Geller Gets Another Fire Fighters Endorsement
BY BUDDY NEVINS
At some point Sue Gunzburger is going to have to put out the fire storm of endorsements blowing Steve Geller’s way.
Steve Geller
But she won’t have the help of the Broward County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local 4321 to extinguish that fire.
They endorsed Geller.
His campaign announced the Aug. 17 endorsement on Thursday. Campaigns often delay revealing endorsements, announcing them slowly one-after-another to build momentum.
Union President Walter Dix’s three-paragraph endorsement was enthusiastic.
“Steve certainly has proven his ability to be a leader and ensure that the public will have the best public safety services available 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a -eek, Dix wrote in the endorsement letter.
The endorsement is another blow to incumbent County Commissioner Gunzburger’s campaign. Former Senate Minority Leader Geller got the endorsement of the Hollywood fire fighters earlier.
Geller is challenging Gunzburger’s re-election in the 2010 Democratic primary.
It is unusual for a government employees union not to endorse an incumbent, but the county fire fighters don’t work directly for the county commission. They work for Sheriff Al Lamberti, whose budget is approved by the county commission.
Gunzburger was philosophical and hopeful in the future she can work with the union: “Steve has been there for them on the pension issues (in Tallahassee). In politics there are no enemies, only future friends.
She added that the endorsement was no surprise, since the county organization follows the lead of the Hollywood fire fighters.
September 17th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Geller’s support for extravagant pensions will bankrupt us all. Its time to cut unreaonable pensions, not expand them.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
How quickly we forget about 9.11. Here is a group of people who put their life on the line for us and you worry about pensions. I just can’t stand unpatriotic people like you who forget what our fire fighters went though 8 years and 6 days ago. Have you grown complacent Hollywood Resident? Have you forgotten how our fire fighters served and continue to serve us?
Six days ago, I hope you said a prayer for those people who put their lives on the line for each of us every day with a strong remembrance of what they have done and do for us. At least for your sake, you’re bashing the same people who 6 days ago this entire country said a prayer for.
How dare you.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
I have one word for Steve Geller. Mutual Benefits.
He was involved up to his huge belly in the ponzi scheme. Mutual Benefits stole money and handed it over to Geller in the form of campaign contributions. He took tainted money. He doesn’t deserve to hold office again.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Nobody gets to bring up 911 in connection with South Florida firefighters. Those men and women up there work for a living, what goes on down here is a joke.
Fire union endorsements go to the officials that they think will best protect their union contracts. Plain and simple. It has nothing to do with selecting the best person to represent a community. It’s all about protecting their own special interest.
Steve Geller has been selling his ass to make a living for over twenty years. First he became the insurance industry’s punk, then gambling, then development, Mutual Benefits, you name it, and now whoever wants to pay.
Fire, Police and Teacher unions have no credibility with the public anymore, their endorsements mean nothing like what they once were because folks know what it means. Not too soon from now, the way things are going, having a union endorsement will be seen as the kiss of death politically.
September 17th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Wow. What’s that say about Sue when the two unions that know her best go for the other guy?
I agree with “Hollywood Resident Forgets”. We took firefighters for granted BEFORE 9/11, we put them on pedestals for a while, now we’re actually ANGRY with them. People are just trying to find a convenient scapegoat for their economic frustrations. But firefighters, cops, teachers, nurses, etc., should be the LAST people we attack.
September 18th, 2009 at 5:08 am
The fire fighters now wrap themselves in the flag of 9/11 as an excuse to be overpaid and over coddled. Their pensions are a joke and their work schedules are, too.
Soliders in Iraq don’t make anywhere near the salaries of fire fighters, even if you add in the room (in a tent) and board (out of a can).
It’s time that public officials have the guts to reign in salaries and pension before we are all broke.
By the way, the New York City fire department get overly generous benefits and salaries. But they fight serious structure fires every day. There were 44 people who died in fires in NYC since the start of the year. The rsponse time in NYC is 4 minutes and 3 seconds. What is it in Hollywood? What do the Hollywood fire fighters do to earn their extravagant salaries — put out car fires maybe once a day! They do double as paramedics. I will grant them that.
Geller has sold out to the old ways of doing business and wants the taxpayers to continue footing the bill so he can get campaign endorsements. The statement that he was “with the unions on the pension issue” is enough for taxpayers to reject him.
Sue Gunzburger has some sense. She was rejected by the unions. She’s got my vote.
September 18th, 2009 at 6:43 am
This statement has nothing to do with Geller or Gunzburger. But unions have now become the enemy of the working class resident.
There used to be a time some decades ago when the union was the working guy’s best friend. But after years of going too far, of driving manufacturing out of our country, they have become the working man’s worst enemy. And this is why they no longer enjoy any membership to speak of except for government.
