Dirt will fly in race for Broward sheriff

Dirt will fly in race for Broward sheriff

By Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel
7:43 p.m. EDT, August 24, 2012

The race between Democrats for Broward sheriff got so hot, even George W. Bush weighed in. Or at least it sounded like George W. Bush.

In an automated phone call, the presidential-sound-alike said sheriff's candidate Louie Granteed was a "shoot first, ask questions later" man. "Louie used to be a Republican," the voice said. "My kind of guy."

Not the kind of description Granteed wanted just before the Democratic primary against Scott Israel.

The call was a dirty trick, just one of a few that came to sabotage Louie Granteed's candidacy in the final hours. It carried no political disclaimer at all, its origins unknown. The ads could be a glimpse of what the public can expect in Round 2 of Scott Israel versus Al Lamberti for Broward County sheriff. Israel lost to Lamberti four years ago, and the two face each other in the November general election.

Both sides are braced for a tough brawl. Mystery money flooded the sheriff's primary, from secret players seeking to influence Broward's election.

"One thing I did learn last time is that politics is a dirty business," Lamberti said, "that politics and money are definitely intertwined. And both of those things are sad. The voters deserve better."

"Based upon what happened four years ago," Israel said of Lamberti, "all he did was negative ads."

The winner has power over a $650 million budget and thousands of employees, in one of Broward's highest-profile public offices.

Lamberti is the only Republican in a countywide elected office in Broward, a distinction that gives extra incentive to Democrats.

Thanks, but no thanks

Just a day or two before the primary, phones rang in voters' homes.

An ethusiastic female voice announced a peculiar endorsement for a Democratic candidate. The Miami Tea Party was endorsing Granteed.

The endorsement was quickly blasted by Granteed as a dirty trick. But the voters had already heard it: "Granteed is a tough, no nonsense cop who won't kowtow to minorities, civil liberties or good government types," it said. "Louie Granteed will crack down on illegal immigrants in Broward County."

Granteed blamed Israel and his supporters, denouncing the supposed right-wing support as a "Karl Rove tactic."

A shadowy group in Tallahassee also entered the race, attacking Granteed in emails, phone calls and mail pieces, touting Israel and reminding voters that Granteed was named in a sexual harassment lawsuit against his department. The group, Taxpayers for Integrity in Government Inc., is funded by scores of miscellaneous interests and collects massive contributions to influence various campaigns and races.

At the helm is a name familiar to the Broward Sheriff's Office: Todd Wilder, former chief of staff to then-Sheriff Ken Jenne. Jenne was de-throned from the Sheriff's Office in a public corruption scandal and served time in prison. Wilder is now a political consultant in Tallahassee, and he declined to say why he's involved in this race and whether his influence will linger.

"Sorry, but I'm going to take a pass on this," he wrote in an email.

Jenne couldn't be reached for comment.

Also in the background is renowned dirty trickster Roger Stone, who plied his mischievous political trade with President Richard Nixon and bears Nixon's image as a tattoo on his back. Though Stone publicly denied involvement in the Tea Party Miami "endorsement," he has ties to that group and was involved in the 2008 Broward sheriff's race as well.

That time, he was working for Scott Rothstein, the now-imprisoned Ponzi schemer, to get Lamberti elected.

"I always like to see fratricide among Democrats," he told the Sun Sentinel in an email about the primary, declining to say whether he has any involvement in the race this time. He previously told the Sun Sentinel Israel is "an unqualified punk."

Israel asked that outsiders remain outside of the election this time.

"What I would wish if could wish anything, I would wish that others stay out of a Broward County race and let Al Lamberti and I run."

bwallman@tribune.com or 954-356-4541.

It's funny that despicable Lamberti is acting like a victim. "Oh poor me I hate politics". He's got this coming to him finally. Israel will give it to him good I hope. Lamberti and his crew deserve everything bad they get. I hope Lamberti pays for his evil by losing his job.