FOLLOW me on my popular Twitter feed. Just click this photo! @hbbtruth - David - Common sense on #Politics #PublicPolicy #Sports #PopCulture in USA, Great Britain, Sweden and France, via my life in #Texas #Memphis #Miami #IU #Chicago #DC #FL ๐ซ๐๐บ๐ฝ️๐. This photo of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 classic "To Catch a Thief" is the large Twitter photo on my @hbbtruth account
Beautiful Strandvรคgen, the grand boulevard in รstermalm, in central Stockholm, Sweden, along Nybroviken. In my previous life, I was DEFINITELY born and raised there!
Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, home of the Hoosiers; Fernando Mendoza TD dive on 4th Down leads to IU's first nat'l football title; The Team; The Head Coach, Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers 2026 football schedule
Though I've been following this story since Father's Day, some good friends in the Dallas area have alerted me to the more recent angles to this tragic story that's so troubling on so many different levels that you hardly know where to begin. Not that I've seen it covered even once in a serious way locally.
Maybe it's just me, but I can't help but think that if something like this had happened somewhere in South Florida, the cable TV shows would've absolutely made this a MUCH BIGGER story nationally than it has been coming out of Dallas, and put the bulls-eye directly on South Florida yet again.
With them, the default position on South Florida is that it is always presumed guilty until proven innocent.
But then you've probably thought the same thing yourself after seeing the way the MSM handles most news stories originating in South Florida, where, generally, no amount of bombast or skepticism is too much.
Video connecting-the-dots on this tragic story are at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui4Ll91yaS8
----- Dallas Morning News Hundreds attend funeral for slain Lancaster officer 01:29 AM CDT on Sunday, June 27, 2010 By JEFF MOSIER and TARYN LUNA, The Dallas Morning News
In reverse chron order Dallas Morning News Crime blog http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/ Dallas officers still seething over funeral procession for Police Chief David Brown's son By Tanya Eiserer 12:18 AM Sun, Jun 27, 2010
The virulent eruption surrounding the decision to order an apparent last-minute escort Friday for the funeral procession of a cop-killer, who is the son of Dallas' police chief, shows no sign of abating.
Since word leaked Friday afternoon about the order made by Dallas police Deputy Chief Julian Bernal, I have been inundated by outraged phone calls, emails and text messages from current and retired Dallas police officers. Read the rest of the post at http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/the-virulent-eruption-surround.html
Decision to use on-duty officers for funeral procession of David Brown Jr. spurs outrage By Tanya Eiserer 11:54 PM Fri, Jun 25, 2010
A cop-killer who is the son of the Dallas police chief continued to stir deep emotions Friday as he headed to his grave.
An apparent last-minute decision by a deputy police chief to provide assistance during part of David Brown Jr.'s funeral procession angered some police associations.
The city manager quickly issued a written statement distancing herself and Chief David Brown from the decision.
Read the rest of the post at:http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/decision-to-use-on-duty-office.html
Police release 911 call of child abuse incident involving David Brown Jr. By Tanya Eiserer 2:21 PM Fri, Jun 25, 2010
On May 7, Lancaster teacher Roesanda Allen called 911 to report that one of her third-grade students had been the victim of abuse.
"He has a black eye," Allen told the operator. She told the operator that the 10-year-old boy told her that he "was talking back to his mother" when her boyfriend "whipped him" and "accidentally" him in the eye. "
The way he did it was like he punched him," she said. "So I let him tell that story to another teacher and you know how you take your hand and you swing it back. He kept demonstrating that way."
The boyfriend was David Brown Jr, the son of Dallas Police Chief David Brown.
The boy told police that Brown hit him in the face, bruising his eye.
Read the rest of the post at:http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/911-one-call-from-teacher-over.html
Speaking of police, I've got some news for you to take note of, though for now, it'll have to sound more cryptic than I'd actually like in order for me to keep some secrets close to the vest until the time is right: At the rate they're going, it looks like it's going to be a VERY BUMPY summer for the Hallandale Beach Police Dept. Fact-filled tales of their serial incompetency, un-professional behavior and general buffoonery under HB Police Chief Thomas Magill, as well as their longstanding history of mis-leading the public -as recently as two weeks ago, which I witnessed myself- not to mention, their time-honored history of petty threats and acts of intimidation, are all going to be coming out for the whole community to hear and judge for themselves. Trust me, it isn't a pretty picture. Though it's hot and humid as hell already, and only getting worse over the next few weeks, for some people in this community who have a lot to fear from the truth finally coming out and being fully known, it'll actually feel like they're on thin ice. And for good reason.
