The Miami Herald has broken several important stories about Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne's downfall recently that Broward's hometown newspaper has missed, briefed, and/or ignored. Namely, the Herald has documented how our good sheriff has robbed the taxpayers one last time by charging dubious lawyers' fees to BSO. Specifically they learned that BSO paid former U.S. attorney Guy Lewis $650 an hour for his work on the Jenne case for a total of $272,000.
Oh that reeks (this morning's Herald editorial breaks it down pretty good, too). Whatever sliver of public dignity Lewis had left has vanished over this bit of influence peddling. But who cares about honor? He made off like one of the criminals he used to prosecute and in South Florida's slimy lawyer pit, that's all that matters. (Let's not forget about the million BSO spent on Jenne crony Tom Panza's whitewash either).
Congrats to the Herald and especially reporters Jay Weaver and Wanda J. DeMarzo for breaking the stories. To the Sentinel, well, take a cold shower and have another go at it.
UPDATE: Here's some scuttlebutt I should have shared: This thing is supposedly going to wrap up VERY SOON, and word is that Jenne is digging in his heels. King Ken refuses to do any jail time and so far won't agree to the plea deal his lawyers have tried to wrangle for him. It's Ken versus the world, which means we could be in for a trial. Yuck.
UPDATE II: This just posted on the the Miami Herald website:
Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne -- at one time the county's most powerful politician -- is facing a deadline Friday to accept a plea deal on federal corruption charges involving tens of thousands of dollars he allegedly received from sheriff's office contractors and employees, according to sources.If Jenne declines the deal, he could soon face a grand jury indictment on more serious fraud and money-laundering offenses, sources said. The federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale is set to end its probe of Jenne's personal finances next month.
Speculation about Jenne's expected plea deal and resignation swirled around the Broward Sheriff's Office Friday. Jenne was reportedly in his fifth-floor office at the Ron Cochran Public Safety Complex on Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.
