Diana Wasserman-Rubin

Former Broward Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin Insists She's Done Nothing Wrong

Former Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin is accused of felony public corruption. Investigators say her husband made $1.1 million off of taxpayers for writing grants that she helped approve, which we first wrote about back in 2005.The affidavit that went along with ... More >>

Richard Rubin Sentenced to Ten Months in Federal Prison

Richard Rubin (right) and Diana Wasserman-Rubin.​Richard Rubin -- husband of former Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin, who still faces seven felony charges of her own -- was sentenced this morning to ten months in federal prison.Rubin, 66, pleaded guilty in April to federal tax eva ... More >>

Bob Norman's Greatest Hits

Bob Norman is not a man to gloat, so we're doing it for him. During his 13 years as a writer at this periodical (four as feature writer, nine as a columnist, five of those nine as the Daily Pulp blogger), he has had a rash of successes -- especially if you count sending corrupt public officials to ... More >>

Stephanie Kraft, It's Time to Plead Guilty

The most resounding message sent by the conviction of former Deerfield Beach Commissioner Steve Gonot is this: Not this time, Stephanie.​Juries, at least those in Broward County, don't buy politicians' convoluted explanations for apparent wrongdoing. So those of you now facing corruption char ... More >>

Richard Rubin Pleads Guilty, Faces Likely Prison Term

Richard Rubin, with his attorney David Bogenschutz at his side, was contrite in federal court as he pleaded guilty to a tax evasion charge. An emotional Rubin, who is the husband of criminally charged former Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin, admitted to Judge William Zloch that ... More >>

This Tax Day Brings Bad Tidings for "So Ethical" Richard Rubin

Back in 2005, I questioned Richard Rubin, husband of criminally charged former Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin, about his relationship with the shadowy politically connected real estate broker Ira Cor. Ira Cor: Real estate broker to the politicians.​Rubin worked as a sales a ... More >>

Wasserman-Rubin's Hubby Hit With Federal Tax Charges

A lot of people didn't think it was fair that while his wife was hit with felony corruption charges for voting on a grant that benefited him, Richard Rubin seemingly got off scot-free after he and other officials gamed the Town of Southwest Ranches for millions of dollars. The Rubins​Well, no ... More >>

Why Did Stacy Ritter Appoint Les Stracher To Powerful Planning Council?

Broward County Commissioner Stacy Ritter, shortly after voting in favor of the controversial housing project being pushed by dirty developers Bruce and Shawn Chait, appointed the husband of  the Chaits' chief political consultant to the Broward County Planning Council. In early 2007, Ritte ... More >>

More School Board Investigation? Bring It On

Well, the state's Education Commissioner is sending an inspector general down to Broward County to look at the dysfunctional and corrupt embattled school board. Let's hope they find a way to clean house. Notter and JenJen bask in all their success​The state is involved thanks to the grand ... More >>

Rick Scott Does Something Good. Yeah, I Said It

Model Citizen Scott deserves a hand today. ​Rick Scott's move to force government employees to contribute to their pensions (like everyone else) and drop the horrid DROP triple-dipping program is flat-out wonderful. It's high time someone derailed the gravy train that government ... More >>

Former Commissioner Mary McCarty Embarrassed to Tell Inmates Why She's in Jail

McCarty knows how prison works: She keeps quiet on her crimes.​After spending more than a year and a half in the slammer, former Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty probably misses those nights at luxury cottages in Key West that caused her to trade her power suits for a jumpsuit. A Palm B ... More >>

Joel Steinger's Ponzi Palace

Want to live like a Ponzi schemer? Buy Joel Steinger's house. Steinger​Steinger, the felon behind the giant Mutual Benefits viatical scam, is facing federal fraud charges. As I told you this morning, he's on house arrest while he awaits his day in court, assuming it will ever come af ... More >>

The Mayor, The Landscaper, and the Italian Honeymoon

You know something is wrong when an elected official is a close "friend" of a lobbyist or contractor on which he or she routinely votes.  Lobbyists and vendors want nothing more than to forge close relationships with government leaders so they can make sure to win ... More >>