The original concept for the unions was to provide workers with some basic dignity and pay and working conditions that the old time business mogels shamefully refused them. But even then, there was a sense that the business itself should succeed. Today, unions don’t care if their business or government succeeds. They don’t if jobs are sent overseas or if people are overtaxed.
They just want more, and more and more for less work, and then they are bold enough to demand better working conditions than they currently have, which are outstanding by any stretch of the imagination. It is never enough for them. Their greed is a bottomless pit and they have no care for anyone else.
The person above who wrote hit the nail right on the head when she said that unions only endorse those candidates for office that promise to help them with their contracts. It has nothing to do with who would be better to run this or that in a community. It is purely and exclusively about them, to the intentional exclusion of others.
Unions have become their own worst enemy. That is why they continue to self-destruct. They have become the enemy.
September 18th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Union’s Punk:
If you were not so ignorant you would know that the Hollywood chief and some of his lieutenants actually went to New York after 911 to dig bodies out of the wreckage. One of them has lung problems because of all the toxic fumes in the air. So thank you for being so uncaring.
Furthermore, as an undecided voter in Hollywood, I keep seeing these claims about Geller being involved in this ponzi scheme and he was the insurance front man…yet I have not seen any concrete evidence on these claims. What actions did Geller take in Tallahassee to protect the insurance industry? What bills did he file on their behalf? If he was such a front man for the insurance industry, why was he so well liked by the Trial Lawyers who hate the insurance companies? If he was so involved with Mutual, why did they give 20 times more money to Republicans, according to Bob Norman’s column, who actually control the Legislature?
I’m just curious, I keep seeing these claims and no hard evidence. I am not convinced.
I am really starting to dislike these claims with no evidence. I am really leaning toward Geller simply because of the fact that he doesn’t sling mud.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Geller has no chance. He should hang it up.
Sue gunzburger has been a good commissioner who is against over development and for our neighborhoods.
Geller never saw a high rise he didn’t embrace. He is actually a developer’s lobbyist. We must say no to Geller, the union and developer’s stooge.
September 18th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Some of you seem to be unfamiliar with Steve Geller’s record:
“Geller served in the Legislature for 20 years and is widely acknowledged as one of the leading experts on both insurance and gambling issues…”
Sun Sentinel, April 14, 2009
“Former state Sen. Steve Geller says he thought Mutual Benefits were the “good guys with the white hats.” But he really should have known better.”
New Times, January 27, 2009
“In 2003, then-Sen. Geller embraced controversial Fort Lauderdale-based Mutual Benefits Corp., a company that brokered so-called viatical contracts, or life insurance policies at cut-rate prices, often from dying AIDS patients. As a matter of fact, he became one of the firm’s best friends.”
New Times, January 27, 2009
“I don’t think it’s going to go very far in the Florida Senate,” said state Sen. Steven Geller, a Hallandale Beach Democrat who is the point person in the Senate on insurance matters.”
Sun Sentinel, February 15, 2006
“Sen. Geller has been a very strong
legislative advocate of gaming…”
Reuters, August 27, 2008
“Steven Geller is a Partner at Greenspoon Marder law firm. Mr. Geller specializes in the areas of zoning and land use law and gambling law…and was the President of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States…”
Steve’s Bio, Gerson Lehrman Group, current
Geller was the point person in charge of insurance matters in the Legislature. The Governor, Republicans and Democrats turned to him for guidance on what to do in insurance for nearly 20 years. He is responsible therefore for the state of insurance in Florida today.
Geller is was the point person on gaming in the Legislature. The Governor, Republicans and Democrats turned to him for guidnace on what to do with gambling for nearly 20 years.
Geller, as point person on insurance, helped his new friends at Mutual Benefits, knowing as any expert should have known that they were dirty, in exchange for campaign contributions and who knows what else.
Any questions?
September 18th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Ronnie:
In your e-mail above, you end with the statement “any questions”? I’ve got one. Why are you such a lying little punk?
Steve’s a friend of mine. I’ve begged him to unleash the crap that he has on your mom. He keeps telling me that he’s trying to keep it clean, and that he doesn’t want to throw crap like you do while he thinks that your mom may still decide not to run. I think he’s naive. I think your mom’s running, and he should respond to your lies now with the true stuff that he’s got on you and your mom. I hope that he realizes soon that kindness is wasted on some people.
