Judge Dale Ross Roasted By Newspaper


BY BUDDY NEVINS

The Miami Herald has endorsed its first three Broward Circuit Court candidates, deliving a blow to former Chief Judge Dale Ross.

The newspaper also endorsed Julio Gonzalez for an open circuit court seats over three other opponents, stating his “experience as a judge is the crucial factor in this race.”  The paper called Gonzalez “smart, fair and respectful.”

Gonzalez was voted out of office in 2008 simply because his name was Spanish.

The paper gave Michael Rothschild the nod over Julie Shapiro-Harris for another open circuit seat, writing that his “experience gives him the edge in this race.”  It added that Rothschild, the son of Judge Ron Rothschild, has some interesting ideas about using technology to cut down on the backlog at the courthouse.

But it was the snub of Ross that was most interesting.

The Herald said:

“Broward voters should consider whether Judge Ross has been around too long already.

Judge Ross served as chief judge for 17 years but was forced to step down in 2007 after a series of scandals during his tenure and allegations of improper behavior on the bench, including allegedly disparaging remarks toward defendants. The scandals involved, among others, a pot-smoking judge and another judge openly weeping on the bench and displaying inappropriate behavior.

The Fourth Court of Appeal has cited Judge Ross numerous times for abuse of discretion and being pro-prosecution. In one instance, he was admonished for giving advice to a young prosecutor on how to obtain a stronger sentence. The appellate court said he “crossed the line of ostensible neutrality and impartiality.

One such instance would not be significant, but repeated controversy during his decades on the bench suggest it’s time for Judge Ross to step down.”

Ouch.

It only mentioned Ross’s opponent Mickey Rocque as an alternative to Ross in passing. It telegraphed that it was only choosing Rocque because it disliked Ross.

Surveys have found that voters believe that newspaper endorsements are the only ones that are totally independent.  The Herald has nothing to gain from who becomes judge.

In this day when newspaper readership is dying off, the endorsements would be losing their clout if they were confined to print alone.  They are not.

Smart candidates reproduce the endorsements and distribute them in flyers and in e-mail blasts.  They are send out part of campaign mailings.  The attacks on Ross could be sent out by someone other than Rocque, who can’t openly attack him  without the potential of trouble from the Bar.

The endorsements, which used to be worth several percentage points, probably still are.  They are just distributed different ways. And that’s too bad for Ross.

Read the Herald endorsements here.

 



24 Responses to “Judge Dale Ross Roasted By Newspaper”

  1. Plain Language says:

    Newspaper endorsements used to be important when people read newspapers. Today fewer than 10% read a newspaper anymore. Increasingly that’s because newspapers aren’t worth reading. They are not respected sources. We have better ways of staying informed assuming any such interest exists. Newspaper endorsements mean next to nothing today. The Sun Sentinel knows this. They have a policy not to endorse in local races anymore. They see it as a waste of time. It explains why their editorial page is so weak compared to what it used to be. Not even close.

    FROM BUDDY:

    I disagree. As I wrote, the value in these endorsements are how they are distributed after the newspaper runs them. In addition, newspapers have a higher “penetration,” the word the business uses to describe the percentage of households that receive the paper in a community, among likely voters. One reason is that likely voters skew old and that is the group that reads the paper.

    Also, I don’t stay in touch with the Sun-Sentinel editorial board folks, although I run into them now and again. I very much doubt that the Sun-Sentinel doesn’t endorse in local races because they realize that the endorsements “mean next to nothing today”. If your comments are accurate it is more likely that the cutbacks in endorsements are part of the general thinning out of the Sun-Sentinel to cut expenses.

    After I wrote this Howard Saltz, editor of the Sun-Sentinel, commented. See his comment below.

  2. Plain Language says:

    Can’t agree with you there Buddy. Sun Sentinel sells many fewer newspapers today than ever before. Review the win/loss records for candidates endorsed recently versus years ago and you will see. A newspaper endorsement is no longer the bellwether of success it used to be for politicians running for office. Put those two facts together and it also explains why the paper cut local race endorsements. That newspaper, heck all newspapers suck today. Journalism is in cardiac arrest, gasping for air, barely alive. The impossible happened. Newspapers became irrelevant to readers.

