Roger Stone: Rothstein Broke State Election Laws

BY BUDDY NEVINS

The feds and state authorities should be interested in this:

Political consultant Roger Stone says disgraced lawyer Scott Rothstein “regularly” broke state campaign laws by ordering employees to give campaign contributions and then reimbursing them.

 


His prime evidence the contentious 2008 race between incumbent Republican Sheriff Al Lamberti and Democratic challenger Scott Israel.   

“The last-minute double cross of Lamberti in the 2008 Broward County Sheriff’s race is a Rothstein classic, Stone says.

Stone says Rothstein played both sides of the fence, backing Lamberti while engineering last-minute contributions to a political committee supporting Israel.

Stone should know.  He had an office at Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler and worked with Rothstein’s help to elect Lamberti. 

“I couldn’t believe he was giving money to Israel while he was telling everybody he was for Lamberti, Stone says.

Stone’s proof:

* RRA co-founder Stuart Rosenfeldt contributed $90,000 to The Common Sense Coalition on October 15, 2008.  The Coalition financial report is here.

“It’s clear from campaign finance reports that The Common Sense Coalition was run by Israel’s campaign Stone says. “The first contribution to the Coalition came from Israel campaign manager Judith Stern on March 7, 2008. Stern would eventually contribute $6,000 to the ECO, which would later pay her $4,000 on December 18, 2008.

The Coalition’s chair is Todd Wilder, a Tallahassee political consultant who worked for Ken Jenne at the sheriff’s department.  Jenne worked at RRA.

* Another donor to the Coalition is SJM Consulting Group, LLC, which contributed $70,000 on October 24, 2008. SJM filed for business with the state of Florida on April 11, 2008, with David Boden as its registered agent and manager.

Boden served as RRA’s general counsel.

The contributions made by Rosenfeldt and Boden accounted for more than 40 percent of the funds raised by The Common Sense Coalition.  The Coalition bought ads supporting Israel. 

“Scott funneled the money in thru straw men Stu Rosenfeldt and Dave Boden, illegaly.Neither individual has the wealth to make contributions of this size. Rothstein regularly directed employees of the law firm to make campaign contributions and reimbursed them with cash, Stone says.

State law forbids anyone from making contributions through another person. Chapter 108.08 (5)(a) states  “A person may not make any contribution through or in the name of another, directly or indirectly, in any election.”

There are civil and criminal penalties and violations for violations of the state elections laws.  In addition, I am told that the feds could prosecute someone for mail fraud and other violations.



18 Responses to “Roger Stone: Rothstein Broke State Election Laws”

  1. sterno says:

    Where did Judy Sterno get the dough?

  2. Scumbag Stone says:

    Roger Stone has been demasked in Broward County. We know that he was behind the character assassination of Scott Israel. We know that he assassinated the character of Ken Gottlieb and Tim Ryan so that the Alan Mendelsohn puppet, Eleanor Sobel could be elected to the State Senate.

    Now he comes forward to try and distance himself from the Rothstein fiasco with “information” that he had at the time but did not act on. What makes Roger a scumbag isn’t merely that he lies about other people. After all, that’s how he makes a living. It’s how quickly he betrays his friends but only when it suits him.

    Crawl into bed with Roger Stone and sooner or later you get bit. That’s how scumbag snakes operate.

    You’re finished in Broward dirtbag. Move on to somewhere else. We’re all on to you here.

  3. Stoner says:

    Stone was entirely uninvolved in the Sobel-Ryan-Gottlieb race. The leg race Stone was consulting for at the time was the ECO working in support of State House candidate Richard Steinberg (who defeated Steve Geller’s brother Joe in the August 2008 Democratic primary in Dist 106 in Dade County).

  4. Chaz Stevens says:

    And then it dawned on me.

    Years after the fact, Bush apologist Scott McClelean spilled his guts on all the wrong doing of his boss.

    History is repeating itself with Stone trying valiently to claim his 19 minutes in the sun.

    Too little, too late Stone. STFU and find another sucker to spin.

    I’ve had enough. Someone give that fuck the gong.

  5. Richard Nixon says:

    My friend Roger Stone is a great guy. HIs critics are just jealous. I know because I had critics.

  6. The Truth 4U says:

    Those commenting about Roger Stone don’t understand that he was in a position to know Rothstein. The people closest to a crook are the ones who offer testimony.
    I think some of the criticism is just because he is a Republican.
    Roger Stone is very prominent and very smart and is hired by campaigns everywhere in the country. His tactics are not unusual.
    Judy Stern, David Brown, Dan Lewis, Bev Stracher, Barbara Miller, Ron Gunzburger, Barry Harris et al are just as dirty campaigners. They aren’t as bright and their names aren’t in the national media.

  7. Chaz Stevens says:

    Oh, he’s a Republican? That makes *all* the difference to me…

    To the gallows with him.

