Gay Activist Told Off By School Board Member
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Many Democrats don’t like Tom Lauder because he skewers them in his Internet blogs.
Too bad.
Last time I looked there was Free Speech in this country. Nobody has proved to me that Lauder’s writings are inaccurate…just pointed and opinionated.
Enter from stage left…very left…self appointed gay activist Michael Rajner.
Rajner has demanded Lauder be removed from the School Board Diversity Committee because he dared to say that LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) groups have agenda. He also said their mission “wasn’t the kids.”
Okay, that’s Lauder’s opinion. Its not hate speech. Its an observation, however inaccurate, about advocacy groups.
But Rajner, in his role as the spokesman for all LGBTs (When was that election?), apparently doesn’t believe in diversity of opinion on the diversity committee.
That’s why I am sooooo happy to see this letter from outgoing School Board member Katie Leach. She puts Rajner in his place.
It is about time that an elected official had guts enough to stand up to him, despite knowing that he will label them anti-gay for doing so.
A well-known, outspoken gay Democratic activist leaked this e-mail to me with the following note:
“Katie Leach expressed what most Democrats also feel about Michael Rajner. He’s an obnoxious, whiny and self-promoting bully.”
I guess some folks in the LGBT community don’t believe Rajner speaks for them.
Hats off to Katie.
From: Katherine Leach <katie.leach@browardschools.com>
Cc: Donna Korn <donna.korn@browardschools.com>; Patricia Good <pgood@browardschools.com>; Nora A. Rupert <nora.rupert@browardschools.com>; Ann Murray <ann.murray@browardschools.com>; Laurie Rich Levinson <laurie.richlevinson@browardschools.com>; Robin Bartleman <rbartleman@browardschools.com>; Abby M. Freedman <abby.freedman@browardschools.com>; Rosalind Osgood <dr.rosalind.osgood@browardschools.com>; Supt Runcie <supt_runcie@browardschools.com>; Jeffrey S. Moquin <jeffrey.moquin@browardschools.com>; Paul Carland <paul.carland@browardschools.com>; Tracy Clark <tracy.clark@browardschools.com>; Michaelle Pope <michaelle.pope@browardschools.com>; ajayeddy@att.net; redbroward@gmail.com
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 11:17 PM
Subject: Re: Tom Lauder, School Board Member Donna Korn’s appointee to Diversity Committ
Dear Mr. Rajner
I cannot express enough how much I appreciate again taking away from my duties as a school board member focusing on educating all students to reach their highest potential, to review yet another email regarding a conflict you having with yet another adult. Again I appreciate the need for you to bring my name into your ongoing dispute despite the fact Mr. Lauder is not my current appointee to the Diversity Committee. By no means does that mean I am distancing myself from School Board Member Korn or Mr. Lauder in your dispute, quite the contrary. I stand by and take no issue with my previous appointment of Mr. Lauder to the Diversity Committee.
What saddens me the most when I review your email (besides the grossly inaccurate statements and innuendo) is the fact that as someone who claims to work tirelessly as an advocate for equality in the LGBT community you obsess over Mr. Lauder. I believe I have a very good relationship with the LGBT community and regularly attend LGBT events. I am well aware that besides your emails to our Board, you have taken to the internet to rally those in your community to protest Mr. Lauder serving on the Diversity Committee. To date, I have had not one member of the LGBT community show support for your wish to remove Mr. Lauder. This confirms what I have heard from many in the LGBT community that most choose to deal with you as minimally as possible only to avoid your bullying, bombastic ways when other share their disagreement with their views. I find you to be nothing more than a bully, no different that the ones you rail on about that hurt the LGBT community.
In my opinion your harassment and bullying at the polls in 2012 of Ellyn Bogdanoff regarding her son being a homosexual is the move of a quintessential bully. I was at the Dolphin Democrat meetings where you stated you had knowledge that Former Senator Bogdanoff “shipped” her son to Boston for the period of the election so as to not answer questions about her sons sexuality even after you had been told you were wrong. I am proud to call Senator Bogdanoff and her children life long friends and I know for a fact this is not true and knew that you knew it was untrue when you said it. What makes you more pathetic is the fact that your use the same bullying and harassing tactics you criticize those who are unsupportive of the LGBT issues.
As for Mr. Lauder, I know of no one on the Diversity Committee who has complained to myself or others that he should be removed for his comments or alleged absences at meetings. It is my understanding that he was one vote away from becoming chair and is currently the elected vice chair of the committee.
