Update: Ritter’s Father Busted For Pulling Gun on Mayor
POSTED HOURS FIRST ON BROWARDBEAT.COM
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Broward Mayor Stacy Ritter ran from her Parkland house and escaped to a neighbor after her father pulled a gun on her at the front door tonight.
Her father — former Tamarac Commissioner Ed Portner who is running for mayor — was arrested about two hours later at his Tamarac home.
Ed Portner’s mug shot
Ritter is safe.
Portner was charged with armed burglary of a home and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The charges carry heavy minmum manditory sentences and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The mayor and her 84-year-old father have been feuding recently and haven’t talked for weeks.
Portner is running for mayor of Tamarac in the November election. Ritter, after trying to talk him out of the race, endorsed his opponent, incumbent Mayor Beth Talabisco.
The incident began at 8:15 p.m. at Ritter’s Parkland home, according to Ritter’s husband, Russ Klenet.
“There was somebody at the front door. Stacy opened the front door and her father was there,” Klenet said. “He lifted his shirt and pulled out a gun and pointed it at her.”
“He said, ‘We have to talk,'” Klenet said.
She asked her father to wait while she got a drink. The mayor then fled the house through the garage.
Ritter ran to the home of neighbor Mike Moskowitz, a well-known lawyer.
“She was frightened for her life,” Klenet said.
Sheriff Al Lamberti was advised of the situation.
Portner left Parkland and drove to his Tamarac home, where he sat down and watched TV. Sheriff’s deputies followed him to the house, waited at the scene and eventually took him into custody.
“The family is very troubled by the incident and hope that he will receive the help he needs,” Klenet said.
Ritter, second from left, and her father Ed Portner, wearing a beard, in happier times
Some of Portner’s history was recounted in an earlier Browardbeat.com post here.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:28 am
Buddy, did you column drive him mad?
October 7th, 2009 at 5:53 am
Nice scoop Buddy. As of 8:50 AM your blog is the only news source with this story. I guess this puts an end to Mr. Portner’s election bid. I never thought he had a snowball’s chance anyway. He was a terrible commisioner and would have made a worse mayor.
FROM BUDDY: I hate to brag, but it was on Browardbeat.com before Mr. Portner was in custody and then updated.
October 7th, 2009 at 6:20 am
What a terrible tragedy for the Portner family. Politics appears to have destroyed this family.Mr. Portner obviously is suffering from severe depression and needs medical assistance.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Has anyone thought that he was just at Ritter’s house to effectuate a citizen’s arrest for Mayor Ritter’s involvement in the Mutual Benefits scandal?
Well, then again, probably not.
October 7th, 2009 at 11:09 am
He was flashin his 9. Like a thug. Like a gansta. He is going to be under supervision for a long long time. No More Golf For you CRIMINAL. Ed wanted to be Mayor but he’s in the jail house now.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Considering his history of erratic behavior before last night as outlined on this website, it sadly sounds like Mr. Portner has a classic senior dementia. What he needs is treatment, not jail time.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Portner needs to be put away. He shouldn’t be allowed on the streets . He’s a danger to himself and others. Any judge that let’s Portner go free will probably sweat every minute hes out.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
so sad…I agree he needs treatment, and to be AWAY from weapons.
October 7th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
He Studied At The Fitzroy Salesman School….
October 7th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I heard that he was a bill collector for some unpaid interior decorator…
October 7th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Some of you people are so nasty look in you own backyard ,the man needs some help.Half you people need to do community service and stop throwing Stones Print your Real name get a frecking LIFE