Sheriff Should Halt Political Probe of Gunzburger Now

Dear Sheriff Al Lamberti,

You ran as a candidate who would take politics out of the sheriff’s office. 

Did I make a mistake when I believed you?  

Less than two months before the election between County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger and former state Senator Steve Geller, you launched an “investigation of her.

I believe the investigation of her is ill-timed.

It is a good thing that Broward’s sheriff is finally tackling political corruption. Just like it is good that State Attorney Mike Satz has become a born-again corruption fighter.

But did you have to pick as your first public target a county commissioner embroiled in a tough re-election campaign?

This is an investigation into her Gunzburger’s husband’s sale of recycled plastic to Broward County that took place more than a decade ago. 

It is an investigation against a commissioner who has been one of your most consistent critics.

It is an investigation that even you say has a long shot of success.

It is an investigation where you, the leading Republican in Broward, is accused of conspiring with Democrat Geller to influence a Democratic primary.  

It is an investigation that appears designed to harm Gunzburger’s re-election. 

It is time to hold a news conference and answer these questions:

(1) If this is a legitimate investigation, why didn’t you call in an outside agency to investigate a county commissioner, who votes on your budget?

(2) If you believe the investigation has merit, why did you do nothing during your first two years-plus in office?

It is time to end the charade, Al. 

It’s time to drop this ridiculous, politically-timed investigation of Gunzburger.

Go back to it after the election if you believe it has merit.  Broward County’s political world is a target rich environment. There are plenty of other politicians to go after until Aug. 24.  

Al, you have become the issue in this campaign. That will overshadow your attempts to root out corruption.  You need to step back from this one.

It’s time to let the politicians run their campaigns. And you go back to real law enforcement.

Buddy



22 Responses to “Sheriff Should Halt Political Probe of Gunzburger Now”

  1. bill bzdek says:

    Buddy I do enjoy your site but it drives me crazy when you have your favorites ” Go back to it after the election” For sure an attempt to sway the voters against Gunzburger but you did it!

    When Rico Petrocelli was up for re-lection you wrote more negative articles from Jan to March of 09 . Hit the archives and review ,” stripper from 30 years ago” Used car saleman from 30 years ago ” and the fact is you were the difference in that election. And it was all negative. No facts just muckracking , yet now Innocent until proven guilty seems to be your motto!
    Stick to good reporting and let the politicians run their campaigns!

  2. Gimme A Break says:

    Buddy I am sure Wasserman Rubin doesn’t think that it is a “good time”. I’m sure no elected officials think it is a good time to be investigated or charged with criminal wrong doing. Are you actually saying that investigations should come when it is a convenient time for an elected official. That is what sounds corrupt to me. Many of these investigations have taken years to come to light. How do you know exactly what they have on Sue or what they are exactly checking into. I say good for you Sheriff for doing your job!

  3. Striker Liker says:

    Amen…it’s nice to see you do play both sides well at times.

  4. Truthiness says:

    Equally curious is Steve Geller’s overt and direct role in coordinating this clumsy frameup job. First he talks to Hazlett to get him to agree to file a complaint. Then Geller threatens Sue through an intermediary that he had a stunt ready to go to destroy her reputation if she files for reelection and messes up his vacation plans. Then Geller has a series of phone calls and meeting with Lamberti and Lamberti’s liaison officers Berkowitz and Wierzbicki. Geller agreed to help Lamberti in the condos in 2012 if Lamberti helps embarrass Sue now (note: Sue is Lamberti’s leading budget critic on the commission). Geller even admitted to the Sentinel he spoke with so-called special corruption investigator LaManna. Gunzburger files for reelection. Hazlett complains. LaManna talks to Hazlett, then word of the meeting is leaked to Sentinel, generating the “Gunzburger Facing Corruption Probe” headline Geller and Lamberti wanted.

    But then Sue refused to fold and fought back, exposing this sick and twisted abuse of office by Lamberti.

