Under Fire! Broward Demo Boss Cynthia Busch’s Other Job — Campaign Consultant
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Just a month before the election, Broward Democratic Party Chair Cynthia Busch is grappling with complaints over her second job — a paid campaign consultant.
Members of the Democratic Party organization grumble that Busch shouldn’t be pirouetting between consulting work and the “most important elections in modern times.”
Every minute she works as a consultant she is not working on electing Democrats, critics huffed.
Others complained that there is an inherent problem with being party chief and a political consultant.
“It’s a conflict,” one person on the party’s executive committee charged.
Busch fired back:
“I’m very upfront about it…I’m not getting rich by any means….I’m still a full-time party chair. Anything else I do, I do in my own time”
Cynthia Busch
Her supporters note that Busch still needs to earn a living because Broward Democratic Chair is a non-paid position.
That extra consultanting work may be lucrative, despite her protestations that she is “not getting rich.” Busch allegedly bragged privately that she was making “big bucks” as a consultant, according to a Democratic activist.
It would be no surprise if Busch’s work involved “big bucks.” She is a consultant in the multi-million dollar gambling expansion brawl on next month’s ballot.
Busch is working to pass Amendment 3, which would be a new law governing how more casinos are approved.
The seemingly-endless fight over gambling in Florida has showered money on political consultant for decades. Both sides of Amendment 3, which would make it harder to expand casinos, have spent tens of millions to date.
The amendment would give voters the exclusive right to decide on the expansion of casino gambling. Thus it would greatly reduce the power of the Legislature and governor to allow new casinos.
Anti-gambling forces such as Disney World and the Seminoles believe new casinos have more chance of passing the Legislature then voters. So gambling expansion foes have poured $37.6 million into Voters In Charge to pass the measure.
Busch conceded that she had spoken to Democratic clubs, bipartisan groups and elected officials about Amendment 3.
“I say right up front that I’m not speaking for the party,” Busch said.
There is no prohibition in the party’s bylaws forbidden a party chair working as a campaign consultant.
“It’s not against party rules,” another party insider agreed, adding:“It still seems to me to be unethical.”
And another member of the party’s organization said, “She is selling her access to electeds and clubs to the highest bidder.”
Within days the Broward Democratic organization will announce that the party endorses the passage of Amendment 3. That’s the position Busch is working to achieve.
Busch said she had no role in the endorsement.
“We have a platform committee…(County Commissioner and Amendment 3 opponent) Steve Geller gave them his views before they voted,” she said.
But her role working for the pro-passage team calls into question the motives of any endorsement, some party members opined.
Busch took over in 2015 from longtime Chair Mitch Ceasar, who resigned to run for Broward Clerk of the Courts. Ceasar also was criticized for using his party position to enrich himself.
Ceasar was a lobbyist. He never took money like Busch to work on a campaign.
October 4th, 2018 at 3:24 pm
Who cares? this is a non partisan issue that is good for homeowners and families. Both Rs and Ds support it equally.
October 4th, 2018 at 5:29 pm
#1.I disagree with u.She should pick one or the other.Can’t have your cake and eat it tooo…
October 4th, 2018 at 6:56 pm
Is this the only issue she is working on? If she is not being paid to work for candidates what is the concern?
October 5th, 2018 at 9:14 am
Dear Beth,
If the Amendment is being voted on and she is getting paid to take one position or another it is the same as getting paid to work for a candidate.
October 5th, 2018 at 9:34 am
Often, the mere appearance of impropriety, even where none may actually or exist, is just as bad as engaging in actual impropriety from a public viewpoint. She obviously holds significant influence as the chair of the largest county DEC in Florida, and if the local party’s position on items on which she is consulting, some may question the motivations, even if there is no cross-pollination. I understand that you can’t make a living being DEC chair, but I think it is of the utmost importance that there is not even the slightest appearance that the Broward DEC’s political positions are not influenced by financial gain. For that reason, I would recommend in this case that she pick one or the other.
October 5th, 2018 at 9:48 pm
Mitch was a paid lobbyist who worked for anyone who paid him. I bet the Democrats complaining are paid lobbyists opposing the amendment…. Broward Dems are pretty much all the same. Anything for a buck! Disgusting!!
October 6th, 2018 at 4:17 pm
Busch’s critics should act on their concerns by immediately converting the position of Chair into a fully paid position, and then by creating new conflict of interest rules governing all paid positions.
October 8th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
@Ha Ha Ha
Isn’t that exactly what she wants? Remember her accidental Facebook post, something about the party should be f’ing paying her. So my stirring the pot with this amendment she’s making her own case.
October 9th, 2018 at 10:01 am
Cynthia Busch is the hardest working Chair the Broward DEC has had since Lawton Chiles was Governor. She is not selling out to the highest bidder, as you allege. She has children to support. She is not violating any law nor the DEC Bylaws. As the Parliamentarian for the DEC I would know if the rules were being violated. They are not!
Buddy – you should be ashamed for continuing to be a right wing hack and harassing a great DEC chair.
FROM BUDDY:
The story makes it clear that she is violating no party bylaws.