UPDATED: Charges Brought In Ynot Case

​ ​ Ynot with son Max just days prior to his death​ UPDATED: The SAO just announced that it has filed charges in the case of graffiti artist Jonathan "Ynot" Corso. The release: The Broward State Attorney's Office has charged Reynaldo Rodriguez, 32, with vehicular homicide in ... More >>

Deadlocked Jury in Leyritz Trial

​ UPDATE: This just in: The jury is deadlocked in the Leyritz trial. They're apparently ready to call it a hung jury, but Judge Marc Gold is trying to get them back in there to try again. That's right, we're looking at a probable 'nother go-round. Call it: Leyritz Trial II, The Sta ... More >>

A Mayor Named Sue

They just voted Sue Gunzburger the new Broward mayor to replace Ken Keechl. Hey, it was her turn. Commissioner Kristin Jacobs made a very lame motion for Gunzburger, saying that "when each jewel is allowed to shine, the whole crown shines." Yuck. Out with the old, in with the ... More >>

City, County Attorneys Should Be First Line of Defense Against Corruption -- So Where Are They?

FlickrLegal advisers to Broward governments should have a sharper eye for elected officials' conflicts.​Broward County governments are each supposed to be protected by a single attorney who can advise them on how to steer clear of the kinds of conflicting interests that could land them in jail. So ... More >>

Why Can't South Florida's Politicians Sing and Dance Like North Florida's?

This music video is from Florida Rep. Mike Weinstein from Jacksonville. He's a Republican -- as you probably guessed from the dancing scenes. (Warning: Around the 2:52 mark, a dancer makes a move that's not quite for the family-values crowd.)I hope some of our South Florida politicians take the cue ... More >>

Morning Juice: Heat Hit a Free Agent Lotto; Thief Lived by Gun, Died by Gun

​A look at the local news for Wednesday morning in South Florida:Within hours of announcing her resignation from the Broward County Commission, Diana Wasserman-Rubin was arrested and charged with unlawful compensation, based on her casting votes on grants for Southwest Ranches that were written by ... More >>

Diana Wasserman-Rubin Indictment Due to the Reporting From Our Own Bob Norman

Wasserman-Rubin's mug shot.​Prosecutors typically don't cite reporters as a source when they've built a criminal case, and today's indictment of Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin is no different. So here's a little footnote.Today's charges would likely have never happened if not fo ... More >>

Honey, I Rigged the Vote (Part II): With Wasserman-Rubin Charged, Time to Revisit the Juice's Corrupt Couples Watch-List

​Way back in October, this blog used the Tom Ridge terrorist threat chart to rank Broward County's power couples according to the threat they posed to the integrity of local government. The duo of Richard Rubin and Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin posed an "elevated" risk of committing corruptio ... More >>

Broward Commissioner to Be Charged for Corruption

Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin appears to be the latest elected county official to face corruption charges. As usual, Bob Norman has the scoop. Check out his post on Pulp.

Sue Gunzburger Ensnared by Corruption Probe

Photo: C.StilesSue Gunzburger​The Broward Sheriff's Office is getting mighty ambitious with its corruption investigation. The Sun-Sentinel is reporting that County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger is a target of agency investigators who are looking at deals that her husband's company made with Broward ... More >>

Florida Ethics Czar Asks for Leniency for Corrupt School Board Member

Sun-Sentinel This shot by Mike Stocker should have won a Pulitzer.​The top ethics official in Florida penned a letter asking a federal judge to show leniency for former Broward County Board Member Beverly Gallagher, who has pleaded guilty to bribery and other federal charges that ... More >>

Morning Juice: John Goodman Jailed; West Palm Stripper Busted for Armed Robbery

​Here's what's news this morning in Broward and Palm Beach:Wellington polo mogul John Goodman is in a Palm Beach County jail this morning, charged with vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter in connection with the February crash that killed 23-year-old Scott Wilson. [Palm Beach Post]Construction ... More >>

Morning Juice: Oil on the Way to Our Beaches; Felony Charges Looming for Broward Commissioner

