UPDATED: Sunrise Mayor Roger Wishner Hides From The Pulp

[Well, it's official: Roger Wishner is a man-whore. As predicted below, Roger Wishner and his do-boy Rosen voted tonight for the zoning change to allow Everglades Corporate Park to build a bigger development on the Everglades west of the Sawgrass. The stinking thing was passed 4-1, with only Sheila Alu dissenting. Sunrise is now officially the most rotten elected body in Broward County. You pretty much expect it from the three other yahoos, but Wishner, well, he's just a disgrace at this point and he's earned all the scrutiny he's going to get].  

I called Roger Wishner today to see which way he intends to vote on the giant eyesore they're planning for the Everglades in Sunrise.

He wouldn't give me a straight answer, of course, telling me there's more important things to worry about. He said there would be more "bites at the apple" in terms of trying to kill the project. Wishner didn't seem to have any problem with the zoning change, which essentially says that the Everglades is the perfect place to put high-density development because it won't upset people there.

This while we're spending billions to clean up the Everglades. Yes, makes good sense, Sunrise. The idiot wind is a'blowin' in that city, friends.  

I kept questioning Wishner and he really seemed to hate the questions. Then the mayor basically hung up on me.

"I have a business to run and a meeting, I need to go," and he hung up the phone.

Remember that line from Fargo: "He's fleeing the interview ... he's fleeing the interview."

This is right after Wishner's insipid and obviously twisted partner on the commission, Don Rosen, did the same. That is, he hung up the phone, saying he didn't have time to

talk about the issue. They have a lot in common, these guys.

Then today I get this email from commission gofer Lourdes Lawrence.   

Mr. Norman, 

Mayor Roger B. Wishner is requesting that in the future please submit in writing via email at [email protected] any questions that you may have regarding the City of Sunrise. 

 Should you have any questions please let me know.

 Regards,

Lourdes Lawrence
Administrative Aide to City Commission
City of Sunrise
10770 West Oakland Park Blvd.
Sunrise, Florida 33351
Phone: (954) 746-3255
Fax: (954) 746-3243

This is really business-as-usual in Broward, where we have a slew of politicians who are so vile they routinely refuse to explain themselves to the press (Stacy Ritter immediately comes to mind).

You just sense that Wishner knows it's wrong but he can't help himself. Greed is a killer. The man isn't a mayor, he's a mouse. And he's used to operating in Sunrise, which is full of a bunch of suburban commuters who pay no attention to what he does. It's no wonder that when he gets some tough questions, he folds like a cheap suit before hiding behind his computer. 

I should have seen this coming when he cast the deciding vote to keep his buddy, the seedy and sleazy Russ Klenet, on as paid lobbyist for the city. Peas in a pod these guys.  

Generally, Wishner can get away with his conniving because so few people care, but the Everglades Corporate Park is bigger than Sunrise. It's a symbol, a line in the sand. Everybody that cares about the Everglades should get to the coming meetings (including tonight's -- it should get going around 6:30, perfect timing for after work) and take the stand and ask him the questions he wouldn't answer today. He needs to be held accountable for his reprehensible and irresponsible actions.

Because I think it's a done deal: My prediction is these two schmoes are going to vote for the zoning change and, ultimately for this godforsaken project. They were both paid thousands of dollars in campaign fundraisers held by Ruden and McClosky.

Both Wishner and Rosen told me (straight out of the Political Scoundrels' Playbook) that they would make up their tonight after they hear all the sides to the issue, wise and judicious men of honor that they are.

I urge you to watch them tonight on TV or get to City Hall, watch how they pretend to sagely consider their votes -- and then both coincidenatally come down on the side of building an ugly monstrosity in the Everglades for which there is no need or want from their constituents.

Oh,and when confronted with the dissenters, they might say they won't listen to non-Sunrise residents. That would be just another lie: Ruden and McClosky is based in Fort Lauderdale and the developers are from Kentucky, no less.

If Frick and Frack vote it down, voice opposition to the development, and prove me wrong, I'll take this back, eat crow, and sing their praises for their votes. Man do I hope they make a fool of me.