I'm trying my best to catch-up here on the blog on a number of media-related news stories that I've noted and written some thoughts about over the past few months, but never quite gotten around to actually posting for one reason or another. Today is a start on pulling those stories out of the ink well and bringing them to your attention.
Curiously enough, on Friday, I saw that over at Tom Jicha'sTV Plus blog at the Sun-Sentinel that he'd just written about one of those subjects: whether or not ABC News was making a big mistake by bringing in former CNN multi-tasker Christiane Amanpour to permanently host their "This Week" public policy/talking heads program on Sunday mornings, taking over the reins from interim host and ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper, who took over after George Stephanopoulos took over the duties at Good Morning America. http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/
I'd written a number of what some friends thought were some pretty persuasive arguments about why the move could turn out rather quickly to be yet another in a long line of recent mistakes where the American pundit-ocracy and East Coast media had prematurely labeled someone or something they had a connection to or rooting interest in, a great success, long before the American people had gotten a chance to vote with their remote controls and emails.
Sun-Sentinel TV critic Tom Jicha took a more direct approach than me in his blog and has simply taken to describing the move to Amanpour as a "mega mistake."
He's right, of course, though for more reasons than he lets on in his piece.
It seems clear to me that no matter how poorly Amanpour does in the comparison with Stephanopoulos or Tapper, especially in her ability to move the show along and cut-off a guest or panel member going down a blind alley, her many loyal friends in the chattering class would never actually say it was a disaster in quite the same eager and enthusiastic way that they did with Campbell Brown'sCNN show.
There, though Brown's been gone for what seems like forever, even while actual viewers have known for five weeks that she's heading out the door, CNN's graphics crawl at the bottom of the screen STILL invites us to be lovely and talented Campbell'sFacebook friend. Frankly, that's been making me laugh for months on those occasions when I watch CNN at night, which are few and far-between. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/campbell_browns_time_at_cnn_coming_to_a_close_165720.asp
As we get closer to Amanpour's coronation in August, I'll bring up my own points on why I think the move to her will prove less-than-satisfactory for American TV viewers living west of the Hudson, but for now, check-out what Jicha is saying.
-----
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
TV Plus blog
ABC should keep Tapper as host of This Week
by Tom Jicha
June 24th, 2010 3:23 PM
Each week brings a new reminder of the mega mistake ABC News is about to make bringing in Christiane Amanpour as the host of “This Week.”
Jake Tapper should have been the first choice and is demonstrarting weekly that he is the ideal choice. He keeps the show moving and is equally tough on representatives of both sides of the political spectrum.
Well, despite the often very accurate knock about Twitter that it is the greatest tool for people to share their nonsense about their hum-drum life since Alexander Graham Bell did his thing with the telephone -see Our True, Tweeting Selves,Why historians salivate over Twitterat http://www.newsweek.com/2010/04/21/our-true-tweeting-selves.html sometimes Twitter is actually very useful, as when I checked in on one of my go-to people this afternoon, Newsweek's Deputy Editor Julia Baird, courtesy of her Twitter account athttp://twitter.com/bairdnewsweek .
There I saw that she'd just posted this: "My column for Newsweek on Australia's first female Prime Minister, the straight-shooting Julia Gillard."
It's excellent. Baird shoots and she scores!
Newsweek Being Julia Australia’s new prime minister breaks the glass ceiling
By Julia Baird
What a gloriously surprising day it was when Julia Gillard became Australia’s first female prime minister.
The trumpets sounded, journalists roared, and Australian women updated their Facebook status to, simply, “Julia.” The circumstances were not ideal—she ousted a once popular prime minister, and she had not won a general election—but the significance of the moment was enormous. Finally, after centuries of bowing to queens while women were locked out of the highest echelons of political office, Australians watched a straight-shooting, unaffected woman seize the real reins of power.
Gillard, 48, the daughter of a coal miner and a former industrial-relations lawyer, has a pragmatic approach to politics and a record of fighting for better conditions for workers, and for greater numbers of women in Parliament. She is well respected and hails from the left of her party.