    FROM BUDDY:

    I never said the newspaper endorsement is “a bellwether for success”. I said it helps. Nothing can overcome a poor candidate or a lack of money.

    Also, I don’t agree all newspapers suck. The Wall Street Journal has increased its coverage in recent years. The New York Times is still the Gold Standard.Both still break stories that influence the national agenda. But both have successful paid websites.

    The local newspapers have deteriorated.

  3. disenchanted says:

    lets all vote for mickey because hes pro defendant and not ross because hes pro law a nd order….DUH

  4. Yada Yada Yada says:

    By Friday there will be a new story. It is June if this hit a month from now maybe it would have more weight. No one considers the Herald “the local paper” that would be the SS.

    In 2.5 weeks Broward Supervisor of Elections will be mailing out an estiamted 80,000 absentee ballots, if Mickey doesnt have the means to do mail or cable it is all for naught.

  5. Slick Rick says:

    The Miami Herald should have vetted the candidate’s a little better. Had they done so, they might not have endorsed a candidate with pending ethics and Florida Bar. Now go figure.

  6. Slick Rick says:

    The Miami Herald should have vetted the candidate’s a little better. Had they done so, they might not have endorsed a candidate with pending ethics and Florida Bar complaints. Now go figure.

  7. Plain Language says:

    I’m talking about local newspapers in Broward where I live. Not in New York. You can defend the crap they print here all you want. It sucks and that’s why nobody cares who they endorse. The newspapers here have no credibility because their product is crap.

    FROM BUDDY: Where did I defend the local newspapers?

  8. Slick Rick says:

    Michael Ian Rothschild is stupid. Daddy is a judge and he should know better. If he had such great ideas, why was he at Lori Parish’s victory party? Judicial candidates can’t attend political events. Why was Mikey there? Lori mentioned that her husband couldn’t attend since he was a judge. If you’re that stupid, you shouldn’t be a judge.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Ross will be roasted by voters next. He is arrogant and rude and part of the group of old men who think they run the courthouse and who soon will learn they don’t.

  10. Just Beachy says:

    Buddy is as usual, correct & accurate. Although the SS has lost a significant readership since the internet explosion and take over, many quiet readers still love the custom of their AM paper and coffee and do take from the local rags that which they believe to be relevant and timely to themselves. Endorsements are influenced via several varied outlets but yhr paoers are still one of those to some who refuse to be discounted.

  11. Voter says:

    Ross wins in a landslide. The mouse is a joke.

  12. R. Mills says:

    Judge Ross was never forced to step down he chose to resign due to personal tragedy and physical problems. Specifically, within a year of stepping down, Dale’s brother passed suddenly and his wife was diagnosed with cancer (she survived) also at the same time Dale had to undergo double hip replacement and was unsure how long he would be recovering/doing physical therapy so he decided it would be best to step down.

  13. The Truth Wins Out says:

    As Chief Judge, Ross had no power to hire, fire and or suspend other Judges. Judge Korda (pot smoker) was investigated by and dealt with by the Judicial Qualifications Committee and Judge Larry Seidlin was cleared or all wrong doing by the Dade County State Attorneys Office.

  14. just sayin says:

    Ron Mills was paid $1,000 for that last blog post. Hope it was money well spent.

  15. Notocorruption says:

    The McClatchy/California Left-owned Miami Herald lost all credibility when they published sob stories about illegal immigrants/graffiti artists dropping dead tagging overhead signs on the Palmetto Expressway, dying when falling into traffic, their championing of the global warming crowd and every possible rumor that Fidel Castro was on his deathbed. Their endorsement, or any newspaper endorsement for that matter has no effect on my choices for public office. I prefer non-incumbents in almost all elections.

  16. Just The Facts says:

    To say Judge Ross is “Pro Prosecution” could be considered by some as “Tough on Crime”. Out of thousands of rulings, trials and other decisions in 32 years Judge Ross was rarely overturned.