Thank you again for posting the Youtube video, I know many people who have watched it who have expressed to me that it appears your ire is only raised by the fact that he opposed your views and that nothing Mr. Lauder said was “anti” any group. This fact is further substantiated by what I wrote above that despite your efforts and the efforts of other bloggers, not one member of the community beside yourself has complained to me about Mr. Lauder. Maybe you should take that fact to heart and reexamine how much influence you really have in the LGBT community. As I have taught my children, it is better to me liked and respected than to achieve by bullying and harassment. Of course what can anyone expect from a person who when they did not like how an issue was voted for went outside the board room and loudly smashed their iPad against a wall breaking it in pieces. Do you believe this type of petulant behavior brings a positive light to the LGBT issues you support? This one act, confirms what I have heard throughout the community that most people who deal with you do not actually like you but work with you because they just do not want to deal with your petulant tirade
Finally, what I find most unusual is the way your signed your email:
Michael Emanuel Rajner, BSW Past Member of the Broward County School Board, Diversity Committee, Code of Student Conduct Committee and School Board Member Redistricting Committee
I find it interesting in all of the appointees I have known and corresponded with over the year that your are the only one who uses their volunteer appointed positions as part of their “title”. Frankly this shows that your willingness to volunteer for these Committees is as much about helping our community as it is about your acquiring additional “titles” after your name. In my opinion it shows a deep insecurity wherein working hard for the public education and the LGBT community is not enough and you need some form of “title” to create an air of authority and validation.
Katie Leach, Board Member-District 3
The School Board of Broward County, Florida 600 Southeast Third Avenue, 14th Floor Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 Tel: 754-321-2003 Fax: 754-321-2700 katherine.leach@browardschools.com XXXXX Judge for yourself. The YouTube video of Lauder making the statement that Rajner objects to is linked here. I believe it is much to do about nothing.
October 31st, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Only in America can a person engage in behavior to catch HIV/AIDS then be paid to do nothing via disability while all the while this person is practically working a full time work schedule attending voluntary sb meetings, city meetings, community meetings, etc. Can someone explain how someone can be on disability yet spend more than the average work week attending meetings and events. Someone should investigate this?
October 31st, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Thank you Katie for standing up to Michael, a very difficult person to deal with.
October 31st, 2013 at 5:17 pm
Michael Rajner is a joke. We gays laugh at him behind his back. Go to his face book page. It’s Michael, Michael, Michael. I was at the Dem LGBT Wilton manors meeting. He was kissing everybody’s butts including homophobe Republican Chip Lamarca’s butt. Katie is a Reoublican. One of the few good ones. He turned on her like he turned on Dean Trantalis. His days are numbered. Thank you buddy. It’s about time.
October 31st, 2013 at 5:20 pm
I met this guy Monday night in Wilton Manors at Rep Perry Thurston’s campaign kick off for states attorney. I am a fan Rep Thurston and Sen Sachs but Michael was such a turn off. Who is this guy and who made him king/queen?
October 31st, 2013 at 5:24 pm
I was thinking of going out tonight to trick or treat but now I don’t need to. Thank you SB Member Leach for this amazing treat!
October 31st, 2013 at 5:40 pm
The gay community should kiss his feet for all he’s accomplished for us. Shame on you for attacking the only person in this town with guts to stand up to Republicans and hateful right wing Christians..
October 31st, 2013 at 5:56 pm
While her time in office was far to short, Katie will always be remembered as the Rick Scott appointed Republican who stood up to the Tea Party when they demanded she renounce her endorsement by Equality Florida.
“A moderate Republican who is supportive of gay-rights causes, Leach had a solid base of support in her eastern Broward district. Faced with two challengers during the 2012 elections, Leach was the only sitting School Board member to win outright during the primary race, without needing to head to a runoff.”
Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2013/10/broward-school-board-member-resigns.html#storylink=cpy
Rajner was always jealous of this fact because his rants implying all Republicans were gay haters was disproved by Leach.
In contrast I was surprised to see Rajner walk Chris LaMarca to the front row of the glbt town hall meeting the other night. The same night BREC was having its voting members vote to remove a supporter of gay rights on its Board, LaMarca a BREC voting Member was hiding out at the Democrats GLBT Town Hall to avoid having to vote yea or nay on removing the BREC Secretary. I was also pretty sure I saw LaMarca clap when Thurston announced his run against Bondi and Nan Rich denouncing Gov Scott. Another example of Chris LaMarca’s “bi” partisanship.
