run his campaign. To beat around the bush, when everyone knows he hired her makes him look less then thrustworthy.
July 24th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
I agree with you Buddy on the Castillo race. He would make a good County Commissioner. All this he’s in then out then in again makes the average voter seem to be confused about what he is doing in regards to his campaign. I don’t know why he just did not answer the City Reporter’s question in regards to him hiring Judy Stern to run his campaign. To beat around the bush, when everyone knows he hired her makes him look less then trustworthy.