Let’s waste time and respond to some of your charges. First, Bob Norman seems to be in your pocket, and throws incredible amount of shit, and hopes that some of it sticks. Here, Norman hasn’t stated any facts, he just uses a lot of strong words with no factual support. Geller never represented Mutual or any of it’s related companies, or any of its owners, the Steiners. He told me that he was never on a boat or plane owned by the company or the owners. He never introduced any legislation for them. Norman makes a big deal out of the fact that Geller voted for a bill that Mutual supported. So did everybody else. It was the Chairman’s bill, and passed unanimously through every committee, and then 39-1 in the Senate, and 117-1 in the House. Everybody voted for it.
According to Norman, Mutual raised $3 million dollars in campaign contributions from 2000 to 2004. Norman says that over those 4 years, Geller got less than $20,000. That’s less than some of the corrupt lobbyists are each raising your mom in this one election. Most of the big money went to the Republicans, who were in charge, and their PAC’s. Geller’s a Democrat. Norman kept saying that Geller was Minority Leader during this time. Wrong again. Geller became Minority Leader years after Mutual was shut down. Norman decides on his own to make up shit about geller embracing Mutual, or Geller being best friends with mutual. Bullshit! no facts, just Norman trying to recreate 5 years later who was friend swith who. Unless he’s quoting anonymous sources. Just too many lies to respond to in detail. And didn’t you say Geller was about to be arrested? Oops, just another lie.
Geller absolutely was an expert on Gambling and Insurance. He was President Of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, and also President of the Mational Council of Legislators from Insurance states. In Florida, however, he was in the minority, a Democrat in a state where Republicans were over 2/3 of both the House and Senate. If Crist and the Republicans had listened to steve on gambling or insurance, they’d be better off today. Geller’s told me that he didn’t like the way that the Seminole or Miccosukee contracts were being handled.
Ronnie, the leaps of logic in your twisted little mind are astonishing. Geller knows a lot about Insurance. Therefore, even though he was outnumbered and outvoted, it’s his fault? Steve fought the insurers constantly. Geller was closer to the Trial Lawyers than I liked. The trial lawyers and the inurers hate each other. The consumer groups and the insurers hate each other. Labor and the insurers hate each other. Geller recieved legislative awards from Consumer groups, labor, and the trial lawyers almost every year. Stop lying about Geller.
Geller has chosen not to respond. Screw him. I’ve worked with him, I like him, but I don’t work for him. He should grow a pair and fight back. Ronnie, I know that you think that if you and your boy Norman keep repeating lies enough, that people will believe them. No more.
Ronnie: Stop lying.
September 19th, 2009 at 4:44 am
You have taken bits and pieces of newspapers quotes and placed them out of context to distort Geller’s record.
You keep alleging that Geller sponsored and voted for legislation that benefittd mural benefits. What’s the legislation? Show us a bill number…don’t give me quotes out of context!
You point out Geller is considered an expert in gaming and has pushed for gaming. You ignore however, that the gaming compact was created solely by the governor’s office without the consent of the legislature….is that what sue gunzburger is about? Ignoring the truth to suite her purpose?
Lastly you keep claiming Geller was the point person on insurance. Once again you are quoting out of context. Geller was the democratic point person in a legislature that is overwhelmingly republican. He did what he could to make the bill consumer friendly as oppose to industry friendly.
I know the writing style is that of Ron gunzburger. It’s full of half truths, out of context quotes, and distortion. Pretty much sums up sue gunsburger’s lackluster career…full of half truths, voting on issues based on facts that are out of context, and full of distortin. Btw, Ron your post was written at 12:25 pm on Friday afternoon, I hope you weren’t wasting my tax dollars writing on a political post on a goverment computer to spread lies to protect your mommy.
September 19th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Hate to tell you this, but I not Ron Gunzburger. Actually, I have never even met him.
Steve Geller, however, has used his public career to make a living and is only running for county commission because without an elected job nobody has any use for him. With Steve it is always all about him. It has nothing to do with public service. It always has to do with Steve Geller.
The very idea of that makes me want to vomit and that’s why he will be exposed. He is a hack, a self serving and unrepentant hack, the master of all Broward hacks, and we have no more use for that in our community. We must move beyond that for our own sake.
If you have stuff say to the public about Sue Gunzburger, go right ahead. Don’t threaten it, as if. Say it already. Take your best shot.
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:16 am
The gauntlet was layed down and two days later, not one word about Sue Gunzburger. So much for that story.
That cements the deal. There IS nothing they have to say about Sue because there is no dirt on Sue.
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Months mean nothing. Seeing that Geller hasn’t said a word about her husband’s contracts with Broward County doesn’t mean she’s clean. It means he just hasn’t resorted to the smear tactics so well employed by the Gunzburger campaign.
I am not sure if you can pinpoint any money flowing from the government to Geller. You can sure as hell believe that money flowed from Broward County to Better than Wood. After all, Broward County was BTW’s biggest contract.
Hmmm….I wonder why. I can draw more dots on that one than Mutual.