See the rest of the article at:http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/24/being-julia.html
See her story on Gillard for the Sydney Morning Herald, her former newspaper for nine years, Lessons from sisters who fell on the way
Check out this SMH video: -I accept the anger: Gillard Friday, June 25, 2010 4:33 AM Julia Gillard tells Paul Bongiorno that she fully accepts the anger of the Australian people at the removal of Kevin Rudd.
Julia Gillard'sfirst press conference as Australian Prime Minister.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdXlUdSBOYk
For more from Julia Baird, see http://www.newsweek.com/authors/julia-baird.html
FYI: Not enough time to get into it here now, but back when I was at JFK Junior High in North Miami Beach, circa 1973-'75, my family was all set to move to Sydney. Typically, besides reading all the materials from the Australian Embassy from cover-to-cover, I made it my job to learn everything I could about Australian Rules Football, since I didn't want to show up at school and be odd man out.http://www.afl.com.au/
Not so easy in those pre-Internet days at the Lafe Allen Library in NMB. Actually, try impossible!
Missy Peregrym as Officer Andy McNally in ABC-TV's new "Rookie Blue"photo: ABC-TV - STEVE WILKIE
Missy Peregrym, our favorite genuinely athletic (dare we say sporty) actress, a real gymnast dynamo and shape-shifting Heroes villain (Candace Wilmer) is back to do her thing on the small screen, as a rookie cop with -yes- "something to prove." You see, her father, the police detective left with less than glory attached to the family name and... Yes, Officer Andy McNally has a bit of a chip on her shoulder, and we hardly need wonder how often her fellow cops will try to take the measure of her and try to break her. We know they will because that's how television cops roll.
------- If ABC ever re-did their iconic celebrity/kitsch hit-show from the '70's, Battle of the Network Stars, I'll bet Missy, Amy Jo Johnson and Tricia Helfer would be kicking a lot of serious butt. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0321394/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Network_Stars
And not to sound naive, but would it be too much to hope that they could actually film it in South Florida, on Key Biscayne, like they once did? Lynda Carter - Battle of the Network Stars
So imagine my surprise earlier tonight at hearing from Broward County Comm. Stacy Ritter out-of-the-blue -at bottom- after mentioning in my blog yesterday what some local news reporters have said on the record about the current fight over the Broward Ethics Commission's very sensible proposals.
Frankly, to be honest, compared to other things I've posted in the past, it was nothing terribly original on my part, per se, just connecting-the-dots a bit with some added facts I'd gleaned so that folks reading my blog would have some additional context for understanding the argumentsand what was happening now. Obviously, I also had my opinion on what was happening.http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/rearguard-action-against-broward-county.html (But unlike Comm. Kristin Jacobs a few months ago, who had an indignant aide telephone me a few times because she was upset that I'd written that in the opinion of myself and many others South Florida transportation advocates, she was a poor choice for the Broward MPO, given her lack of attendance at ANY of the high-profile public transportation meetings that I and dozens of other transportation advocates had attended over the past 4-5 years, Comm. Ritter -apparently- contacted me herself.)
The thing that makes no sense to me -and perhaps will seem non-sensical to you as well- is why does Comm. Ritter think I should've contacted her directly before I linked to a news story about what State Rep. Ari Porth specifically said to the Sun-Sentinel'sBrittany Wallman?
I'm a reasonably skeptical person about almost everything I read or hear from the news media, but without any actual proof that Porthwould have a reason to lie -and why would he, since he has nothing to gain from saying something that could be easily disproved?-why would I doubt what's written in Wallman's blog post, per se, especially since Rep. Porth has been entirely consistent about wanting stricter scrutiny of elected officials in Broward?
I saw Rep. Porth in person at the Broward Legislative Delegation meeting in January on the Ethics proposal, and he and Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoffwere singing from the same hymn book on much-stricter ethics and accountability.
January 26, 2010 photo by South Beach Hoosier
Above, crowds milling around before the Broward Legislative Delegation meeting of January 26th, at the Broward College HQ on East Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, which met to discuss a bill creating an Inspector General to be an ethical bloodhound tracking Broward's many miscreant pols.
That's Miami Herald reporter Amy Sherman on the far left wearing the red top and blue jeans.
Besides, it's not like I'm a fact-checker -at yes, The New Yorker- and nobody will ever read Wallman's story unless I give the okay about everything that's written.
