Great Scott! Candidate Found With Opponent’s Sign In Trunk

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

Great Scott!

There was no doubt surprise in Fort Lauderdale City Hall when longtime political fixture Jackie Scott was caught with an opponent’s political sign in a van parked at her house. 

Here’s the story, according to a local Internet site: 

When Fort Lauderdale Commission candidate Mike Lambrechts’ signs started disappearing, he embedded Apple Airtags in some of the remaining ones. 

Airtags advertises that it leads an iPhone right to missing items. This time it led the police to discover one of the missing signs — in  a van at her home. 

Scott has not been charged with a crime. 

 

 

Jackie Scott: Candidate who is also a champion poker player

 

She is one of Lambrechts’ six opponents for a Fort Lauderdale Commission seat.

First revealed by the website Red Broward, the news about Scott was a shocker to me. I’ve known Scott a long time. Back in the day she was one of those who hung around Bar Amici, a politicos’ watering hole in east Fort Lauderdale. She always struck me as smart and savvy. 

Plus she’s a champion poker player who has competed in major tournaments.

So why mess with lawn signs? 

Especially since Scott is already a favorite of the City Hall crowd of lobbyists, builders and real estate investors.  As of the end of July, her campaign had collected $109,635 for a district race. 

 So why mess with lawn signs? 

Since numerous studies have shown they have little or no effect on a race. 

Most sign messages get lost in a blizzard of other signs. Signs quickly become part of the background blur if they are put up too early, like any posted now for November’s Fort Lauderdale Commission. 

Still, in every election cycle some disreputable campaigns are stealing signs right and left. 

AirTagged signs won’t stop the shenanigans any more than security cameras do. It is a bizarre side show in a campaign that until now notable for the new generation of political players surfacing to replace Commissioner Ben Sorensen. 

For instance, Lambrechts is backed by John Loos. He is the son of developer Jack Loos, a veteran Fort Lauderdale mover-and-shaker. 

Another candidate for the same commission seat Kevin Cochrane is backed by John Rodstrom III. He is the son of John Rodstrom, a former Broward County Commissioner and Broward Mayor,  plus  Mayor of Sunrise. Charlotte Rodstrom was the Vice Mayor of Fort Lauderdale.

The Fort Lauderdale race will be decided in November.

 

Palm Card Blizzard

 

Voters are being bombarded with palm cards on the eve of early voting. Which endorsements should a voter take seriously?

Very few. 

Something voters should remember is that endorsements on many of these cards are for sale. They are mere advertisements.

Even legitimate endorsements are overrated.

The Sun-Sentinel endorsement may still have some weight among their fast dwindling readership. May.  

But how valid are those Sun-Sentinel endorsements when the paper doesn’t cover much of Broward? And doesn’t reach most of the voters?

Hmmm.



22 Responses to “Great Scott! Candidate Found With Opponent’s Sign In Trunk”

  1. Old Timer says:

    Newspaper endorsements used to be almost as important as endorsements from Trinchi and Bert Lichtenstein!

  2. Kaila Rutherford says:

    So why does she mess with lawn signs then? Hummm….

  3. John T Loos III says:

    Thank you for the mention Buddy, I am humbled by it: The District IV race is definitely interesting, My father has been retired from development for almost 15 years. Yes I am a local that cares about the community and learned a lot from both my father, John Rodstrom Sr and many others over the years in this city, I am focused on cleaning up the polluted waterways with Cleanwayerways.net and prioritizing infrastructure, public safety, clean waterways and my work on affordable housing as a Commissioner of the Broward County Housing Authority a gubernatorial appointment and a responsibility I take very seriously. Also being a great father to my three sons and husband to my incredible wife.
    I am supporting Mike Lambrechts because of his character, knowledge and a real person of action, not just lip service. I have nothing to do with development and neither does or has my father in decades. I care about preserving our community and getting the right intelligent, go getter people in office. All the best to all candidates in the race and John Rodstrom III as well with his ambitions to help out our city.
    Sincerely,
    John T Loos III

  4. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    Scott should be prosucuted…At very least should should be charged w/ misdemeanor vandalism.I mean play fair.Would she cheat in a poker game?.No,cause she knows better.Well???.

