Update: Candidate Removes Internet Claim That Judges Pressured Him To Drop Race
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Judicial candidate Lloyd Golburgh had a complaint that he has now removed from his Facebook page.
He wrote: “some of my favorite incumbent judges try to talk me out of my particular race and at least one try to talk me out of running against any incumbent altogether.
The bad syntax aside, that’s the charge on Facebook that Golburgh quickly removed after it was reported on Browardbeat.com.
Golburgh replaced his claim about judicial misconduct with a picture of him standing next to U. S. Rep. Alcee Hastings.
Voter alert! I very, very much doubt that Hastings is endorsing him
I, and others, have captured the original Facebook page where Golburgh claimed he was pressured to drop out of the race.
Here is Golburgh’s problem:
- Either he is spinning innocent conversations and no judge was trying to talk him out of leaving the race. If it wasn’t true, he could have real problems with the Bar and Judicial Qualification Commission.
Or
- He is telling the truth. Now he has an ethical responsibility to report these judges to the Bar and the Judicial Qualifying Commission.
I’m leaning towards the first bullet point. I’m told by two attorneys that Golburgh himself walked up to judges at the Emerald Breakfast on Sunday and instituted conversations about his race.
He reportedly asked the judges if they had “a problem” with him.
Several judges told him that they prefer he not run against an incumbent judge, especially a good one like County Judge Edward Merrigan Jr.
Golburgh was the one who started the conversation, say the sources. Golburgh was not being pressured to drop out of the race, as his posting on Facebook implies.
Golburgh’s Facebook charge is dynamite and reminiscent of the days of former Chief Judge Dale Ross, who discouraged anyone from running against any incumbent.
Ross reportedly didn’t adhere to the Code of Judicial Conduct, which require judges to stay out of other races.
Ross was charged with openly pressuring judicial candidates Jay Hurley and Ron Gunzburger in 2002.
A complaint was made to the Judicial Qualifications Commission about Ross’ alleged pressure tactics. The JQC took no public steps against Ross.
Golburgh did not return a call to his office to expand on his comment.
Golburgh may be getting the cold shoulder from the judiciary because he is running against the wrong judge. He is running against a good judge.
Golburgh is the criminal defense attorney with a heavy drunk driving practice.
He is running against Merrigan, an Iraqi war hero. Merrigan has double the experience of Golburgh defending and prosecuting all types of cases in the military in addition to an extensive civil practice in civilian life.
Golburgh did have a second comment on his Facebook page that has also been removed. In it, Golburgh stated that had been taboo in the past to run against an incumbent judge.
“However, times are changing. revolution is upon us. the judgeship is a six-year term, not a life-time entitlement. courage does not come without risk or backlash. but life is short and i believe G’d will protect me,” he wrote.
When combined with his first comment, does it infer that he needs protection from judges angry with his candidacy? I believe so.
Hmmmm.
March 15th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Lloyd should leave this race. He is doing a disservice to the judiciary and to the public because Merrigan is a very qualified judge. Lloyd is probably counting on his Jewish name to carry him which is a disgrace.
March 15th, 2010 at 11:52 am
Buddy — good article, but his name is GOLBURGH, not GOLDBURGH — don’t give him the false advantage of the Jewish surname on the piece.
And I’d wager he hasn’t fulfilled his ethical obligations regarding reporting alleged pressuring by judges to the Bar or anyone.
FROM BUDDY: Thanks for pointing out my spelling mistake. I corrected it.
March 15th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
You know, when I looked at that picture of Hurley’s signage over on the NT blog, I thought the spacing between “Retain” and “JOHN” looked “strange”.
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2010/03/jaablog_attacked_by_bar_group.php
So I snagged a screen shot and blew it up. I offer that image, except for the arrow and text indicating the area in question, as it…
http://idisk.me.com/chazstevens/Public/Pictures/Skitch/_Bar__Group_Going_After_Local_Blog_-_Broward_Palm_Beach_News_-_The_Daily_Pulp__Bob_Norman_s_Blog-20100315-132624.jpg
If you look at the spacing between those two words, man is it me, or does it look Photoshopped?
Now, I am not accusing anyone of anything just yet, but I’d love to snag the original copy of this picture (in NEF or RAW format)… Just to be sure…
Did you know an egghead (Hany Farid) from Darmouth College has come up with technology to determine if a digital asset has been altered?
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/farid/research/tampering.html
March 15th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
Yup, I’d go with what’s behind door #1 there also Buddy.
Candidates should remember they are governed by the same Canons as sitting judges for this kind of stuff!
And the Bar can get involved as well.
Maybe Lloyd shouldn’t take down the DUI practic shingle quite so fast.
March 15th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Golburgh has proven he is not qualified to be a judge. As you wrote, the language clearly infers he was being pressured. If his charge was true, why did he take it off Facebook? If it wasn’t true, why did he put it on Facebook in the first place?
March 15th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Hey Buddy;
From the Department of Wordsmithing…
You said. Golburgh is the criminal defense attorney with a heavy drunk driving practice.
Are you inferring to his personal or professional life choices?
FROM BUDDY: Only professional. He defends criminals, including those charged with DUI. 🙂
March 15th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Buddy
It is unfortunate that our wonderful Emerald Society event has to be marred by such silly unfounded allegations.
I find it interesting that Mr. Golburgh was seated at Barry Harris’ table with the candidate running against Judge Skolnik and John Howe’s who is running against a popular judge’s son. Also in attendance were other candidates challenging incumbent Judges Seidman, Pratt and McCarthy. I have heard nothing that any of these candidates received harsh words from the Judges in attendance.