I'm simply alerting people to what is being said about an issue of great importance, but I have no control over what was said or its truthfulness.
I wonder if Comm. Ritter is still angry about the public finding out via my email to Bob Norman of the Broward Palm Beach New Times a few months back about what she said about civic activist and Broward Coalition President Charlotte Greenbarg before the Broward Ethics Commission, one of the few meetings of theirs that I missed towards the end, where I was often the only member of the public present for the entire meeting?http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2010/01/monday_quick_takes.php
My own post on this was on January 23rd, Broward County Commissioner Stacy Ritter Unplugged on Ethics http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/broward-county-commissioner-stacy.html Then again, I'm sure Ritter never paid much attention to that the same way that she and some of her colleagues never paid attention to a lot of things over the past few years, judging by the sad state of the county and the self-evident animus even formerly-apathetic residents have now for the county govt. and its myopic policies that far too often in retrospect appear to be shallow and self-serving in the extreme. Above, January 26, 2010 photo of the Broward County Government Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL by South Beach Hoosier. But then I'm so old-fashioned that way, since I don't personally believe that Broward County Commissioners should be able to get two bites of the same apple, serving on the Broward Planning Council and voting on a matter, and then voting on it AGAIN a few weeks later wearing their Commissioner hat, as Comm. Ritterdid on the unpopular and controversial Diplomat LACproposal in Hallandale Beach that Mayor Joy Cooper and the Hallandale BeachCity Commission tried to cram down the throats of residents. In that instance, the city only gave citizen taxpayers access to the Diplomat's already-filed public documents -and changes- via the city's website about 28 hours before the first vote of consequence, the city's P&Z Advisory Board. And the very next day, the HB City Commission voted 3-2 for theDiplomat. A week before Christmas! I consistently brought up the city's behavior before both the Planning Council and the County Commission to show the city's bad faith, an argument that apparently fell on deaf ears withComm. Ritter, since I believe she voted for the development every single time. While some civilian members of the Broward Planning Council who live some distance from HB were conscientious enough to actually visit the neighborhood to see what kind of negative effecthaving four or five 25-30 story condos in what is largely now a single-family home and three-four story low-rise area would have, Comm. Ritternever bothered to see it for herself. To be honest, based on how she's voted in the past, that's what my friends and I who worked so hard against the Diplomat plan expected -and she didn't disappoint. I've deleted the Blogger comment email address below after Ritter's name so that I don't get any spam in the future, as I already get more than enough. -----
This particular post of his from last week deals with the subject at hand: The Broward County Commission Should Not Be Challenging the Constitutionality of a Lobbying Provisionhttp://www.cityethics.org/content/broward-county-commission-should-not-be-challenging-constitutionality-lobbying-provision Also check-outand consider Bookmarking http://www.sunshinereview.org/andhttp://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Floridaand the Broward County page athttp://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Broward_County,_Florida And finally, this Broward Beat post from Monday the 21st, Legislators Must Take Up Ethics Reform By Buddy Nevins
Only one thing could unite the badly-divided Broward Legislative Delegation: Disgust with the Broward County Commission.
Legislators’ revulsion at the commission is understandable.Anybody with a sense of decency is sickened by commissioners maneuvering for 10 years to avoid ethics reform.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stacy Ritter
Date: Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 9:46 PM
Subject: [Hallandale Beach Blog] New comment on Rearguard action against Broward County ethics pro....
Stacy Ritter has left a new comment on your post "Rearguard action against Broward County ethics pro...": 60 days ago I said I would vote for the Broward County Ethics Commission proposal. Today, nothing has changed. I have proposed a Broward County Inspector General to be voted on by the commission in August. As for Rep. Porth's assertion that I lobbied against the bill - it isn't true. I do believe that Ari was used by Republicans, some in elections of their own, to make this a partisan issue. What better way for Republicans to point fingers at Democrats than to have a Democrat, unwittingly, do it for them?