    And this doesn’t even touch on the scheme by Lamberti and Berkowitz to grab control of the Broward DEC in the 2012 elections and install car salesman and Lamberti lackey Michael Albetta as DEC Chair … Or the virtually free used BSO vehicles Lamberti has given to Michael’s Ford dealership on Fed Hwy so as to buy Michael’s cooperation in this coup with huge taxpayer giveaways.

    “Oh what tangled webs we weave, when we seek to deceive!” Right, Al?

  5. Yaki says:

    …she’s my sister, she’s my daughter, she’s my sister, she’s my daughter…” Faye Dunaway in Chinatown. LOL. BrowardBeat is so much fun to read. GUNZBURGER, investigation or not, illegal or unethical, directly or indirectly ..her actions were WRONG…her unholy reign needs to STOP now.

  6. Geller Lies says:

    We all know that this worthless mess was stirred up by lobbyist Steve Geller.
    The sheriff should investigate Geller’s ties to the Mutual Benefits Ponzi scam and Scott Rothstein and he should investigate Geller’s vote in favor of developers while he worked for these same developers.

  7. Floridan says:

    Generally speaking, law enforcement agencies are are discouraged from bringing charges against a candidate prior to an election unless there is an imminent danger of further lawbreaking taking place.

    Why? Because the legitimacy of law enforcement actions against politicians is predicated on the understanding that will be no partisan motives underlying the investigation and charges.

    When a charge is made against a candidate, there is going to be a suspicion that someone is trying to throw the election. All the more so when the allegations concern actions that are not immediate. Even more so if the investigation goes nowhere or the person charged is found innocent.

    I know that this and some other blogs have attracted a following with a lynch mob mentality, but that does not lead to good governance or good law enforcement.

  8. Tommy the Fry Cook says:

    To: LACK of “Truthiness”

    Like I’ve said for months now regarding all you shills for the GONESburger campaign:

    Put up or shut the f**k up! Her entire campaign has consisted of lies, misleading accusations, and innuendo. That’s pretty pathetic when that’s the best an 18-year incumbent can do for herself.

    Where is the evidence to support your bullshit claim that Geller had an “overt and direct role in coordinating this clumsy frameup job”?!? You can’t point to any evidence because the whole thing is a figment of Ronnie-boy’s imagination.

    And who CARES if Geller is a lobbyist?!? Like it or not, it’s an honest, legitimate livelihood. What about all the lobbyists that Sue shakes down for campaign contributions? So it’s “okay” to practically extort money from lobbyists as long as you’re not actually one yourself. Talk about “Do as I say, not as I DO” hypocrisy!

    I’m embarrassed to admit how WRONG I was about Sue for so many years. I thought she was classy and dignified, but I was naive. Whether she’s calling the shots or deferring to Ronnie-boy (you know…the son sucking down tax dollars as THE most qualified attorney to represent the Property Appraiser), it no longer matters. Anyone who allows a scummy campaign like this one to be run in her own name is as guilty as slimeballs that concocted it.

    Tell you what, Sue. As a Geller supporter, I’ll join you in calling for his phone records the day YOU surrender your income tax returns, corporate papers, independent audits of “Better Than Wood” plastic company for the years that BTW had county contracts, yet supposedly LOST money, and the county records for all the manipulated bid processes.

    If you want to set the record straight, then prove your OWN record is clean, then I’ll worry about some phone calls.

    TO BUDDY: I’m not looking to pick a fight with you, but it’s pretty inconsistent to defend Sue’ record as being “a decade old” in practically the same breath that you say Diana Wasserman-Ruben’s charges are “better late than never”. You can’t have it both ways.

  9. broward reader says:

    Dirtbag Steve Geller stirred this up.
    Geller is the one Lamberti should be investigating because he lobbied for developers while voting on laws in Tallahassee to benefit those same developers.

  10. Geller Lies says:

    Did Steve Geller hold a press conference yesterday? I can’t find anything about it in the papers or on TV. I guess the reporters finally see through his lies and realize he “played” them. He got the sheriff to start a phony investigation of his opponent and when it backfired, he tried to lie his way out of it.
    Poor Steve.