It’s unfortunate that this year we had a great set of award winners along with our largest crowds ever and the event is now cheapened by Mr. Golburgh’s silly Facebook allegations.
At a minimum, Mr. Golburgh owes the Emerald Society and our award winners an apology, besides the obvious need to address the allegations he made against the Judges.
March 15th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Let me guess Nevins did Ahern leak this story to you? He has been trying to attack and hurt Lloyd since he filed against Merrigan. Everyone knows that Ahern is Seiler’s enforcer. Only a loser like Ahern would sit around people’s facebook pages trying to manipulate messages to hurt candidates. He has been running around behind the scenes doing a hatchet job on Mickey Rocque for Seiler’s buddy Luzzo as well until Mickey got out of the race today because he didnt want to deal with it anymore.
If anyone is owed an apology its the candidates like Earl Rynerson, Ed Salantrie, Heidi Berkowitz, Mickey Rocque and Lloyd Golburgh by you Ahern. It is people like you that ruin politics for good candiates that want to make a change for good.
March 15th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
@Michael G. Ahearn, Esq
Did you study grammar and/or the English language during your “college years”?
You speakda de English like it’s ESOL.
I’m just saying homey… I’d say send me an email, but you and I ain’t no longer friends Facebook there so right?
Hope that last bit made sense to you. I tried to rap in your vernacular.
March 15th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
Michael Ahearn is right. Mr. Golburgh owes the Emerald Society an apology for his ridiculous and unfounded charges.
March 15th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Golburgh has no idea what he is getting into having already violated numerous Judicial Canons before he is a judge. What a loser. Golburgh is a Hurley in the making. Simply put ….. a walking disaster.
March 15th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
If Lloyd was with Barry Harris it explains his bonehead comment. Seriously, what judicial candidate would hire a felon to run their campaign. I guess for Lloyd working with Felons is second nature so its not too much of a stretch he hired Felon Harris.
False accusation seem to follow Felon Harris around, so probably Golburgh’s accusations were some sort of strategy for attention/sympathy thought up by Felon Harris.
FROM BUDDY: I have no beef with Barry Harris. You obviously do.
The idea that Harris’ 1980 arrest for passing a bad check disqualifies him for handling campaigns is ridiculous. If long past transgressions prohibits one from working in politics, Democrats should shun the former Congressman and darling of the local party who did much worse.
Barry Harris paid for his crime, which occurred 30 years ago.
Harris said the adjudication was withheld. Enough said.
Let’s get on with the campaign.
March 15th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
I have no doubt Judges at the Emerald Society (aka the Irish Mafia) tried to get Lloyd Goldburgh to get out of Ed Merrigan’s race. Lloyd is probably afraid to come forward now.
P.S. Buddy where are you and Ahearn meeting for lunch tomorrow?
March 16th, 2010 at 4:30 am
You gotta love the Aturd’s Great Set of Award Winners-Scott Rothstein last year, this year: tada- Alcee Hastings. Wasn’t he removed from the bench for bribery, pays his staff (I mean girlfriend) $160K a year of taxpayer funds. Great set of award winners-what a joke!
March 16th, 2010 at 5:55 am
“…as his posting on Facebook infers.”
Buddy, it should read, “… as his posting on Facebook implies.”
The reader is the one who infers something from what the writer has implied.
If journalists and other writers who ought to be the last bastians of grammar/word usage in an increasingly illiterate world, can’t get it right, there’s no hope left!
Bad grammar sounds like a drawer full of silverware dropped on a tile floor. Can’t you hear the clanging?
FROM BUDDY: Thanks for correcting my mistake. I need an editor!
March 16th, 2010 at 6:13 am
Dear Chaz
I have no idea why you have issue with me, as I have no issue with you. While I don’t always agree with your views, I have found your blog and comments around on other blogs to be informative and entertaining.
I see things as you do, when I post, I post in my own name. If you don’t like me, I welcome all comers to come tell me to my face and not hide behind anonymous blog posts.
When we had computer problems at our office the day you at our building, I was the first to say the problems were not caused by you. Heck, because of what transpired, I discovered our wireless network was not password protected and had my landlord fix it.
I have read a lot of nasty anonymous comments about you and take them with a grain of salt. Since you don’t know me I would ask you to do the same.
March 16th, 2010 at 6:19 am
I don’t believe he will face any scrutiny from the bar even if a complaint is filed. Does the bar want to open a can of worms like this with the first amendment.
Its is ironic that we are charged with protecting the very document that is used against us..is it not?
I am not a huge fan of some blogs, nor am I a huge fan of some of the candidates running in the election cycle…what I am a fan of is the 1st amendment and what it stands for, and what it represents….
When I was a young attorney I thought I could change the world, now I will be happy with just changing Broward.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
@Ahrearn
Fair enough.
I offer an apology… I had “suspicions” that appear to be unfounded.
Not only do I post in my name, I am also quick to apologize when I recognize I made a mistake.
March 17th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Chaz – big mistake buddy. There’s a reason they call him A-turd. He posts more anonymous stuff and spreads more false information than Joseph Goebbbels. Watch your back Chaz. This guy’s a snake in the grass.
March 17th, 2010 at 9:01 pm
@Broward Lawyer
Thanks for the kind words…
In the end, folks need to be 1,000x more concerned about me, then I about them…
C
April 12th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Judge Edward Merrigan Jr. is the BEST!!!!