I have invited anyone who has questions about my personal or professional life to call my office (954.357.7003) and either speak over the telephone or come into the office and chat. To date, no one has taken me up on that offer. I guess it's just easier to make allegations and spew vicious lies than to actually care about the truth. I don't know who writes this blog, but you never contacted me and asked me if what Rep. Porth allege is true, which it is not. Had you bothered to call or e-mail me and printed my response, you would have known that. I take offense at being accused of things I haven't done. No doubt you would feel the same. S tacy Ritter Posted by Stacy Ritter to Hallandale Beach Blog at June 21, 2010 9:46 PM
Or, watching det kungliga brรถllopet (the royal wedding) from South Florida via SVT on the Internet with almost no sleep whatsoever. "What a glorious day for a wedding" was the the subject line for one of the emails I received from friends in Stockholm early Saturday morning, who were already making their way to favorite parade "spots" around town to watch the cortege after the wedding, even while I was trying to catch a few hours of sleep, so I could watch all the coverage onSveriges Television(SVT) starting at 7 a.m. East Coast time in oppressively hot and humid Miami, where you can actually sweat going outside to pick up the newspaper.
SVT's coverage of everything was superb, so much better than I could've hoped, but as one scene after another fell on me, my biggest regret was that I couldn't be there in-person to share the moments with some good and loyal friends, many of whom had feared, as I had, that that day for Victoria and Daniel would never come. Sometimes, there are no happy endings, even for real life princesses.
If you didn't take advantage of that invaluable SVT web information I shared with you on Friday, you missed one hell of a great wedding, as it was pitch-perfect, and the summer weather even cooperated, with no rain in Stockholm to douse everyone camped-out throughout the city to see the cortege. Just mostly sunny skies and lots of smiles all around.
My screenshot, above, part of the royal procession in Stockholm on Saturday.
My screenshot, above, some of the throngs of happy people waiting to hear from the King and his daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, after her cortege around the city with new husband Daniel Westling. The "True Love" balloon was a big hit among the ocean of Swedish flags, with one Danish and German flag also popping-up.
My screenshot, above, of a beaming Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling in their horse-drawn carriage, with Queen Silvia, Princess Madeleine, Prince Carl Philip and King Carl XVI Gustaf waiting to meet them. I will have a lot more to say about the weekend's events in the days to follow, and I think you'll find what I have to say of interest, especially if you are someone who knows the full story behind Victoria and Daniel finally making it to the altar all these years later. As impressed as I've always been with the Crown Princess, and for reasons that I've never really mentioned here before in any great detail, I believe she really outdid herself this weekend by handling things with such aplomb and good humor.
All of these qualities, along with her well-known warm, down-to-earth personality, are ones that the majority of people in Sweden know about and respect, almost instinctively, regardless of whatever their own individual political position may be on retaining a constitutional monarchy, or despite what know-it-all foreign reporters, dropping-in for the ceremony this weekend, may have to say about her or the country.
Trust me, those people are very happy for her personally, and proud that she was more than up to the task confronting her with millions of people watching her every move on a day that she once thought might never come to pass.
My favorite screenshot: Crown Princess Victoria, how about a smile for the folks overseas? Alongside Daniel and her parents just moments before she made her short but moving speech that had people laughing -and crying.
Victoria's comments:
Kรคra, kรคra vรคnner,
jag vill bรถrja med att tacka svenska folket fรถr att ni har gett mig min prins.
Vi, min make och jag, รคr sรฅ otroligt glada och vรคldigt tacksamma fรถr att sรฅ mรฅnga vill vara hรคr och fira tillsammans med oss.
Det รคr en enorm upplevelse, det รคr vรฅr absolut stรถrsta dag hittills i vรฅrt liv.
Att kรคnna ert stรถd betyder mer fรถr oss รคn ni nรฅgonsin skulle kunna fรถrstรฅ.
Det รคr nรฅgot otroligt.
Idag รคr en dag som vi kommer att bรคra med oss i vรฅra hjรคrtan fรถr resten av vรฅrt liv.
Tack!
