Broward Sheriff Elect Scott Israel said today that he expects to announce new hires within a couple of weeks after he returns from sheriffs' school in Tallahassee where he is headed on Sunday. Israel, a Democrat, beat Republican Al Lamberti in November.
We also asked Israel about a report on the Republican blog The Shark Tank that suggested when Israel takes over BSO won't provide the same security to DNC chair U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Weston.) Lamberti and Wasserman Schultz have had a friendly working relationship and have both appeared at Relay for Life events (both are cancer survivors).
We're not going to delve into the details about when Wasserman Schultz does or doesn't get security while in Florida. But Israel said that it is "ludicrous" to suggest that BSO won't provide security to Wasserman Schultz.
"She is a Congresswoman in the United States of America," Israel said. "Of course we will be protecting her."
Israel said that he asked Wasserman Schultz to endorse him and she didn't respond. But he said that isn't a factor in any security decisions.
Did Lamberti let Sheriff-elect Israel into the building? Israel is proceeding with the transition but no doubt with the handicap of not having access to the BSO building. Lamberti is a sore loser. He showed his arrogance with his BS excuses about security and confidentiality for not allowing Israel in the building. I’ll bet there’s a lot of cleaning up like evidence of Lamberti’s dirty deals with BSO vendors and his auto deal with Maroone.
Posted by: Lady Yehenara | November 26, 2012 at 10:08 PM
Wasserman Schultz is a federal official and unless the Secret Service has requested the BSO to take on her security detail, it is highly inappropriate that Lamberti gave her the security detail at the taxpayer's expense. Is this why Debbie Wasserman Schultz refused to endorse Israel - because Lamberti was providing her with free rides?
Posted by: Skyler Thornton | November 28, 2012 at 02:49 PM