Lower Campaign Limits Don’t Keep Lobbyists Out
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Lower campaign limits in Fort Lauderdale city races — $250 per contributor rather than $500 allowed by the state — have done nothing to diminish the influence of lobbyists.
Witness this e-mail from lobbyist Bernie Friedman, who is a minor player in Fort Lauderdale City Hall. Neil Schiller, another lobbyist at the same law firm of Becker Poliakoff, has seven clients in Fort Lauderdale.
The e-mail gives you an inside peak on how money is raised. Notice the prominence of County Commissioner John Rodstrom’s name.
It is natural that Rodstrom has a big role in his wife Charlotte Rodstom’s re-election.
Here’s why:
Charlotte Rodstrom could scoop up campaign cash as a member of the Fort Lauderdale City Commission.
With John helping out, she can double dip — grabbing money from Fort Lauderdale lobbyists and money from county lobbyists who want to curry favor with John Rodstrom.
Friedman is a much bigger player at the county’s Government Center than he is in Fort Lauderdale City Hall.
Here is the e-mail:
: Friedman, Bernie [mailto:BFriedman@becker-poliakoff.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 5:13 PM
To: Friedman, Bernie; Schiller, Neil
Cc: LaPlant, Colleen
Subject: 2 IMP EVENTS U DON’T WANT TO MISS; BROW COMMISS KEECHL; FT.LAUD COMMISS RODSTROM..SEE INFO
PLEASE JOIN BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER JOHN RODSTROM AND FT. LAUDERDALE CITY COMMISSIONER CHARLOTTE RODSTROM FOR LUNCH ON JANUARY 14, 2009. MAX. $250 PERSONAL CHECKS ONLY.
PLEASE ALSO JOIN US ON JANUARY 21, 2009 FOR LUNCH WITH BROWARD COUNTY
COMMISSIONER KEN KEECHL, $500 CORPORATE, PAC, PERSONAL CHECKS,LLC, ETC.
RSVP TODAY. THANKS. BERNIE FRIEDMAN AND NEIL SCHILLER.
Bernie Friedman
Attorney at Law
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.
Emerald Lake Corporate Park
3111 Stirling Road
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312-6525
954.985.4180 Phone
954.985.6814 Fax
BFriedman@becker-poliakoff.com
www.becker-poliakoff.com
January 19th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Another reason we should vote for Dean.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Lobbists lost their bet when they gave Rick Saltrick for the School Board 1 race. Teacher Union PACS from all over the state gave to Rick. That doesn’t make any sense. Ann Murray won with mostly lending herself money….so bull____ doesn’t always walk!!!
You go Ann give them heck.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
$250 limit….hahahaha you will see checks from the person, their firm, their wife and mother, probably their kids and their dogs.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
campaign finance reform is a joke in Fort Lauderdale, and Charlotte’s upcoming finance report will read like, eh, a commission agenda.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
This is addressed to Broward Voter.
Charlotte Rodstrom may be getting money from every developer and lobbyist in town, but she votes like she is a member of the Green Party. She turns down every development project that would change the character of Fort Lauderdale. I would know. I’m Don Hall.
FROM BUDDY: I very much doubt this is from Donald Hall, the former city attorney of Fort Lauderdale and a well-known lobbyist.
January 20th, 2009 at 7:16 am
Isn’t it ironic that the same web site that is complaining about fundraisers and campaign finance reform in Fort Lauderdale has a huge Vote for Jack Seiler in the margin.
January 20th, 2009 at 8:18 am
To Ironic in Fort Lauderdale, last I heard this is still a free country.