The DBR picked up on Jack Tuter’s Zoom email posted on JAABLOG yesterday morning, and made a real story of it. Whether or not they got wind of the issue from JAABLOG is unknown at this time, but please keep the tips and stories coming, and we’ll do our best to get them to the outside world. The DBR’s story Broward Chief Judge Is Clamping Down is here.
The DBR coverage has started a bit of Zoom mining, and this morning the above picture was sent over to JAABLOG, showing APD Dan Maggio reacting to the PDA incident described by Tuter when things “got a bit steamy.”
As far as the ASA who “presented her case from bed,” we were on that day, and have it on very good authority that she was wiped-out from singlehandedly dealing with four kids and work, and that the bedroom was the only quiet room in the house available for Zoom purposes. Accordingly, those screenshots will not be posted.
Please drop a line if the other described incidents from the DBR are readily accessible. Of course, the most amusing Zoom court moments thus far have been provided by litigants and their witnesses, if anything about pandemic conditions can be deemed amusing at all …
DECORUM! – Email sent this morning from Jack Tuter to stakeholders, followed by a screen shot we took of the chief judge from a recent Zoom meeting displaying appropriate dress …
BROADSIDE! – last night’s Bless Broward State Attorney Forum got heated at one point, with the ever outspoken Teresa Fanning Williams lashing out at the SAO’s ethics in response to a comment by Gregg Rossman. No names here, as Teresa used the strongest language possible, stating ” … one of the head supervisors … has got the worst ethics I have ever seen. He is the personification of prosecutorial misconduct … .” Unfortunately, the remark drew a swift shutdown of the dialogue, since a response was in the works and an interesting conversation could have ensued. Fanning Williams was reportedly also very candid at the recent Sun Sentinel endorsement interviews in regards to her fellow candidates. In any event, with everyone else thus far this campaign season on their best political behavior, people are wondering whether anyone besides Teresa or Joe Kimok will be breaking a lot of eggs if elected, or whether others are simply playing it safe for the win before announcing a thorough overhaul …
MORE CANDIDATE FUN – a previously taped judicial candidate forum premieres tonight at 5:30 PM via BCBA Facebook …
ARTAU UP – Ed Artau joins the 4th DCA, creating a vacancy on the Palm Beach circuit court …
Brenda’s financials are up. She’s the first Clerk’s candidate to qualify. Her financial disclosure for 2019 is here, signed May 29, 2020. We’ll post Brenda’s older financials in due time.
Pictured below is an “unknown” liability to a law firm, Shield (sic) Family Law. Whether or not the debt has anything to do with the “fees on fees” opinion issued as a result of the fiasco targeting Brenda’s former benefactor and husband Howard Forman, is unknown at this time.
Please drop a line or post a comment if you have any information on Brenda’s mysterious liability, or any other information regarding her personal fiscal acuity. As the Clerk’s election approaches, with the winner poised to take over oversight duties of Broward County’s $2.5 billion investment portfolio, a thorough financial vetting of Broward’s controversial incumbent Clerk is imperative at this time …
Sent by Andy Siegel to all circuit judges June 4th:
We are adding to the in-custody docket additional morning sessions. This will continue until the courthouse is reopened to the public and in-custody defendants are being transported to our courtrooms. A zoom link for the incusody sessions is at the end of this email.
Starting Monday June 8, 2020, the in-custody docket morning session will begin at 8:30a.m. and end around 12:00p.m. and then pick up for the afternoon session will begin at 1:30p.m.until 5:00p.m. Each of the divisions have been assigned specific days and time. (Note: because of time availability, in custody matters from other divisions may be added administratively from time to time as previously done, i.e. repeat offender, drug court, mental health court.)
On the dates and time assigned to each division, you will be responsible for setting in custody matters during your scheduled session. Both the State and defense attorneys will be directed to contact your JA to place matters on the docket. The in custody docket procedures and schedule attached will be posted on the 17th website. They will be applicable to all divisions.
Your JA must use the CMS to set the hearings. Your JA must use the applicable session assigned to your schedule and post on the division FK. This assures the Clerk’s office will be able to create a docket and BSO will receive the docket to have the defendants available.
Other out of custody matters remain the same and are scheduled using your individual assigned zoom link. if an interpreter is needed arrangements must be made in advance to assure attendance of the interpreters.
If you have any questions or scheduling issues please call my office .
ZOOM LINK – https://17thflcourts.zoom.us/j/95752631895
Brenda v. Blog hopefully will be headed to a Grievance Committee (“GC”) soon, absent anything to do with IP Addresses. Those issues were disposed by Florida Bar letter at the end of May. Legal Warrior John Howes’primer on the First Amendment must have been enough for them to forego further challenges to the United States Constitution, even if they won’t admit it. The voluminous Motion to Quash Subpoena John prepared was never addressed, and the letter they sent ignored every constitutional principle submitted.
Whatever.
Now, roughly 580 days after the Bar received Brenda’s initial complaint, which was mostly comprised of issues around her title and well settled areas of Bar precedent and law regarding photography, an “investigator” has been assigned from the GC, former Broward ASA Madeleine Mannelo, pictured below with Brenda and others.
In spite of the law, videos (here and here) and other evidence, in spite of Brenda’s bailing on her bogus “domestic violence” court complaint before her deposition or any court appearances, in spite of the now closed investigation regarding Brenda’s veracity by the Miami SAO, and in spite of a judge having once found Brenda acted in bad faith in circuit court proceedings, defined as “dishonesty of belief, purpose, or motive,” the Bar has now handed the case to yet another investigator, who also appears to be friendly with the complainant.
You can’t make this stuff up, dear readers, but you’d have to be blind to not see what’s underpinning the harassment.
The truth is the Bar hates this very American blog, and anyone with the courage to utilize it to hold their public officials accountable, no matter how unqualified or out of control they may be.
The truth is the Bar hates lawyers that won’t kowtow to their authority, no matter how ineptly, politically, or disingenuously applied.
The truth is the Bar has done nothing to stop the degradation of the justice system in the face of a phony and destructive War on Drugs that has caused so much pain, death, and suffering in our communities, up to and including the ongoing national mourning of Mr. George Floyd and so many others like him. In fact, with their relentless attacks on the Constitution, honest criticism and other guiding principles of our forefathers, the Bar has in fact encouraged it. For while Brenda v. Blog is nothing more than one small example of the Bar’s actions and activities, it is symbolic of the greater whole of their mission to make sure everything stays exactly the same, no matter the cost, consequences or will of the people.
In any event, it should soon be up to the members of Grievance Committee 17(C) whether or not Brenda’s claims finally see the glare of a courtroom, with Broward’s Clerk of Courts under oath. In the meantime, we’ll be sure to update with any further developments, so stay safe from misguided government action and virus until then …
Forman and Mannello with Jack Tuter and Stacy Ross (Florida Bar News)NYT June 2nd, 2020
Mark Speiser, who as Judge Speiser found Brenda Forman acted in bad faith in circuit court proceedings against her then husband Howard Forman, is now running for Clerk of Courts.
When asked if his candidacy had anything to do with his prior history with Brenda, Mark responded as follows:
“I’m simply running because the current Clerk isn’t qualified.”