  17. Chaz Stevens, Genius says:

    I long for the days of Bob Ross and his valium powered Happy Trees.

  18. Ross punching bag says:

    tried my first criminal jury trial 30 years ago before Dale. He could not have been more of an ASSHOLE!! This went on for years until the prick learned I was tight with a strong political ally. He quickly became my best friend. I hate pricks like that. When he was hiding during the Tompkins sex scandal. He had the balls to ask me to be his goodwill ambassador. Yea sure. Dale

  19. Dear Buddy says:

    Maybe someone ought to ask Mickey about why he signed on to represent a party in a multimillon dollar commerical litigation case before Judge Ross when in his 25 year career he has only been involved in a handful of civil cases none of which involved commerical litigation. Of course once Mickey entered the case the parties immediately moved for a recusal of Judge Ross. Seems very convenient,no? One could be left to wonder if the reason Mickey even ran for Judge was to enable the parties in the million dollar lawsuit to recuse Judge Ross, with big money on the line, anything could be possible? Maybe things like this are not just topics of Grisham novels?

  20. Buddy says:

    Mr. Nevins:

    There’s speculation on BrowardBeat.com that the SunSentinel won’t endorse candidates, or won’t endorse many candidates, in local elections. I can see why people might think that.

    In fact, we will endorse candidates this year in all 38 contested primary races in our coverage area. That’s Broward County and the part of Palm Beach County south of Hypoluxo Road. Yes, all of them: Judges, countywide races, school board, state legislature, Congress and U.S. Senate. We won’t endorse in uncontested races.

    Endorsements will appear starting at the end of the week of July 9, and ending around Aug. 7, which is a week before the primary.

    I was going to add this to the comments on your site, but thought I might share this with you directly instead. Feel free to re-post as a comment or in any other way. It’s not a secret.

    _________
    Howard Saltz
    Editor

    500 E. BROWARD BLVD., SUITE 900
    Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394
    954-356-4601

  21. Howard Saltz, Editor of The Sun-Sentinel says:

    Mr. Nevins:

    There’s speculation on BrowardBeat.com that the SunSentinel won’t endorse candidates, or won’t endorse many candidates, in local elections. I can see why people might think that.

    In fact, we will endorse candidates this year in all 38 contested primary races in our coverage area. That’s Broward County and the part of Palm Beach County south of Hypoluxo Road. Yes, all of them: Judges, countywide races, school board, state legislature, Congress and U.S. Senate. We won’t endorse in uncontested races.

    Endorsements will appear starting at the end of the week of July 9, and ending around Aug. 7, which is a week before the primary.

    I was going to add this to the comments on your site, but thought I might share this with you directly instead. Feel free to re-post as a comment or in any other way. It’s not a secret.

    _________
    Howard Saltz
    Editor

    500 E. BROWARD BLVD., SUITE 900
    Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394
    954-356-4601

    XXXXXXX

    FROM BUDDY:

    This should clear up those doubters who commented above. It is gratifying to me that the Sun-Sentinel continues to be a voice in the community as proven by their pending endorsements. I will be looking forward to the paper’s choices.

    Thank you, Mr. Saltz for clearing this up.

  22. Julie Deli says:

    What control does a chief judge have over what another judge does off the clock? Other reasons not to like him are true, but the author was a fool for blaming Ross for Korda

  23. Slick Rick says:

    Why are you ignoring the ethics complaint against judge wannabe MIKE ROTHSCHILD? TamaracTalk did a good job in getting the photos of Mikey showing up at Lori Parish’s victory party. If Lori’s husband couldn’t celebrate at the party, how can ROTHSCHILD? Inquiring minds want to know, Buddy Boy.

    FROM BUDDY:

    I saw that story in TamaracTalk. I didn’t see the picture you are writing about.

    So I have only your word that Mike Rothchild attended a political party. I believe that his attending the celebration would be in violation of the Bar’s ethics rules for a judicial candidate, but I’m no Bar expert and others tell me that such a visit would be okay.

