Lamberti Tells Channel 10: Gunzburger Probe Not Going Anywhere
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Sheriff Al Lamberti admitted it: The investigation into County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger is not going anwhere
The sheriff’s statement makes the timing of this bogus probe look even more suspicious.
I agree with Gunzburger’s contention at a news conference Thusday.
This investigation was designed to destroy her re-election campaign. When it started to backfire, the sheriff quickly ducked for cover.
Lamberti told WPLG Channel 10:
“Quite frankly, I don’t this see (the investigation) going anywhere. It’s the same complaint (Hazlett) has made for the past 18 years.
So why did you spend any money on it at all, sheriff? It is not like there aren’t fresh corruption allegations to investigate.
Michael Hazlett recently complained to Broward Sheriff’s Office that the county park’ contract for recycled plastsic furniture and walkways was steered to the company owned by Gunzburger’s late husband, Better Than Wood.
He made the complaint after he talked to Gunzburger’s re-election opponent, former state Sen. Steve Geller.
What was Geller doing, anyway, calling Hazlett and the others involved in this contract decades ago?
That one is simple: Geller was trying to help his campaign.
Hazlett lost the contract to Gunzburger’s company in the 1990s, which submitted a lower bid.
Lamberti’s remarks backed up Browardbeat.com’s contention that the investigation was a long shot.
The sheriff did not admit that he had launched the investigation in an effort to defeat the re-election of Gunzburger, a long-time opponent of his budget requests and whose daughter he fired from BSO.
But the Sun-Sentinel quotes Geller as saying he and the sheriff talked repeatedly before the investigation began. Geller said the discussions were about union matters and that the campaign didn’t come up.
Pleeeze, Steve.
Lamberti and you are both politicians. You both have a lot riding on the outcome of this campaign. Its hottest contest on the ballot.
And you, Steve Geller, expect us to believe the race between you and Gunzburger didn’t come up in these conversations?
If anybody believes that malarkey, I’ve got a bridge to sell.
July 2nd, 2010 at 7:47 am
I do not live in this district. But I guess the Sheriff may have had a seance and channeled Richard Nixon, created a new enemies list. Using an agency of gov’t in an attempt to subvert an election is the basest form of an abuse of power. There should be no suprise as to why the Public has no respect for and mistrusts the system and the politicans..This county needs one gigantic colon cleanse
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:58 am
What did anybody expect from a lying professional lobbyist Geller and his lacky Lamberti?
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:25 am
I love this blog. It was here that I learned to pay particular attention to this race. And boy, I have and it’s been interesting. I believe Mr. Hazlett. I believe Mr. Geller. I believe Lamberti. I believe Gunzburger is vile and would do ANYTHING to keep her power including lying about a “third/Fourth” source, I’ve never heard of such a thing…sounds like an attempt to obscure the facts as they are so far in this INVESTIGATION. Mr. Hazlett let the cat out of the bag, maybe to put pressure on BSO to follow thru, or maybe just to hurt GUNZBURGER…he must be very pleased with himself. I can understand you suspect Geller but I really believe Mr. Hazlett. He has been very vocal everywhere this is being discussed on the web.
YOUR BLOG IS THE BEST!
July 3rd, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Going into this race, I thought Sue GONESburger at least had a little class, but boy was I wrong! A little adversity and her deceitful side bubbles right to the surface like a big fart in the bathwater.
A friend forwarded me an email (the Cook’s not on Sue’s campaign list) in which she claims:
“A witch hunt — which confidential BSO sources tell us — Lamberti personally authorized in collusion with my election opponent Steve Geller.”
What a load of crap! Ronnie-boy makes up a lie, blames it on a “confidential BSO source”, Sue swears to it and thinks she walks away smelling like roses.
Nonsense. Sue, that stench coming off you is from the cesspool you’re wallowing in, not the local florist. You should be ashamed.
And what a lousy hypocrite you are! You (deceitfully!) claim Geller attacked your dead husband (if the facts constitute an “attack” then you have a LOT to worry about!), then the first thing you do is throw poor Gerry under the bus by blaming all your troubles on HIM.
According to Sue:
*Gerry was an astute business man who made millions, except when it comes to the one business under investigation for insider manipulation of county contracts. In that instance, he was an incompetent boob that somehow managed to LOSE money.
*She doesn’t know “anything” about his business, yet she “knows” that none of her current fortune came from the plastic-wood contracts with Broward county. Gee, Sue, you’re a little “selective” in your knowledge and memory of your husband’s business dealings!
*She claims she’s a political victim, yet that makes her an even BIGGER hypocrite than the rest of her crap. She states as FACT that Geller conspired with Lamberti, even though there is not one shred of evidence to support her lies. If I claim that an “insider” told me that Sue was the brains behind Scott Rothstein’s ponzi scheme, does that make it fact or even believable??? Face it, Sue: you and that demon-spawn son of yours are LYING to try to divert attention from yourselves, the same way you’ve dealt lies and innuendo this whole campaign.
Put up or SHUT UP. You’re panicking because you’ve got the first credible opponent in two decades and you know you’re going to lose. Since you have no achievements or accomplishments to run your campaign on, you’ve resorted to what you and your son do best: lie, distort, and manipulate the truth.
I can’t WAIT until August 25th when we can all collectively flush the toilet and be rid of politicians and campaigners like you. P.S.: you can take about half the rest of the commission with you!