  5. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    🐖…

  6. John Rodstrom III says:

    Great article Buddy. Should be a fun race and its surprising to see such intensity so early. My parents are also endorsing Kevin. We are all upset with the direction the City has taken and do not believe the other candidates are up to the task. Both Jackie and Mike seem to be backed by the establishment….

  7. W Thorp says:

    Ms. Scott wants to build more, build more. Vote against her.

  8. Anonymous says:

    As this article and one in the newspaper indicates, Scott does not have the temperament to be a commissioner. Anybody who would be anyplace near sign stealing should not be part of Fort Lauderdale Commission.

  9. Cheryl Massey says:

    Where was Mike placing his signs. Swales? Not allowed. Maybe they were illegally placed and he’s not playing fair. We need all the info before judging. Having posted this comment, I have to say, neither one is getting my vote. It appears Mike spends all his time at sea catching fish. How on earth can you get ahold of someone who’s out on the water. I’ll be voting for Ted Inserra. I used to love when we had Cindi Hutchinson. Need to reach your commissioner, just call her # and she ALWAYS answered. For that reason alone, I’d never vote for either of these nor the Doctor who is also running. Good Lord, wouldn’t you hate to be his patient? Is he going to treat or what?

  10. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    I saw the Front Page piece on Ms.Scott.SB did per usual a great job relating the facts to the resident/ reader.I do not believe her BS excuse/ reasoning etc( where we always catch them is the cover up)in her statement etc as to what happened ( according to her).She stated just a mix up( sure) in that she had permission from the resident/ owner to remove his sign.Ok.Why then was this a relative, constant episodes where his signs kept coming up missing ( love the Mellinals) so he puts( bravo) a GPS on the signs.He has another sign missing.He traced it back to where Ms.Scott ‘ s car.He calls the police they accompany him( her big mouth u bet he brought, the cops( I wouldn’t trust her either) he then confronts her,she stated the resident stated to remove the sign.Now if the resident didn’t want the sign( but he wanted yours though Jackie) they would have trust thrown it in the trash,not have notified u( why).Then she goes on to say to paraphrase ” oh it’s no big deal,just a mix up( the sign was found in a car presuming yours or friend,lover,roommate, gambling buddy etc at your home( key).Upon discovery she should should have been arrested.But I get the resident where the sign was taken was the one to press charges,oh no the sign was property of the candidate,( this is where I’m gonna nail her) the canidate had permission to put the sign on the home owner s property ( what u think the canidate on his own accord put the sign on their front lawn ( in Rio Vista mind u).Then Scott stated homeowner didn’t want the sign( but wanted yours though) on their lawn and stated to Scott remove the sign( pattern ( key) here where did all his other signs go( u,I suspect removed them).Plain & simple she got busted,all the way to the Front Page of the newspaper ( priceless)..

  11. Fyi says:

    Red broward scoops then Sentinel yet again….

  12. FTL Voter says:

    I’ve never understood stealing signs. They do get under the skins of opponents and campaigns go nuts to put them everywhere. But signs don’t matter much at all. When was the last time you were going to vote for Mary but changed your mind to vote for Joe because he had a pretty sign and Mary didn’t do any signs? Never! That’s why what Scott did was so dumb.

  13. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    First of all welcome back Buddy.I find Broward Beat so informative & sometimes u r kinda caddie w/ your comments.I followed u for well over a decade.Ok enough w/ the pleastries.The last comment in regards to maybe( key speculation/ assumptions no I go by what SB reported,I trust her) that the signs( his) could have been placed on Swales,no she even by her( Scott) own accord,admitted she took the sign or her friend lover, degenerate gambler buddies( never trust a gambler- never) no skunk u took the sign it was proven established it was in your car I’m assuming on your property.Enough stated.She got caught.She is trying to cover it up.Vendetta from the police debt( oh no u don’t.The police were called and petitioned by resident ( this victim,the other canidate) that a crime( which occured ( key) & they( cops) responded.So no way they law enforcement acted on malice towards u.No way.To the cops,I got your back.Let her get on that Said and not play ball.I will remember this incident ( criminal).Scott got caught.She cheated.Great reporting SB( & she gets cute w/ u,alot of us r here for u).