  24. You make the call... says:

    do you think its more than a coincidence that david brown’s antics on behalf of franklin sands may have brought out someone to file a complaint against rothschid.

    See below

    http://www.jud6.org/legalcommunity/legalpractice/opinions/jeacopinions/2012/2012-03.html

    ISSUES

    May a judge attend a victory party for a person who was elected, without opposition, to a position such as mayor of the city in which the judge resides?

    ANSWER: No.

    FACTS

    The inquiring judge is a candidate for reelection and asks whether the specified contemplated conduct is permissible under Canon 7 of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct. The inquiring judge states that the elected official is a friend and it is possible that more than just people of one particular political party would attend and the victory party is not for one particular group.

    DISCUSSION

    As stated by Canon 7, a judge or candidate for judicial office shall refrain from inappropriate political activity. Canon 7A(1)(b) expressly forbids a judge and judicial candidate’s “public[] endorse[ment of] . . . another candidate for public office.”2 See In re Glickstein, 620 So. 2d 1000, 1002 (Fla. 1993) (“Canon 7A is absolute in its prohibition of public endorsements of political candidates.”). Section 105.071(4), Florida Statutes (2011), provides that “[a] candidate for judicial office shall not endorse any candidate.” (emphasis added). It should be further noted that Canon 2A states that “[a] judge shall . . . act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.” See also Canon 7A(3)(b). The commentary to Canon 2A states that a judge must “avoid all impropriety and appearance of impropriety.” As the Committee previously noted in Opinion 12-01(Election), response to question 3, an election-related activity that must be avoided at all cost is “involvement in the political races of others.” Fla. JEAC Op. 06-21.

    “The Code of Judicial Conduct contains no general prohibition against a judge or judicial candidate attending purely social functions, including [an elected official’s] function so long as no restriction in the code is involved.” Fla. JEAC Op. 04-21. In so stating, the Committee advised a judicial candidate, who was a personal friend of a congressman, against attending the congressman’s social gathering, which “appears to be a campaign function” because “such a function could cause a reasonable person to perceive attendance as an endorsement of the Congressman’s candidacy for reelection.” Fla. JEAC Op. 04-21. Cf. Fla. JEAC Op. 10-20 (judicial candidate may attend a town hall meeting which is open to the public and hosted by an elected state representative for the limited purpose of discussing the outcome of the legislative session and not to promote the representative’s political agenda).

    The Committee has also advised an inquiring judge who was facing a contested reelection and was married to a judge, against the judge’s spouse accompanying the judge to “campaign-related events.” Fla. JEAC Op. 06-13 (amended). In JEAC Opinion 07-13, the Committee described this appearance as “being an implied endorsement.” In the latter opinion, the Committee advised against a judge’s attendance at a candidate spouse’s nonpartisan “meet and greet” gatherings as a “very clear and improper endorsement” of the candidacy. Fla. JEAC Op. 07-13. In reaching its conclusion, the Committee determined that Canon 7A(1)(b) applies whether the endorsement is “by action or by words.” Fla. JEAC Op. 07-13. Cf. Fla. JEAC Op. 04-28 (judicial candidate may attend “meet and greet” function for judicial and non-judicial candidates given by a group of neighbors but “the judicial candidate should be careful to avoid saying or doing anything at the event that could be interpreted as an endorsement of other candidates who are present”).

    Here, although it is possible that the attendees would belong to more than one political organization and the party is not for one particular group, it appears that the party is not a “purely social function,” but a part of the campaign of the judge’s friend as it is a victory party to celebrate a successful candidacy.3 As the cited Committee opinions indicate, the judge’s “action” in appearing at a “campaign-related event” such as a victory party could give the impression that the judge endorsed the friend’s candidacy for public office. The fact that the candidacy was unopposed does not negate such conclusion as section 105.071(4) prohibits the endorsement of any candidate. Consistent with the reasoning of the above-cited opinions and the standards set forth in Canon 2A and Canon 7A(1)(b), the appearance of impropriety created when the judge attends a celebration for a candidate suggests that the judge should not attend the victory party.