​Here's a look at what's in the local headlines this Tuesday morning:"Tar balls" have been found in Key West, the harbinger for oil in the Gulf of Mexico spreading to the South Florida coast, with potential for a dramatic effect on the marine ecosystem. [WPLG]Judging by remarks made by her defense ... More >>

Morning Juice: Nova Professor Murdered in Home; FBI Agent Shows Salesman the Money

​The news in Broward and Palm Beach:A Nova Southeastern University science professor is believed to be dead following a home invasion early Tuesday morning. Police say a man and his wife were tied up by an intruder, who shot the man -- believed to be homeowner Joseph Morrissey -- and then set the ... More >>

Morning Juice: Josie Lou Ratley Shows Movement; Broward Commissioner Blames Health for Political Retirement

​Here's what's happening in South Florida news this Monday morning:Scott Rothstein is said to have hired Mafia associates on the pretext of needing their help shredding documents that could damage the investigation into his Ponzi scheme, but while they took the money, the mobsters never destroyed ... More >>

Broward County Commissioners Face Questions About Shady Deals

Morning Juice: A Dramatic Day at Court With the Rothsteins; Are Rubins the Next Couple Headed for Federal Court?

​The headlines this morning in Broward and Palm Beach:Following his guilty plea to fraud charges in connection with a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme, Fort Lauderdale lawyer Scott Rothstein received a sentencing date of May 6. He's hoping for leniency based on his having returned from Morocco and helpin ... More >>

Morning Juice: Another Broward Commissioner Investigated; Kim Rothstein Gives Interview

​Let's see what's in the papers and on the TV news this Wednesday morning:Prosecutors are finally getting 'round to issuing subpoenas in the long-overdue investigation of Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin, who voted for some $11 million in grants for parks in Southwest Ranches -- g ... More >>

Honey, I Rigged the Vote: Broward Power Couples Screw Each Other; Then They Screw Us

Can Ritter and Klenet hold on to the top spot on our corruption watch list?​In light of the explosive findings Bob Norman's been posting over at Daily Pulp, it's time we identify a trend in Broward corruption: power-mad married couples, ruling the region like a king and queen, carving up our publi ... More >>

The Broward County Commission Is A Nest Of Whores

I've decided to go with more blunt and truthful headlines ... can you tell? The inspiration for this one is the passing of lobbyist Ron Book's initiative to bring more money to the county's bail bondsmen at the expense of our tax dollars. Book, who represents the bondsmen, has been w ... More >>

Sun-Sentinel: Corruption Is Suddenly ... Everywhere!

Jennifer Gollan had a nice little scoop about elected officials' travel that centered on mayors Richard Kaplan, Joy Cooper, and Frank Ortis billing hundreds of dollars to stay at a hotel for a convention in Miami -- all of about 30 miles away. Nothing earth-shattering, but a sweet daily&nb ... More >>

Congratulations Gators, God Loves You Most

I bet on Florida (-3) in the national championship game. That's right, I actually sort of like the Gators now that Spurrier long gone, and I've always been partial to the SEC. It was just a friendly wager with a friend, though, and by the middle of the game I was sort of pulling for Oklahoma. Why? ... More >>

Morning News Bytes

Family Ties

Broward Commission, lobbyists ooze coziness

Politicians Feed At Super Trough

Oh Canada

Spread the Mayo

Somebody Listened

Is Katherine Harris A Ruthless Soviet Dictator?

Oh, Canada

We objected to John Canada's abuse of power. But the state didn't.

Cor Values, Part 2

A developer may make off with a bundle, and a town could be left holding the bag

Cor Values

A Broward dealmaker (and ex-con) strikes up a friendship with a county commissioner's husband.

Letters for April 7-13, 2005

Cash Cow

A group of political opportunists is cashing in on the rural town of Southwest Ranches

Grounds for Eviction

Besieged by the metropolis, a coffee joint gets the boot

Print and Politics

The Broward Times delivers unconventional, often shrill journalism to an unsuspecting town

Undercurrents

When Americans With Disabilities Act Out