She's citing health reasons (Parkinson's disease), but as we reported here first, she's under investigation by the State Attorney's Office relating to some nasty business in her town of Southwest Ranches.
The best part of the Herald article is the story about how Wasserman-Rubin, at far left in the photo, got her start in politics:
"When a seat opened up on the South Broward Hospital District board in 1984, then-Pembroke Pines Mayor Charles Flanagan wanted to
appoint his lawyer, Jeff Wasserman. But when he heard that then-Gov. Bob Graham wanted to appoint a woman, Flanagan asked Wasserman's wife at the time -- Diana -- to apply.
"My first reaction was, 'What do I know about health care?' she told the Miami Herald in 1988. She applied -- and got the spot.
In 1988, Wasserman-Rubin was elected to the School Board. She won a spot on the County Commission in 2000 and was chosen by her peers to serve as the county's first mayor..."
There you have it. The original qualification of the woman who would be Broward's first mayor was that she was the wife of a lawyer who was due a favor from a politician/client. And she got her start in one of the hospital districts, those great patronage posts in Broward County (Ana Gardiner got her start at the NBHD, let's not forget). Then she hops on the School Board before cruising to the commission, taking big-money contributions from all the big developers, lobbyists, and special interests, playing ball with them every step of the way. Now she leaves under a cloud of suspicion.
Moving along now. The Fitzroy Salesman trial is also getting close to the end. Two more FBI agents to go and then we'll see if Fitzroy himself takes the stand. I doubt that highly, but with Salesman, you never know. He might insist on it. We can only hope.
