Scherer Shapes The Judiciary Once Again
Lawyer Bill Scherer, who has done more to shape Broward County’s judiciary in recent years, has done it again.
Scherer was the architect of today’s victory which put Judge Pedro Dijols on the November ballot.
It’s now in the hands of the appeals justices, but it is not certain the decision today by Judge Richard Yale Feder of Miami-Dade County will be appealed.
Time is short. The ballots have to be printed and mailed to overseas voters within days.
Feder’s order prohibited Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes from distributing ballots with the name Mardi Levey on them. Levey and lawyer Bernard Bober had beat Dijols for a place in the November runoff.
But Scherer believed Levey ran illegally since she used her maiden name which she doesn’t use otherwise. He drafted the suit which accused Mardi Levey Cohen of running with a false name.
As a strong voice on the Judicial Nominating Commission for years and a leading member of the Republican Party, Scherer has been instrumental in getting numerous judges named to the bench including Dijols and Cohen’s husband, Judge Dale Cohen.
Tuesday Judge Feder agreed with Scherer.
Say what you will about Scherer, but the bench has more diversity today than it ever had under the last Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles.
“I’m happy today, Scherer told me. “We got everything we wanted.
My sometimes guest columnist lawyer Sam Fields says, “I don’t know if Scherer is the most important guy when it comes to the judiciary. But he is surely somebody you don’t want to piss off.”
Scherer was clearly pissed off that the wife of one of his appointees challenged another one of his appointees.
The decision leaves some lawyers way out on a political limb. They had been supporting Dijols in the primary, but when he lost they promised to support Bober.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do now. I’m glad I didn’t write that check yet to Bober,” says one lawyer.
This isn’t over for Levey/Cohen. Several sources told me that their will be a Judicial Qualifications Commission investigation and a Bar complaint against her.
The best story on the testimony in the court is on JAAblog.
September 17th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Dat Mr. Scherer saved my ass. Please Mr. Scherer keep me safe. I take good care of you all in court.
September 17th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
4 words: Ilene. Lieberman. Ilene. Michelson.
September 17th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
A well connnected Republican has found a way to slow the ballot process in Broward County. What next: road blocks in Duval County?
September 17th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
If they had such issue with her name, or were aware of this case law all along, why wait and let her run for 4 months and then after he loses decide to file suit?
September 18th, 2008 at 5:23 am
Word is that Scott Rothstein is filing suit today against Scott Israel to kncok him off the ballot because its not right that someone have the last name of a county that is the homeland of most of the Broward condo voters.
September 18th, 2008 at 5:52 am
I miss those afternoon drinking with you, Bill. Bill, you’re the best.
September 18th, 2008 at 7:58 am
It is a great day. Whoever wins it is better than Mardi- she was the worst thing to happen to Broward.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I wouldn’t put it past that self-described Republican Scumbag Rothstein to sue Scott Israel or continue with the shenanigans he pulled in the primary.
I think it all goes back to his insecurity about his short stature.
I’ve compiled some interesting photos of Scott Rothstein with his Republican of the Month.
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/RepublicanHackery/LMD.jpg
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/RepublicanHackery/MrMrsRepublican-1.jpg
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/RepublicanHackery/sen_john_mccain-2_cas.jpg
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Buddy, are you going to write an article after the 4th DCA throws out the law suit for having no merit? Are you going to write about how the Fat Cat Republican lawyers just waisted $75,000 of the Broward taxpayers money trying to manipulate another election. Isn’t this the same attorney who tried to prevent Al Gore’s votes from being counted in Broward. Isn’t this why people hate lawyers? Don’t forget Buddy, there are numerous high ranking female politicians in Broward who use their maiden name in public life and their married name in private life. Don’t be such a sexist. Write that article Buddy, write it!!!!!