SVT video of Victoria's speech to the Swedish people is at Victorias tal till svenska folket You can watch this SVT video until Monday July 19, 2011. Selected video summary from Daniel and Victoria's wedding day in Stockholm on Saturday and the happy scenes that were shared across Sweden.http://www.tv4play.se/nyheter/nyhetskanalen?videoId=1.1686444 See more excellent videos of the myriad wedding events as well as analysis at: http://svt.se/2.132586/det_kungliga_brollopet_-_livesandningenandhttp://www.tv4play.se/
Based on what I've seen so far, the best photos and articles have, predictably, been at http://www.aftonbladet.se/ andand http://www.expressen.se/ They never disappoint. Now these two organizations know how to put together an interesting and attractive news website, something the Miami Herald could learn volumes from as their pathetic website remains a complete mish-mash and industry-wide embarrassment. Seriously, I cringe almost every time I go to it, dumbfounded at both its ugliness and complete uselessness, a very bad combination, indeed. Also be sure to see the great Love Stockholm 20103-Dphoto collage of the crowds outside the royal palace as Victoria spoke: http://lovestockholm2010.se/EN/About.aspx An ingenious idea well-executed. Would be nice to see something this clever done in South Florida once in a while. HINT!
As I said above, there's quite a lot more from me to come on the whole kungliga brรถllopet, as well as my thoughts on a really fascinating behind-the-scenes documentary on Crown Princess Victoria that I recently saw which was almost like an eavesdropping C-SPAN TV camera, letting you see things you'd never otherwise never see.
I'll share my thoughts about it, but also give you information you need so that you can see it yourself and draw your own conclusions. As always, seeing is believing.
And you thought summer Sundays were going to be boring?
To me, the key sentence from Debra J. Saunders excellent piece below that I got via The Rasmussen Report on the situation at Berkeley is this one: "Moreover, the rules as written are not enforced consistently."
If you had never heard of the particular problem she opines about out at the home of the University of California's mother-ship campus, you can be forgiven for thinking that this spot-on sentence sounds exactly like one that you or I might used in conversations with friends to describe the ethical problem, writ large, in South Florida from top-to-bottom, and Broward County and Hallandale Beach in particular.
There's the written law, there's the written and un-written ruies of normal social behavior, and then there's what too many people with power or influence down here -and their pack of cronies- think they can reasonably get away with, often right in front of us, and then look at us like we're the ones who have a problem.
They just keep nibbling away, never satisfied, undermining our laws and our concept of what local government is supposed to be like thru their sheer ego and avarice.
The larger problem for residents of South Florida is that, in large part, the very elected or appointed people who are actually supposed to enforce those written (and un-written) laws, whetherBroward County SAO Michael Satz or Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti or HB City Attorney David Jove, far too often for a healthy democracy, are either oblivious to what's going on right in front of them, or, sadly, looking the other way, so that "the rules as written are not enforced consistently."
The desultory results of that longstanding inconsistency are pretty obvious all around us, and one of the by-products of that is the sheer level of genuine taxpayer anger among so many people who were previously apathetic about local government.
Fortuitously, while I was writing this, I received a timely email from Charlotte Greenbarg that consists of Comm. Gunzburger's email to Broward County Attorney Jeffrey J. Newton about the needed Ethics Comm. proposals, the same one I referenced Friday and Saturday in some emails to selected people throughout the area about the rearguard action by some on the County Commission to thwart their implementation, by hook or by crook. Now you can see for yourself what's what.
On Saturday, in responding to my email of Friday, Comm. Gunzburger reminded me again of her own role to get some real teeth in the Broward Ethics Commission proposals, something I've noted and seen for myself since last year.
Here is what she wrote me:
FYI I wrote a memo to Atty. Newton and distributed it to 2 members of the ethicscommittee after the vote. That is why the emergency meeting was called. Sue Gunzburger-
Also, since my blog post of Thursday, the Sun-Sentinel'sBrittany Wallman, who, alone, was on top of that recent Broward MPO re-organization story -see my May 20th post re her story, County: MPO is laying off some employees, then bumping up salaries http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/brittany-wallman-is-on-top-of-broward.html- has posted several posts on the Ethics fight on the Broward Politics blog, including one today about Legislative Delegation chair, State Rep. Ari Porth, zeroing-in on Stacey Ritter.Links to those posts of her's are at the bottom. If you know anyone who works at the Miami Herald, be sure to tell them that you appreciate their completely sleeping on this Ethics story this week, withzero news articles in print, plus this misleadling blog post http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2010/06/will-a-brow-judge-let-commissioners-work-as-lobbyists.htmlsince you know that yet another story about Cuba in the Broward edition of the Herald'sLocal & State section is a small price for Broward readers to pay.
To paraphrase what others have stated before, in the case of Hallandale Beach in particular and Broward County in general, we may well need some plate tectonics to put us in Cuba before the Herald ever starts putting out a quality product for its Broward residents reflecting where they live.