    Chaz Stevens
    Socialist

  8. Mark says:

    I have a serious question Buddy. Why do you or none of your colleagues ever bring up how convenient it is for Stone to all the sudden say he was “investigating” Scott all along. To me this sounds like a speed race to distance himself from Rothstein and charges against himself. Yes, We all believe he only rented an office from RAA and yes, that he only visited it once a month. lol

  9. I. P. Auphen says:

    I have only met Roger Stone on a couple of occasions.
    He is definitley one of the most interesting people that I have come across.
    Someone above talked about him lying. Please point out the dates and times that he has lied so that we all may know. As far as Scott Israel went, Stone covered himself. He got and affidavit to support the claim of theft by Israel.
    As an aside, if I had to chose anyone in the downtown crowd to have my back in a street fight, it would be Stone hands down.
    I see a different person. Stone is a man of his word.

  10. broward lawyer says:

    RRA/Scott Rothstein isn’t the only law firm in town to do that. Several very prominent law firms did that all the time back in the day. Probably still are.

  11. Stone's Mother says:

    Rothstein disappoints…I thought he as a loyal REPUBLICAN

    Rothstein is the one who ASKED Stone to save “Mr. Exciting” Al Lamberti. Stone laid out a strategy of unmasking Israel for the racist scum he is . Stone worked closely with Rich heffley, another GOP hatchetman to SWING 350,000 votes from Obama to Lamberti= and STONE and Heffely won. Stone did it gratis for Rothstein. Heffely made $100,000.

    THEN- in the closing days Rothstein funnels illegal contribs to ISRAEl who promises rothstein the BSO labor legal work.

    Stone does his MAGIC and……Scotty sells him out.

    LAMBERTI KICKS ASS ON ELECTION DAY

    The Rothstein demanded the legal work from lamberti who declined to take the $1M contract from the Miami firm that has it now,

    Funny Scott use to say MOE was a rat…but now who’s ratting.

    $3000 is a lot to get your name out of a “file” even with DB on the inside.

  12. Gev Ballagher says:

    Just as a reminder to everyone, it is alleged I only took $13,000 (and had a nice holiday party cruise with another SB member (Hope … dont you guys remember her and why are you alwasy picking on me when there are others to pick on?)). Anyway, it wasn’t really “money” since it belonged to the Feds. I mean, it isn’t like anyone is really out any money. So, see … compared to Rothstein allegations, I should get time served or maybe the government can dismiss my case and focus on other people. That would save them more than the $13,000 they say I took.

  13. Here's The Point says:

    While all these insider titans play around with their millions trying to get this one or that one elected so that they can reap the advantages of same, ads that they authorize during campaigns are playing in the homes of everday citizens trying to figure out how to vote.

    They hear those ads and they respond to them. It affects how the masses vote. Much of what is said on the ads is not true. It is spin generated by money contributed by those who have a business and personal stake in who wins the election.

    That friends is not democracy. That is some other form of government that is not represented by a flag with stars or stripes on it.

    It is time to flush all this kind of stuff out of Broward County. We the people can make Broward clean again. All we have to do is force these people to stop lying, stop stealing, stop trying to manipulate us, to vote against any candidate that is using negative campaigning.

    Negative campaign ads? Vote against those candidates always. Period.

    Only vote for the people who run on their records. Vote for the one that you think has the best record. Do not be manipulated like a puppet and take your community back from devils like Roger Stone who has made a living out of lies and manipulation.

  14. I. P. Auphen says:

    Question to Buddy:
    I have always wondered why in the world of politics, when one wishes to demean a person whom they disagree or dislike they put a “y” after their name?
    When them Dems began to hate Ronald Reagan, he became “Ronny”. George Bush became “Georgey” and now Scott
    Rothstein has become “Scotty”.
    Is there some political history or perhaps psychological infirmity attached to this behavior?
    Just wondering.

    FROM BUDDY: Why would anybody believe there is something wrong with having a “y” at the end of his name?

  15. Stoner says:

    “Here’s The Point” sounds an awful lot like the “we’re pathetic” whining of lobbyist Steve Geller and his do-boy David Brown.

  16. really stoner? says:

    Stoner:

    I just want to make sure I understand your view.

    If someone is complaining about the negative campaigning, that’s Geller’s campaign. If someone is using negative campaigning, that’s Gunzberger’s campaign.

    OK, sounds right.

  17. I am Here's The Point says:

    I am here’s the point and I am voting for Sue Gunzburger. Let’s get that very clear.

    I am thankful to Steve Geller for the good he has done in our community.

    But he is a lobbyist, alternatively a lawyer that does government related law, and I do not want either on the County Commission. Nothing good can come from that mix.

  18. see your point and raise you says:

    But he is a lobbyist, alternatively a lawyer that does government related law, and I do not want either on the County Commission. Nothing good can come from that mix.

    I see your point and raise you one:
    And nothing good can come from a lawyer whose mother is a dirty lobbyist, I do not want either in the state! No one wants any of that mix. Which is why It WILL NOT happen. Come say the entire district 91 commmunity.