  11. The real reason says:

    Sue Gunzburger can not hide the fact that her husband’s company sold millions of dollars worth of plastic benches to the county while Gunzburger was a county commissioner. Why is Sue Gunzburger scared of an investigation into this?

  12. Dear #10 says:

    Get your head out of the sand. I saw a long report on Channel 4. It’s also on their website along with an article. Geller proves that Sue lied at her press conference and DID in fact help her family business get a county contract. Gunzburger’s gotta go. We need to clean up the corruption!

  13. Truthiness says:

    It is pretty pathetic that when Geller holds a big press conference to yet again attack Sue, he simply has so little credibility that his words aren’t even newsworthy.

    The media finally realized in this bogus investigation that Geller is a sleazy liar and manipulator who is simply morally unfit to hold office. So much for his failed “silver bullet” campaign strategy. Looks like he shot himself with his silver bullet. Talk about irony.

  14. Geller Lies says:

    I watched the report on Channel 4. Half of it repeats the truth that Geller instigated the trumped-up investigation into Gunzburger.
    Geller Lies when he now says BSO contacted him. Last week he says he contacted the sheriff. What is the truth?
    Geller Lies when he says Gunzburger’s vote in 2000 benefitted her husband. He had sold the company in question by then.
    Geller Lies when he said to the one reporter who showed up that he wasn’t behind these dirty tricks.

  15. Hey Truthiness says:

    What’s pretty pathetic is when you and mommy have to resort to name calling like they do in the 2nd grade. You both need to grow up and act like adults.

  16. Yaki says:

    Election day is almost here….GUNZBURGER is toast. She crossed the line and she knows it. The investigation will go forward whether she likes it or not. Too many on this commission got used to “how things are done” in Broward. Now we have one in jail, another one arrested and GUNZBURGER being investigated. She has been there too long and is/was part of all this corruption! GUNZBURGER WILL GO DOWN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.. Bye bye GUNZBURGER!!!!

  17. Truthiness says:

    The “investigation” — as Buddy, Ch 10’s Michael Putney and orhers reported — is a Geller campaign stunt coordinated in collusion with Sheriff Lamberti. There is nothing more to it (unless it was Geller who duped Lamberti too — and then it would be just Geller who is a scumbag here).

    Word on the street is that it is Gellet who is now facing two criminal investigations: the Feds still quietly looking into his central role in the Mutual Benefits ponzi scheme, and state investigators checking into potential criminal financial irregularities with Geller’s current campaign. Hmmm.

    FROM BUDDY: The last allegation — I repeat, allegation — is interesting if true. Tell us more.

  18. Yaki says:

    Ha, Ha, Ha! only “on the GUNZBURGER street” pal. you soooo funny! LMAO!!! What a joke.

  19. Gimme A Break says:

    Truthiness, Liar, Ronnie or whatever you want to call yourself; at least your blogging (making up false crap) on Saturday and not at your county job that mommy got for you. I am a Geller supporter and do have to admit that Lebron James who was all over the news yesterday is alot more popular and newsworthy than Steve Geller. Let us not lose sight of the facts which is that Sue is the one that is under investigation. She is the one who lined her pockets while on the commission “serving the people”. BTW sold crap to the county. It is a pretty pathetic attempt when you have to spread lies about “false” investigations about Geller. More of your same bullshit… where is your proof?

  20. Truthy says:

    Hey Truthiness, I heard on the streets in Broward county that Sue Gunzberger was responsible for my high taxes. I also heard from a fourth or fifth source that Gunzberger has something to do with the high price of gasoline. Buddy, why don’t you check into it?

  21. Truthiness says:

    Sorry, Truthy, but Gunzburger LOWERED your property tax rates 30% since 2000. In fact, the County cut your millage rates 11 times in the past 12 years.

  22. Frank White says:

    property tax rate being lowered does not equal lower property taxes, which is defined as the actual amount of money I pay to the county. The property tax rate was “lowered” while the county bragged about a double digit increase in revenue in their annual reports.

    Nobody is stupid enough to believe taxes were lowered over that period, even homesteaded owners.