Kiwanis Board Member Richard Entin is balking at a scheduled hearing to expel city commission candidate Patti Lynn from the Tamarac club on dubious anti-Semitism charges.
Entin, an attorney, wrote in an email he sent last night to other board members that the timing of the actions being taken against Lynn "could be interpreted as a political move in support of another candidate's agenda, and not in the best interest of the club."
He also questioned whether any hearing targeting Lynn should go forward at all. Lynn is running against Tamarac Vice Mayor Patte Atkins-Grad. Leading the anti-Semitism campaign against Lynn is Kiwanis Club President Joel Davidson, who happens to be a top campaign volunteer for Atkins-Grad as well as a longtime friend and neighbor.
It was former Broward School Board member Marty Rubenstein who made the initial allegation against Lynn on an anonymous blog and emailed it to city leaders. Rubenstein is a paid political consultant for the Atkins-Grad campaign.
"The fact that this has been on our back burner for so long, without a resolution imply's that there is no justifiable or overpowering reason to proceed now," Entin wrote. "Doing so only feeds a political agenda ...."
Entin was responding to Lynn's request to reschedule the meeting. The club was supposed to have conducted an investigation, and Davidson claims that one was completed, yet Lynn was never contacted. "The Tamarac Kiwanis Club, up to this minute, has not asked me for an explanation, supporting documentation, or spoken to me about an 'investigation,'" Lynn wrote.
Here's the entire email from Entin, who can be seen in the Kiwanis board photo below, standing third from left. It jumps:
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From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Sent: Friday, October 23, 2009 11:30:31 PM
Subject: Re: Kiwanis Club of Tamarac-Hearing Notice
To the Board of Directors:
I have had an opportunity to review the request of Patti Lynn for a continuance of the hearing currently set for Monday.
Although I am not involved in the process, hearing or ultimate determination of the Board, I can't help but feel that timing the hearing on Monday, so close to the city election clearly gives the appearance that this could be interpreted as a political move in support of another candidate's agenda, and not in the best interest of the club.
The fact that this issue has now been publicized also lends credence to that as well, even if it
wasn't the intent. It just looks bad!
I am proud of the positive relationship which we have with the city, however we must also remember that we are a service organization with close city involvement. This does not mean we are an adjunct to the city or its politics.
We must clearly avoid any appearance of impropriety. With some of the personalities involved and their relationships with other candidates, to an outsider looking in, it just doesn't look appropriate or fair.
The reason I am informed that the delay in setting the hearing was that we couldn't obtain a quorum of directors to attend. Once the quorum was confirmed, Ms Lynn was then advised on short notice of the date. Quite frankly and for fairness alone, she should have been involved in the process of obtaining a date so that it would have been mutually convenient to all parties. That's called basic due process!
The fact that this has been on our back burner for so long, without a resolution imply's that there is no justifiable or overpowering reason to proceed now. Doing so only feeds a political agenda and not the agenda of what is good for the club.
As such, and as both a member of the Kiwanis Club of Tamarac, and the Lt. Governor of Divison 23 of the Florida District of Kiwanis, I respectfully request that the hearing be reset until after the elections.
Richard C Entin