In the year 2010, while the Herald has a Gay-centric blog and and number of Spanish language blogs, plus ones dedicated to individual TV shows, there are still ZERO Broward-centric columnists and ZERO Broward-centric government/politics blog. ZERO.
Hardly anyone I know and respect from Broward County bothers to read the Herald'sNaked Politics blog anymore because they so rarely have something of interest to Broward County.
Most of the people I know are already hip to the fact that the St. Pete TimesBuzz politics blog and the Orlando Sentinel'sCentral Florida Political Pulse are far superior in every way in their coverage of the rest of the state to the Herald's.
Meanwhile, Broward County remain terra incognita for One Herald Plaza -and it showsevery single day you look at the newspaper. ----
Rasmussen Reports University of Anarchy and No Consequences A Commentary By Debra J. Saunders Sunday, June 20, 2010
When activists (who are not necessarily students) were able to delay construction of a UC Berkeley sports center by living in trees for 21 months, there was no review of what went wrong.
When protesters with torches vandalized UC Chancellor Robert Birgeneau's home, there was no review.
But when UC police arrested 46 people demonstrating against higher-education cuts by occupying Wheeler Hall on Nov. 20, there were complaints that police overreacted.
And so -- with authorities, not anarchists in the sights -- a review was born.
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 8:34 AM Cc: recipient list not shown: Subject: Fwd:My Email to Jeff Newton
Many on the commission are trying to water down the ethics code. This is what I sent to our attorney last night.
Mr. Newton:
With little reasonable advance time for review, you submitted a substantive legal memorandum to the Commission for immediate review dated just one day before Tuesday's meeting. In the memo ("Our File: 10-026 - Re: Portions of Proposed Ethics Code that Exceed Charter Authority or are Otherwise Legally Invalid"), you boldly -- and I believe incorrectly -- stated a lobbying ban on the Commission is likely "unconstitutional." This is very troubling.
In said memo, you stated lobbying is a "core First Amendment right" which cannot be restricted except for the narrowest of reasons. You further wrote that a "ban based on the identity of the lobbyist (i.e., County Commissioners, ...)" may be an "impermissible" regulation of speech. You seem to miss that lobbying bans have been routinely upheld and enforced. Congress, the federal executive branch, and the Florida Legislature, even the City Of Hollywood -- among others -- have all adopted long-standing lobbying bans of imposing a ban of varying amounts of years (typically 2 years) during which a former official is prohibited from lobbying his/her former agency or branch of government. These were put in place to prohibit the appearance of impropriety, and all are based upon the identity of the lobbyist (to wit: a former official). To date, not a single one of these bans has ever been struck down by the courts. See:
· Art. II, Sec. 8(e), Florida Constitution - "No member of the legislature or statewide elected officer shall personally represent another person or entity for compensation before the government body or agency of which the individual was an officer or member for a period of two years following vacation of office. No member of the legislature shall personally represent another person or entity for compensation during term of office before any state agency other than judicial tribunals. Similar restrictions on other public officers and employees may be established by law." NOTE: The restriction prohibiting current legislators from lobbying "any state agency other than judicial tribunals" is virtually analogous in purpose to the "lobbying down" ban the Ethics Committee suggested we adopt for sitting County Commissioners. Further, the lobbying ban set forth in the Florida Constitution is explicitly based on the identity of the lobbyist (to wit: a "member of the legislature"). Clearly, your analysis was severely flawed if you failed to note in your memo this nearly on-point provision from within Florida's own constitution.
· Section 112.313(9), Florida Statutes - Establishes lobbying bans explicitly targeted at individuals based on the identity of the lobbyist. See the lengthy list of covered job titles encompassed within this section's lobbying ban. I can find no court rulings invalidating, or even questioning, the constitutionality of this provision. Further, many states have virtually identical laws -- all of which appear to remain good law. See: http://www.ncsl.org/Default.aspx?TabId=15334
Secondly, I have questions about wasting tax dollars on a declaratory judgment action that appears concerned only with some general, speculative fear of future harm that may possibly occur at some time in the indefinite future. Until the voters enact it and there is a justiciable controversy, the County cannot in good faith make any showing of a real threat of immediate injury. If and until such time that the voters enact the proposed Commission Ethics Code, any declaratory judgment action would appear unripe for court review. See: State v. Florida Consumer Action Network, 830 So.2d 148 (Fla. 1st DCA, 2002). What is the purpose of going to court to expend significant tax dollars to challenge reforms that have yet to even be adopted by the voters? This makes no sense from a public policy perspective.
