Update: Portner Case In Lap Of Lori’s Husband
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Like they sing at Disney World, it’s a small world after all.at least politically in Broward County.
The case of Ed Portner, who is charged last night with threatening his daughter Broward Mayor Stacy Ritter with a gun, has ended up in Circuit Judge Geoffrey Cohen’s court.
Cohen is the husband of Property Appraiser Lori Parrish.
So the father of Broward’s Democratic mayor will be tried in the court room of the spouse of one of Broward’s most powerful Democratic politicians.
The docket is here.
Portner’s attorney is Mike Dutko.
He’s is part of the team of Bogenschutz, Dutko and Kroll, attorneys to the political stars….when the political stars get in trouble.
The firm’s Bogenschutz has handled everyone from former County Commissioner Scott Cowan (jail time for a election law violation) to Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCartey (serving a federal sentence for corruption). And everyone from Circuit Judge Ana Gardiner (received no penalty after allegations that she discussed a murder case with prosecutor out of court) to former Deerfield Mayor Al Capellini (charged with unlawful compensation and awaiting trial).
“it’s a world of laughter, a world or tears
it’s a world of hopes, it’s a world of fear
theres so much that we share
that its time we’re aware
it’s a small world after all
it’s a small world after all
its a small world after all
its a small world after all
its a small, small world”
UPDATE: This post was written October 7. On October 8, Judge Cohen recused himself from the case. Circuit Judge Marc Gold also recused himself.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
For crying out loud, take the gun away, make him do 200 hours of community service, give the Ritter/Klenets a notice of protection, and dismiss the case. He’s an old depressed man who made a stupid judgment error. Nobody wants to see this tried.
FROM BUDDY: I agree, but I would order him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and treatment if necessary. Pulling his pants down in public to “moon” a critic. Pulling off his wig and waving it around publicly. Brandishing a gun. These could be signs he is losing it.
October 7th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Broward County is exposing it’s most crazed behavior – top to bottom, for the world to marvel at! When does the DVD come out?
October 7th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
“Pulling his pants down in public to “moon†a critic. Pulling off his wig and waving it around publicly. Brandishing a gun. These could be signs he is losing it.”
That’s normal behavior in the old neighborhood…youz guyz in Florida ain’t got no sense a’humor.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Some day, Stacy Ritter will no longer have her father and she will miss him.
_______________________
Hey Stacy…how will you feel if your FATHER dies in JAIL because of your actions?
I know you did not put a gun in his hand, but you drove him crazy because what you did was reprehensible to an old-school guy like your father. Now look at what you’ve done.
_____________________
For her to put politics before family speaks to the kind of irreverent politician she has become.
NOTHING should come before family. Although her father got into the race after she endorsed BT, she should have at LEAST quietly withdrawn her endorsement out of respect for her families patriarch.
Sometimes, kids have no respect.
FROM BUDDY: I disagree.
I believe this:
Stacy knew that her father wasn’t fit to hold office. She had seen first hand his conduct. She refused to endorse him for his own good. She hoped that withholding the endorsement would keep him out of the race or, later, cause him to drop out.
Her refusal to endorse him was an act of love because the best thing for Ed Portner would have been to quietly retire and get treatment. He refused to and you know what happened from there.
October 7th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Why don’t they send him to the facility where Preston Henn hid out? Portner has problems, but what’s wrong with Stacy Ritter that not only didn’t she find her father help, but endorsed his opponent. What’s wrong with saying “Dad, I love you, but can’t endorse anyone in this race.” Hopefully she’ll see that nothing good can come of repeatedly flailing your father in public, even if he’s “a little off”.
FROM BUDDY: See my earlier comments in boldface….
October 7th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Mr. Nevins,
I am the elder cousin of Stacy Ritter and the nephew of Edward Portner. I have read your postings over the past several days and have hesitated to make any comments back. I am not involved in or care about the politics of my Cousin or Uncle.
I am intimately familiar with every detail of the events that have transpired going back for quite awhile. You are not. I was most disturbed to read late last night your original posting of this story. You seem to have found more joy in claiming that you broke the story first then to show any restraint or respect for the tragedy that has fallen on our family.
You have every right to express your opinions as both Stacy and my Uncle Ed have choose to be in the public domain. However the positions that you take in claiming to know what really went on and how members of my family think are presumptive and not entirely accurate.
I would ask you to respect that this is a family matter and we are attempting to work through it to seek some positive outcome that helps keep our family together.
At the end of the day, politics are of no equal importance to that of trying to heal the wounds of the recent events.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
oh buddy, an act of love?? i’ve seen lil geoffy consider wanting to play golf w/ a child as a jailable offense. you are a puskit of the establishment.just why you let sammy spout his bull.sammy was opposed to a dad plying frisbe w/ a dog but showing a gun is a family matter. buddy, you are a complete wusskit.hypocrite.you are a joke.
October 8th, 2009 at 6:42 am
dear bruce,
if “At the end of the day, politics are of no equal importance to that of trying to heal the wounds of the recent events” as you state, I would suggest Stacy and Uncle Ed remove themselves from politics altogether. Of course Ed probably already has, and Stacy probably will have little choice once the rest of the FBI dominos fall.
October 8th, 2009 at 8:12 am
A gun in the hands of an elderly, crazed man is a very serious matter. A slip of his old feeble angry trigger finger and the story Buddy would be writing–would be an obituary for Stacy Ritter. Domestic violence is a dangerous matter–passion and resentment prevail. More police are killed in domestic violence incidents that any other crime. This is no laughing matter. He could have killed her and others–including himself. Please people try to be compassionate–not foolhardy.
October 8th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
BAKER ACT. Situations such as the “alleged” incident between Portner/Ritter are what created the Baker Act. I have NO idea of what transpired, but, it appears that politics trumped prudence. A non-voluntary committment might have solved the problem. Putting Ed Portner in jail solved nothing. If Portner threatened Ritter with a gun, or just showed her that he was armed, once the immediate threat no longer existed, why didn’t attorney Moscowitz insist on a Baker Act committment, rather than an arrest? As I stated previously, I don’t know what really happened, but, the “best legal minds”, (Moscowitz, et.al), CHOSE to make the matter public, rather than protect both Ritter and Portner by using the Baker Act. Sad, so sad.
October 9th, 2009 at 7:19 am
buddy, an act of love??????? an old man is now stuck in a 6x 9 ft cage w/ 18 yr old crack addicts.eating boloney at 4 am. filth, violence, noise beyond belief.little or no health care, you are and always have been a pompous lil jerk.you think you know, go sleep there one night for an act of love.get your phoney butt caught in a legal system that has him charged w/ a crime punishable by life.you see, your lil swine boy sammy plays those games as well.now satz has his hooks into another family, will destroy it eventually but not nearly as much as he would a helpless family w/out means, power, voice etc.AN ACT OF LOVE, shame on you and sammy for such idiotic hypocrisy!!!!!!