October 31st, 2013 at 7:42 pm
Isn’t Rajner the same guy who has called out and criticized elected offcals that failed to attend gay events because the were participating in events with their children? Great guy.
October 31st, 2013 at 8:15 pm
Buddy, you are right on. You should have seen Rajner in action here in Ft.Lau. Oh he was demanding this, and that etc. Mayor Seiler put him in his place by exposing that Rajner did not even live in ft.lau. Oh he shut up real fast. One thing about Seiler he will get you, and you won’t even know he is getting you, until after he gets you. Rare talent and Mayor Seiler has it. I call it the gift of the Irish. As far as Rajner, be careful. Turn to Comm.larmarca for support. Chip was @ this LGBT meeting and you did not even acknowledge him in your reports. Shame on you Mike. Keechl don’t care about you. Word has it the “Gay Gang” wants you out. Word to the wise. Be careful of the toes you step on because those toes might be connected to to an ass, you may have to kiss some day…..
October 31st, 2013 at 9:33 pm
Michael Rajner is a self promoting loose cannon. He is no advocate. Not for any people not for cause. He’s out to feed his own ego and likely his pockets. He lacks the talent and skill to represent a people. He lacks the discipline to represent a cause.
With Michael people and causes serve him. He is the anti-advocate. He is an ignorant, arrogant, abrasive, obnoxious, jerk. People don’t help gays and related causes because of him. They do it despite him.
So many examples come to mind. The Alan West speech was probably the best.
West was invited to a gay chamber event in Wilton Manors and amazingly to the utter astonishment of the entire community he agreed to speak. It was like a gift from heaven! You could have sold tickets to the event for thousands a piece and still sold out! It would be the perfect opportunity to watch that bigot speak himself into political oblivion.
Perfect, that is, until Rajner decided to get involved. Using his “official capacity” as grand executive secretary general of some bullshit website gay group nobody ever heard of, he on his very own initiative decided that this event had to be boycotted because West is a bigot.
Now, try just for a moment to unravel that logic in your head. Such is the intelligence level of this moron.
Incredible! The entire community begged him to shut the fuck up. He would not listen. A reporter was already covering it and he was basking in the news. How wonderful to see your name in print, huh Mike? You fucking moron. There was no getting through your thick skull what a disservice you were doing your own people.
His call for a boycott gave West the perfect out and he did. West refused to attend and blamed it on gay intolerance his views. Gays ended up being the bigots.
Michael Rajner. Our Great Gay Advocate. Yet again snatched defeat from the jaws of certain success. What a great guy.
This is not an advocate. This is a clown. A self-indulgent clown who uses advocate makeup to disguise his true identity. Throw a cold bucket of water on him, as Katie Leach just did, and suddenly it’s all too plain to see.
Advocate? No, that’s way above his pay grade. Michael Rajner is a jerk and Katie Leach hit the nail on the head. Sorry to see her go. Wish we could send him instead.
October 31st, 2013 at 10:34 pm
Tom Lauder is a giant loser – big time. He lives with mom, blogs in his underwear all day, was evicted from his low rent apartment (multiple times – check the leon and broward clerk of court), doesn’t pay child support, was sued for credit card debt in excess of $15,000 multiple times (check the clerk’s website), went to law school and failed the bar multiple times, works with a-turd (a fat wanna be that with a failing law practice and begs Seiler and probate judges for scrap work), works closely with Ron Gunzberger (an another giant loser and a weirdo) and is on Keechl’s payroll (fact). Need i say more??
October 31st, 2013 at 10:44 pm
If he really does sign his name: “Past Member of the Broward County School Board,
Diversity Committee” with a comma between board and diversity, he is clearly representing that he was a former school board member. This is blatantly false and probably illegal.
November 1st, 2013 at 9:20 am
I’ve heard for years that he is on lobbyist Judy Stern’s secret payroll. She helps cover all his bills whenever he needs anything. Rajner is just a Stern puppet.
November 1st, 2013 at 9:40 am
What many are wondering is how he gets disability payments when he obviously could work. He has enough energy to “work” on all these committees. I think an investigation of his disability payments are in order. What about Pam Bondi?
November 1st, 2013 at 11:39 am
It is wrong for those on this comments board to speculate about whether someone should be on disablity or not. One can be disabled due to an illness yet be able to contribute to society. Said determination should be made by the Social Security Administration. Here is thier FAQ..
http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/48/
http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/48/
November 1st, 2013 at 12:18 pm
For Tom Lauder to be one vote away from being Chair of the Diversity Committee while spewing bigoted opinions of the extreme right wing or bullying democratic lawmakers is disgusting.