Finally, I have serious concerns about whether the County is the appropriate party to bring the declaratory judgment action seeking to undermine the proposed ethics reforms. Are you proposing -- even if done through contracted outside counsel -- that the County retain outside counsel to bring a legal challenge against the County (i.e., our own Ethics Committee, for which the County Attorney is also legal counsel). Doesn't this raise ethical questions of bringing a lawsuit in which "the fix" is in place, and undermine public confidence? Wouldn't your office also be the legal entity responsible for defending the provisions in court (i.e., the entity against which you are filing the declaratory judgment action)? If yes, it would seem that the “adverse” parties we essentially agents of one and the same master, seemingly intent on derailing ethics reform. It further suggests the two sides would be able to enter into manipulated and deceptive stipulations in court while posting as faux "opposing" parties with the goal of invalidating the reforms. If not an actual ethical conflict for your office, it certainly doesn't pass the smell test for avoiding the appearance of conflict of interest. Further, wouldn't the appropriate party to bring a declaratory judgment action and bear the costly financial burden of the suit be a member of the public (or perhaps one of my colleagues, if s/he feels so inclined) who seeks to invalidate a portion of the Commission Ethics Code once it has been adopted? I simply do not understand why the County is seeking to act as a legal roadblock to thwart the public's very appropriate desire to enact significant ethics reforms for the County Commission.
Let me be very clear: I fully support enactment of the entire proposed County Ethics Code. I am very disturbed by this legal attack -- seemingly coordinated with the assistance of your office -- seeking to undermine these important ethical reforms.
Please share with me your thoughts on the concerns I expressed above.
Sincerely,
Sue Gunzburger Vice Mayor
----- Broward Politicsblog Broward political ethics reform vaporizing Posted by Brittany Wallman on June 19, 2010 08:11 AM
Broward voters asked for a wholesale cleanup of county government, and it appeared a sure thing. Until now.
The political ethics reform that voters demanded two years ago is headed not to the ballot, not to the Broward County Commission rule books, but to courts.
Read the rest of the post at: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/06/broward_political_ethics_refor.html
----- Broward Politicsblog Broward delegation chairman singles out county's Ritter Posted by Brittany Wallman on June 20, 2010 09:13 AM
Broward delegation chairman Rep. Ari Porth, D-Coral Springs, singled out Broward County Commissioner Stacy Ritter in a recent op-ed column in our newspaper.
I'm re-publishing it now because Porth lambasted commissioners in a written statement today for sending proposed ethics reform to court rather than passing it. He accused commissioners of opposing state efforts at corruption reform, and when I asked his office to name names, this is what they sent.
Official Swedish Royal Court photo of Daniel Westling & Crown Princess Victoriaby Paul Hansen, 2010.
June 19th, 201010:35 p.m.
Sorry for the tardiness of this post but meant to upload this Thursday and got overwhelmed by other material that's also coming soon. I will have more information up in the next few hours, but wanted to be sure to put this information up now so that anyone wishing to watch tomorrow's exciting royal wedding, detkungliga brรถllopet, above would know where they could turn.
SVT'sLIVE wedding coverage from Stockholm to areas outsideScandinavia starts at 7 a.m. Eastern Saturday our time, and they even have a countdown clock.
Tonight, Friday night, SVT produced this interesting feature, just under an hour in length, that's a mix of news, actualities, history and pop culture, from SVT's perch near thekungliga slottet, royal palace http://svtplay.se/t/104697/det_kungliga_brollopet
Also from Thursday, mostly from their royal perch that TV4 is calling theBrรถllopsstudion,as well as with reports throughout Stockholm, here's a 22-minute news segment on the latest goings-on with the wedding details and the hoopla. Warning -This opening visual is positively killer! http://www.tv4play.se/aktualitet/brollopsstudion?videoId=1.1683750 Wish I could be there in-person with some friends of mine who are very psyched for the festivities to begin.
There I saw that she'd just posted this: "My column for Newsweek on Australia's first female Prime Minister, the straight-shooting Julia Gillard."