  14. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    Meant to say dais.And Cindi Hutchinson,r u serious.She was arrested,did jail time for her actions on the commission..Then the doctor ( who deserves the seat,he only lost by 67 votes to Sorenson) ok then u insinuate a Cardiologist mind u,u a lay person question his treatment or lack of to his patients,who u don’t even know or this doctor( I apologize on her behalf Dr.Walt).No bottom line if she gets on that commission & she delibrately gives the FOP etc a hard time I will remember this incident.Lesson learned here people- Never,never trust a gambler-,never( uh Bern)

  15. Davie Blvd Lawyer says:

    Follow the money:
    Scott contributions from Somerstein, Motwani, Lochrie, Crush, Abdo, Toothaker, Hudson, Rok – a who’s who of paving over Ft. Laud.

    Same for Lambrecht contributions – Lombardi, Forman, Berger, Milledge, Toothaker

    Voters should learn a lesson from Glassman & Trantalis. If most of their large contributors are developers, development is what you’re going to get regardless of their campaign slogan.

  16. Helen C Surovek says:

    Theft, albeit petty, by a candidate for public office requires disqualification, in my opinion. This is behaviour not representative of decency, good character or one that deserves to hold a public office.

  17. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    How many CD 4 voters care? You see here from the Darth of comments, basically NO ONE IN THE DISTRICT CARES. Good article, but involved’ voters.

  18. GMP says:

    I can got one story about candidate signs that will top this one. Back around 2005 or so I was voting at a precinct that was at a fire station. When I walked up to the table to sign for my ballot , I looked up and looked to the right of the building and saw about 8 or 10 signs for a particular candidate inside that precinct. There was a storage area that had no doors. You were able to see these signs up against the wall of the storage area very easily. I brought this issue to the attention of the person managing this precint. When I got home I notified the election office about the signs visible inside this precinct.

  19. John T Loos III says:

    Lambrechts was involved with Miles Forman and John Milledge in waterway clean up efforts, not development. Buddy did a previous story about our mission to clean the waterways. Lombardi does interior build outs of previous built buildings. Look at what a remarkable job they did to restore the property on the corner of 7th and 3rd ave I believe. Lomabardi restored a building that had been their for over 40 years. All of this is very different things when you talk about development. The Formans have not developed any commercial or multi family properties in decades in Fort Lauderdale to my knowledge. You can’t say the same for the other contributions to other candidates, Just check your facts, not propaganda is all I would ask. We are all trying to save our native born home town.

    FROM BUDDY:

    Absolutely right, John. You have a really promising project to find a way to clean our waterway.

  20. Davie Blvd Lawyer says:

    I forgot to mention Judy Stern is also contributing to Lambrechts. That is a fact, not propaganda.

    FROM BUDDY:

    Judith Stern Consulting gave $500 to Lambrechts on July 1.

    Yes, Stern is a lobbyist. She is also a long time resident of Fort Lauderdale and I believe she lives in the Southeast Fort Lauderdale district where Lambrechts is running.

  21. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Davie Blvd lawyer tells half the story
    I was one of nearly 20 single family homes that wanted things for my then street. I attended a local fundraiser AND WAS THE ONLY NON DEVELOPER or LOBBYIST there! Citizens DO NOT CARE even to contribute $50 to a campaign. Of course Ft Lauderdale politics is a whorehorse CAUSE THE VOTERS ARE CHEAPSKATES

  22. BG says:

    You’re not wrong! The Sentinel is a shadow of what it once was. It’s sad how far this once great publication has fallen.
    Its endorsements do not truly reflect those of the diversity of the county.
    Call the gravedigger.