How Katie leach can defend one bully to another is also Pathetic. Good Riddance.
November 1st, 2013 at 2:10 pm
Interesting that Rajner is such a big supporter of LaMaraca considering how much of a supporter LaMarca was of Rep. West…
Rep. West thanks LaMarca for inviting him to the One Nation Under GOD Breakfast….
http://twicsy.com/i/C7iPE
One Nation Under GOD event, I have a feeling Chip was not expressing to Rep. West and the GOD loving crowd his new found love for the LGBT comminty…
November 1st, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Who is Judy Stern?
November 1st, 2013 at 4:10 pm
Where is Retraction Bob’s expose on what levitation act keeps Rajner’s jet setting lifestyle going even though he gets federal benefits intended only for the poor? Could he be lying on his financials? Saw him driving a very nice car recently. How does he afford to travel so much? The hotel bills alone! Is he on the level or stealing federal monies? Does Retraction Bob care about his possible criminal activity? Could it be unreported gifts from Judy Stern and others that afford him such luxuries?
November 1st, 2013 at 6:10 pm
That’s quite a burp there Felcher, what have you been munching on?
November 2nd, 2013 at 10:54 am
Chip appeared to be bamboozled about what was happening at BREC despite what sure looked like his wife and aide being at the meeting.
If you read this as a normal person and not brown noser Michael Rajner, it is clear chip likes the money Gay tourism brings in. He admittedly is against gay marriage, he didn’t support in his address to the crowd any other gay social issues. In the end it is clear, he likes and tolerates us sinners as long as we’re are spending money here.
What is Rajner really getting out of LaMarca?
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2013/11/all-in-a-broward-night-gop-takes-up-a-gay-marriage-while-mostly-dems-hold-lgbt-town-hall-where-does-.html
November 2nd, 2013 at 3:17 pm
Overheard that Rajner has in the past been used by Judy Stern and her democratic boss gal pal Barbara Effman to lobby Fort Lauderdale about grant moneys for the non profits they control . It violates federal laws to lobby for grant monies but that’s how Effman gets payback for helping pols in elections . IG you paying attention? Could this be true?
November 2nd, 2013 at 6:27 pm
But, but…she doesn’t register so she’s an “activist”
November 3rd, 2013 at 12:56 am
@21 – Great link, thanks!
The reference @7 about the BREC secretary involves a group of homophobic fanatics who were unhappy that the BREC secretary Cara Pavelock issued a written statement advocating public support for several Republicans who were recently listed in the Sun-Sentinel as favoring same-sex marriage. The knuckle-walkers, led by the infamous Rev. O’Neal Dozier, basically screamed “Heresy!” and tried to get her kicked out of office, with Dozier arguing that a vote not to kick her out was a vote for homosexuality. They lost, 92-32.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-10-29/news/sfl-broward-party-secretary-same-sex-marriage-20131028_1_broward-republicans-cara-pavalock-republican-party
In other news, the US Army’s academy for future Army officers, West Point, hosted its first wedding between two men Saturday. West Point had already hosted two lesbian weddings back in 2012.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/02/west-point-same-sex-wedding/3388545/
November 3rd, 2013 at 12:43 pm
I guess it is no big deal to Michael Rajner that of the two campaign expenditures LaMarca has to date one of them is to the 65th birthday and 28th pastoral celebration for O’Neal dozier at the signature grand in September. The TWCCC LaMarca has listed No doubt is a typo and it was the TWCC aka the world wide Christian center in pompano.
http://www.twwcc.org
I am sure chip was sharing his new found love of the gay community and the need of all to focus on their money and not their sinner way with the good reverend.
Right Rajner?
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:31 pm
I’ve got a new title for Michael Rajner.
Asshole.
November 4th, 2013 at 2:56 pm
“Asshole” is a new title for Rajner?
November 5th, 2013 at 1:06 pm
Tell Ron Gunzbuger to stop posting over and over on these blogs, and go do the job we pay him for, Ron is a vindictive little weasel
November 5th, 2013 at 8:34 pm
Ah, Michael. Did we hurt your feelings? Telling you the truth? Don’t worry. You won’t listen anyway you pathetic, stupid, jerk. Soon people will move on and you can go back to being the fucking moron you’ve always been. You childishly egotistical, intellectually challenged, emotionally retarded, morally fractured, piece of shit.