Infighting and controversy have ironically stricken the Broward County Commission on the eve of an exception being made to the County Administrative Code allowing commissioners to permanently name the new Ceremonial Courtroom in honor of the very much alive Jack Tuter.
Both Mark Bogen, seen here in the comments section posing gleefully with Tuter and Mike Satz, and his colleague, Steve Geller, have come out strongly against the actions of a third commissioner, Dale Holness, to honor Kodak Black via proclamation for his extensive and well-documented charitable efforts.
It’s all here in today’s Sun Sentinel article by Lisa Huriash, after TMZ broke the news of the proclamation last week.
From the article:
The proclamation lists several of Black’s contributions, including college costs for the three children of two FBI agents killed in a raid in Sunrise; funeral costs of a South Carolina police officer; and $100,000 to Nova Southeastern University’s law school in memory of Meadow Pollack, who was killed in the Parkland high school shooting in 2018.
“Our commission needs to honor people who have done things that are special and worthy of being honored,” said County Commissioner Mark Bogen. “I do not believe Mr. Black is worthy of that honor. Based on his past criminal conduct, this is not a man we should be honoring.” …
Holness signed the proclamation as the mayor of Broward, a title he had until November, when the one-year term ended. …
By signing the document “claiming to be mayor when he’s not, it’s very troubling any person would sign a document purporting to have a title when the person doesn’t have that title,” Bogen said. …
“What I have read about Kodak Black, I wouldn’t have signed my name to a proclamation,” Geller said.
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Brad Cohen, Kodak’s lawyer, who spoke to us this morning, was not happy to hear about Bogen and Geller’s comments. Brad pointed out Kodak’s charitable good works started when he was fifteen years of age, and go much deeper than the ones mentioned in the Sun Sentinel, many having been made anonymously.
“The kid has done so much charity work that it puts other people to shame,” Cohen said.
Later in the day, after the news had sunk in, Cohen authored the following strongly worded post to Twitter:
So there you have it. Racially charged squabbling over honoring an undeniable homegrown minority hero to countless local, national, and international young people, a day before the Commission marches in lockstep to name a prestigious courtroom for a sitting caucasian judge. The timing is instructive, and indicative of much larger problems.
There are, of course, legions of deceased Broward leaders of all backgrounds and professions who took courageous and dangerous stands in the civil rights movement and in other areas, including combat in defense of our nation. Certainly no exception would need to be made for any of these exceptional people, and in a county known for systemic racism in the criminal justice system, where exceptions are only bestowed upon the wealthy or politically powerful, one shouldn’t be given now.
Jack Tuter should take heed and refuse the honor. Despite his achievements, he should pave the way for a more symbolic crusader for change. While Bogen and Geller, in the midst of the Black Lives Matter era, may still be ill-advised and ignorant of the miles Broward needs to travel to shed the shackles of mass incarceration, as evidenced by their objections to a mere proclamation, Tuter is not. The chief judge and those below him understand the ongoing challenges, as would anyone who bothers to take a moment and observe the make-up of the individuals populating circuit court criminal dockets. If the most stubborn problems cannot by their very nature be fixed quickly, powerful symbolic opportunities can and should be capitalized on immediately when rare occasions, such as the naming of the Ceremonial Courtroom, present themselves.
County Commission meeting tomorrow …
DON’T ASK ME ABOUT ANY CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS I’VE MADE
IM THE ONLY CHARITY I CONTRIBUTE TO
Glad to hear Brad’s on the right side of this one. The honorable side I might add.
Chief Judge Tuter has done nothing to deserve such recognition except line his pockets at taxpayers expense. Its disgusting he should even consider accepting it.
Then again, this is a Broward Judge. When they’re not sucking every dime they can get, they’re blowing their own horns. We’ve seen it happen repeatedly.
Bogen blows big time
Tuter don’t have a record, but what has he done?
Our commission needs to honor people who have done things that are special and worthy of being honored,” said County Commissioner Mark Bogen. “I do not believe Mr. Black is worthy of that honor. Based on his past criminal conduct, this is not a man we should be honoring.”
What has Tuter done???
Tuter has done absolutely nothing for nobody but himself.
I guess its a little like Broward judges insisting on being called Judge when they’ve had their butts kicked out by voters. Grow up pontificating jack asses !
Back in the day you would ask if the person was a good lawyer – what’s the rep on Bogen??
I say we name it after Rubin Stacy, a Broward County resident who was not afforded access to the Court in life or death.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-ne-rubin-stacy-lynching-memorial-20200911-u3f6jg26izerllal7vva6nz3wi-story.html
Tuter is nothing but a second rate buffoon looking for any kind of recognition he can get. He’s done little to deserve anything but pat himself on the back for dealing with a bunch of greasers playing the same game.
There’s zero chance this man declines this.
Are we talking about the very small person Marla? She’s not really relevant anymore, you can’t refer to her by first name only. No one will get it.
Does anyone wonder why they dedicated the prison wing of the courthouse (North) to a Black man TJ Reddick after many years of calling it only the North Wing, when they did it in June 2019 after deciding to dedicate the spanking new slick building to a White man ambulance chaser named Skip Campbell in April 2019.
TO COVER UP THEIR RACISM
They only did it as an afterthought Cya thing because they wanted to make a big deal over Skip.
I may be a butt kisser lacking force or effectiveness but at least I know the correct way to spell flaccid
This red one cost more than Chief Judge Tuter’s house
Here in Tallahassee we don’t care about some Holness toilet paper roll Proclamation and award Kodak Black the Order of the Senate and please help me replace Alcee
MY DONATION TO CHIEF JUDGE TUTER
Whitey’s got the New Courthouse…..and the Penthouse Courtroom
I’m the longest serving Chief Judge in the Dustbin of History
AT LEAST I WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY BROWARD JUDGE
NOT AFRAID TO BE HONORABLE IN A NEST OF HYPOCRISY
WHAT’S TUTER’S EXCUSE ?
The acceptance of this flimsy and supercilious decoration belies Tuter’s pathological insecurity.
Its sad and unfortunate, but true in my opinion.
Run a middle aged woman. Tudor is a dinosaur. He will lose.
Commissioner Bogen needs opposition.
COME OUT OF THE CLOSET IF U WANT SOME RESPECT
Name it after a great judge who died unexpectly much too soon. HENRY LATIMER
Judge Latimer was African-American so he won’t get anything in the nice building.
Whose leg does an old bigot have to hump to get something dedicated in his honor?
You want oxygen? What’s next? Should I name the Courthouse after you?
IF YOU ONLY KNEW THE MEANING OF SHAME
We who labor here seek only the truth – the truth is Broward sucks
I PASS ON TO YOU THIS BADGE OF INCOMPETENCE
MAKE THE MOST OF IT
Let’s hurry and cut the ribbon on your Ceremonial Courtroom before The Commissioners remember you hang out with a Hitler quoter
I DESERVE TO GET ALL THE RECOGNITION I CAN MUSTER
JUST DONT ASK FOR WHAT