Sheila Alu Gets Special Interest $$$ In Race
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Sunrise Commissioner Sheila Alu styles herself as a person who hates lobbyists. She calls herself a new breed of candidate.
But her first financial report in her county commission race portrays her as the same old, same old.
Alu collected $16, 495 in the quarter ending Sept. 30.
The bulk of the money came from people doing business with Sunrise, big real estate owners and….a lobbyist.
Über lobbyist Ron Book and his wife gave $1,500. Book is the City of Sunrise’s lobbyist.
Another big contributor was the Forman family investment interests, along with partner Bill Murphy — $3,000.
When you look up Broward special interest in the dictionary you find the Forman family portrait.
Sunrise’s towing franchisee gave $1,000. Another $1,000 came from the hockey arena interests. Even Sunrise’s waste hauler Republic, who Sheila had a highly publicized tiff with, gave $500.
Alu spent $4,647, much of it with Strategic Technologies for consulting and printing. The firm is operated by Dan Lewis, former candidate for Fort Lauderdale mayor.
October 12th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Oh Crap!
October 12th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Well look who made the headlines today Att/Comm. Sheila Alu. Not a shock to anyone that she is running for County Comm. Ms.Immunity Comm.Lieberman seat. Keep your lips sealed my friends,she would rat on her own mother, in my opinion.And since Sheila is so famous for blogging on OUR DIME, whats up w/ all th etalk that you should be on a short lease when it comes to someone’s spouse??Loosey Goosey or not????
October 12th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
She won’t be complete sellout until she starts cashing checks from Becker Payoff & Piker. ( Friends of Stacy Ritter )
October 12th, 2011 at 4:43 pm
She’s leaving some money aside to buy a recorder so she can turn over everybody at her fund raisers to the FBI.
She has always been a phony. Was one and is one.
October 12th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Buddy:
How ironic you signal my campaign report out when you applaud lori parish and Jack silier for their fundraising reports. You’re fully aware these contributors are the same people who have donated to my campaigns since 2001. Moreover you know more than anyone that campaign contributions have no bearing on my votes. But, I do appreciate the publicity. I’ll be sure to let you know when I’m having my next fundraiser. You can save me on stamps! 🙂
October 12th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Shalu, thank you for openly admitting that you have been, and apparently will be a special interests money whore (please use loosely, pardon the pun). And for “a new breed of candidate,” well I’m sure that fits in there somewhere as well. Maybe the “new” part of her political career will be something unheard of, honest. Maybe we will actually see the real Alu, instead of the one who has obviously been hiding behind the guise of morale character and using the FBI as a means to gain credibility.
October 12th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
Buddy
It is nice to see balance I was starting to think Alu was a angel sent from heaven that is from a reporters point of view. When all I see is a devil in sheeps clothing or a moo moo which ever you prefe. As far as our friend Mr. Walsh’s comments I know she doesn’t have any problems with FIRES
October 12th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
Just can’t believe she wants to be a County Commissioner??? Afterall, does she really think anyone could trust her after wearing a wire for the FBI?
Makes one wonder what she did and how she did it and then got out of it by doing wearing a wire for the Feds? Hmmm…Hope she reconsiders!!!
October 13th, 2011 at 7:27 am
She is no hero. She inflated her own role in the FBI sting, calling the New Times to promote herself.
She is a horrible lawyer. Satz was leaned on to hire her by powerful people. She has almost been fired several times and once walked out of court ina huff when things weren’t going her way. While the rest of us work and are in court, she is out politicking.
All she is a self-serving ho who used her political friends to get and keep a job she shouldn’t have and isn’t prepared for.
October 13th, 2011 at 8:27 am
Criticism of candiates based on campaign contrubitions have become border line salacious, especially when the criticisms are selectively aimed. The fact is a candidate cannot run for office effectively without raising funds to finance a vigorous campaign. Campaigns cost money. There is a limited universe of people and companies willing to make those contributions. We know that they make those contributions in their best interests which may not always be the same best interests that we as citizens would select.
The only alternative a candidate has is to self-fund their campaigns. That means only the rich could run for office. Nobody should support that outcome. So called “grass roots” campaigning is unreliable and statistically few candidates can win using that method.
The alternative to special interest campaign finance is publicly financed campaigns. To date the public to date has not warmed up to that idea. For sure, the leadership in office and establishment fears it and the press has failed to highlight that system.
Residents see it as a tax increase but what they fail to understand is that paying more for that one expenditure line could save them millions that they are already paying under the current system — assuming the widely held instinct is correct that these contributions are indeed thinly disguised quid pro quo arrangements. Under the law now, acceptance of campaign funds from persons and entities doing business with the government are legal so long as there is no quid pro quo.
The resulting circle jerk is constantly complained about by the media but rarely is the time taken to explore with the public what should be done to make campaign financing more earning of our confidence. Given the importance of the subject matter one would think that this community of intelligent people would rise to the occasion and demonstrate some legitimate interest and leadership in the subject instead of constantly complaining about the same issue with not one inch of progress being made.
Bottom line: Put up or shut up. Make the change or stop your complaining about a problem we as citizens can control but refuse in our own best interest to tackle.
October 13th, 2011 at 10:46 pm
Nice, Fiona has her campaign manager write a defense on her behalf and that tries to deflect from the fact that she sucks up special interest money while claiming to be as clean as a catholic school girl. I hope you all choked on reading that comment like I did writing it.