July 3rd, 2010 at 4:52 pm
David: Dont underestimate the Gunzburgers on this. The phone records will back this up, plus I’ve heard they actually have real, identifiable insider witnesses. They’re holding back and playing you guys … ya know, give you enough rope and you’ll hang yourself. Your side is scared, rightfully so. None of you want to end up in prison on conspiracy charges. You guys left a trail of phone records, text msgs, etc. Steve even had a prominent elected official relay the threat of this to Ron a few months ago — and that official will be able to testify to it. You guys are f***ed. Too bad, so sad (actually, it’s nit at all sad … our side sat back and waited for you morons to carry out this idiotic frameup scheme).
July 3rd, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Tommy:
I almost always agree with you, but you have 1 fact wrong in your letter.
Sue was very clear in her Press Conference as to who her source was. Sue stated that she had heard it “third or fourth hand” from someone who “MIGHT” have heard Lamberti and Geller discussing it.
With Credible evidence like that, how dare you question her sources or honesty?
July 4th, 2010 at 5:16 am
* Mrs. Gunzberger’s past includes counseling and social work.
* Mr. Geller’s past includes making his living from his political connections.
* MR. GELLER HAS MADE MILLIONS WHILE IN PUBLIC OFFICE. How did he do that?
* Most of HIS assets were gained from political connections.
* Most of HER assets came from an inheritance.
* He accuses her of wrongdoing, knowing full-well that the Florida Ethics Commission cleared all of the business that he now accuses her of being against the law.
* She is on the defensive. No. It is time for Mrs. Gunzberger to go on the offensive. It is time for Mrs. Gunzberger to inform the voters about Mr. Geller’s in-office performance.
* How did Mr. Geller become a millionaire once he became a politician?
* Who did he rub shoulders with?
* Who is in jail now, who was Mr. Geller’s ‘buddy’ when Mr. Geller made most of his money?
* Who was indicted or convicted while Mr. Geller worked for or with him?
* What has Mr. Geller done ‘behind the scenes’ when contracts were awarded that produced money for Mr. Geller, either directly or indirectly to family or in-laws, while Mr. Geller was on those state committees?
* Mrs. Gunzberger’s husband had a product that was used pursuant to SEALED, low-bid awards. NONE OF THE COMMITTEE THAT CHOSE THAT PRODUCT knew that it was her husband’s product.
* MR. GELLER HAS MADE MILLIONS WHILE IN PUBLIC OFFICE. How did he do that?
July 4th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
ROTFLMAO…ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. ha. ha. ha. GUNZBURGER must being FUMING!!!! Keep trying, it’s all you can do…ha, ha, ha, ha!!! TOO FUNNY!
July 4th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
I love the writing style of “I get itâ€. String together a few bizarre statements and questions. Let me try.
Who was the lobbyist who gave Gunzburger the special gift? What was it? Who ate the missing pizza slice? Why is the last slice actually called the pig slice? Is it just a coincidence that Sue’s shirts are green? Is that even really her last name? Isn’t it true that she had a cousin who was a neighbor of someone that had a brother-in-law who knew someone in organized crime? Who had the nervous breakdown after meeting Gunzburger? Why did the dog bark in the night? Who did Gunzburger rub pinkies with? Was the jewelry counterfeit?
Hey this is fun!
Unless you know stuff that no one else does, you seem pretty good at making stuff up. How do you know that no one on the committee that chose the product knew that it came from Sue’s Husband? How do you know that there was a committee at all? Was there?
Geller made millions of dollars during the 20 years that he was a politician and a lawyer? I bet most lawyers earned millions over those years. Geller’s net worth went up what, a million? A million and a half? During Sue’s 20 years on the commission, her net worth went up three or four million? And you’re accusing Geller?
Please enlighten us as to which of Geller’s family made money on the contracts that he awarded while serving on the committees. I didn’t know that the legislature awarded contracts, or that Geller has in-laws, and I’d love to find out if he earned a lot of money for them, like Sue did for her family. Please, name names, instead of asking stupid questions.
July 5th, 2010 at 7:02 am
There was no SNC committee that selected the plastic lumber contract winner. The County used a competitive bid (sealed bid-low bid wins) process. If anyone bothered reading Hazlett’s bid protest (Sentinel posted it last week), it can be summed up as: “there is no way Gunzburger can do it as cheap as the price he bid.” But since Gunzburger did deliver at that price, Hazlett’s protest was a joke. He lost for a simple reason: his price bid was over $300,000 higher than the low bid.
July 5th, 2010 at 8:49 am
You can try to twist the truth all you want. Sue is the unethical one. She is the one being investigated. Sue’s net worth is 4 times what Gellers is. She lined her pockets while she was a full time commissioner. Her fellow commissioners voted to award hubby the contracts while she sat on the commission. She was crooked then and is crooked now.
July 5th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
All GUNZBURGER has to do is PROVE (with documentation) when & from whom she got her millions. She says they lost money? Really? I don’t believe it…does anyone? WHERE ARE THE DOCUMENTS TO PROVE IT? The sooner she does, the sooner this cloud goes away…but GUNZBURGER has NEVER done so. WHY?
July 6th, 2010 at 4:31 am
Yaki, go look at all her finiancial disclosure forms over the years. Gunzburget already was a multimillionaire when she was first elected to the commission in 1992. She self-financed her first commission campaign from her own pocket.