Broward's News Beat- Fighting Fake News One Story At A Time: November 2007

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Posted by Anthony Man Sun-Sentinel.com

Gay bishop is wary of `religious right'

People must ''rescue the Bible from the religious right'' and fight for civil rights to be extended to everyone, including gays and lesbians, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop said Tuesday night.

Gene Robinson, the Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, told a crowd of about 150 people at Nova Southeastern University's Shepard Broad Law Center in Davie that society suffers from a system set up to benefit heterosexual couples, which he called ``heterosexism.''

Only straight couples can marry in most states. In the military, gays and lesbians work under a ''don't ask, don't tell'' policy.

And that system needs to end, Robinson said.

''We have lost the distinction between what the state does and what the church and synagogue does,'' Robinson said.

CONTROVERSIAL CHOICE

Robinson was named an Episcopal bishop in 2003. Afterward, several U.S. churches broke away from the Episcopal Church.

His peech Tuesday night at NSU was part of the university's symposium on sexuality, morality and the law.

Robinson cited the example of a man who beats up a gay man. A typical defense, he said, would be that the gay man made sexual advances at him. And some people, he said, would say that made the attack justified.

But he said a similar defense would not work if the gay man were a woman.

''Can you imagine how empty the streets would be if we locked up every man who hit on a woman?'' Robinson asked.

He urged Christians to take the Bible back from the ``religious right.''

As people change, their understanding of Scripture changes too, he said.

''Just because God is perfect doesn't mean we perfectly understand God,'' Robinson said.

During a question-and-answer session, two men implied implied that they disapproved of Robinson's homosexuality.

''Why do you know better or more than Jesus and the apostles?'' asked one of the men, Mike Ray, 36, of Sunrise.

Robinson replied, ``I would be very nervous about anyone who claims to know what God thinks.''

AUDIENCE BOOS

Both times, when the men tried asking more questions, the crowd booed.

Also in the audience was John J. McNeill, of Hollywood, an ordained Jesuit priest who said he was expelled from the Jesuit order after he criticized the Vatican's position on homosexuality. ''Having you come along and do such a beautiful job fills my heart with gratitude and joy,'' McNeill said.

Posted At Miami Herald

Pfc. Marius L. Ferrero

Hometown: Miami, Florida, U.S.

Age: 23 years old

Died: November 18, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Incident: Killed a makeshift bomb detonated during a mounted patrol in Baquabah.

Related Links:

Miami soldier, 23, dies in Iraq (Miami Herald, Nov. 21, 2007)

Miami soldier killed in Iraq days after arrival (Miami Herald, Nov. 20, 2007)

Legacy.com Tribute

Former inmate files federal lawsuit claiming he was denied HIV medication

During the three months he spent in a Broward County jail, Kevin Sauve made request after request for HIV medication. Not one was granted, according to a lawsuit recently filed in Fort Lauderdale federal court.

READ THE STORY

South Florida Under Water Restriction

Twice-a-week water rules are in effect.

Odd-numbered addresses: 4 to 8 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays; hand watering allowed those hours and 5 to 7 p.m.

Even-numbered addresses: 4 to 8 a.m. Thursdays and Sundays; hand watering allowed those hours and 5 to 7 p.m.

Exceptions: Dania Beach, Hallandale Beach, Lake Worth, Lantana and West Palm Beach, where landscape irrigation is limited to four hours one day a week: odd-numbered addresses, 4 to 8 a.m. Saturdays; even-numbered addresses, 4 to 8 a.m. Sundays.

Outdoor water uses: Low-volume pressure cleaning and washing of cars and boats no longer are restricted.

For information, call the Water Management District's conservation hotline at

800-662-8876.

Shak For Broward Sheriff?

Shahrukh S. "Shak" Dhanji filed papers this week signaling his plan to run for sheriff, then hit the Democratic Party's monthly gathering of key activists.

Dhanji, who's been a member of the Broward Sheriff's Advisory Council, said the theme of his campaign would be a two-pronged approach to "more engagement."

That means both law enforcement and community policing, he said. His focus on community policing is motivated by a view that crime prevention hasn't gotten sufficient attention from the Sheriff's Office.

"It's not about all arrests, but it's preventing the next generation from falling in [to crime]. Public safety not only has to deal with today, but tomorrow."

He founded an organization called Human Relations Council of Florida, an organization that partners with government agencies to alleviate discrimination through dialog, education and outreach programs.

He's also an appointee to the state Commission on Human Relations by two Republicans, Gov. Charlie Crist and former Gov. Jeb Bush.

A Broward resident since 1980, Dhanji, 40, lives in Coconut Creek. He's chief executive of Counter Balance Investments.

Others who have filed so far indicating plans to run in the August 2008 primary are Republican J.M. Evans and Democrats Billy Davison, Richard Lemack, Philip Sweeting and Wiley Thompson.

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Nominate The Bush Administration For: 2007 Stonewall Award

--Josh Marshall

Trillions for Endless War Leaves Everglades Restoration High, Dry and Dying

The multibillion-dollar project to restore the Everglades has come to a near standstill, and the government can no longer estimate how much it will cost or how long it will take, the top federal official in charge of construction told The Associated Press.

In part because Congress has failed to come through with the promised money, some tasks have fallen years behind schedule. In the meantime, construction costs are rising, along with the price of the Florida real estate that must be bought up as part of the plan to restore the natural flow of water in the Everglades.

The largest wetlands restoration effort in the world — approved in 2000 and formally known as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, or CERP — was originally estimated to cost $7.8 billion and take 30 years. By last year, the price tag had been put at $10.5 billion, and experts said it could take 50 years.

Now it's anybody's guess.

"I don't know what the cost of CERP is right now because the cost of land down there has skyrocketed and the cost of construction in South Florida has also gone through the roof," Gary Hardesty, the Everglades restoration chief for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, told the AP.

Because of the uncertainty over federal funding and a lack of scientific data that the projects will actually work, Hardesty said, the Corps is being forced to adopt a slower, more deliberate pace.

The project — signed into law by President Clinton with bipartisan support — called for the construction of reservoirs, back-filling of canals and rerouting of water to rescue the fast-shrinking Everglades and preserve the remarkable variety of plants and wildlife that inhabit it, including egrets, rare orchids, alligators and panthers.

'Price just keeps going up'
Eric Draper, policy director for the conservation group Audubon of Florida, was once optimistic but now isn't so sure.

"The federal government simply isn't in a position now to be able to afford the promises made with Everglades restoration, and the price just keeps going up," Draper said. "The federal government is broke. The state has deep budget shortfalls. Where's the money going to come from?"

The Everglades once covered 4 million acres of swampland but has shrunk to half its size over the past 150 years because of the building of dikes, dams and homes in booming Florida and the effects of the sugar cane fields and other farms on its fringes. The swampland that remains is in ecological distress because of pollution from urban runoff and farm fertilizers.

The 2000 plan made the federal government and Florida 50-50 partners in the project to heal the River of Grass.

To date, the state has committed more than $2 billion and pushed ahead alone with a few projects — including the building of several reservoirs to store water for use during dry spells — in the hope the Corps would catch up.

But in large part because of the cost of the Iraq war and Hurricane Katrina, Congress has appropriated only several million dollars. And the only work that has been done on any of the Corps' 68 projects has been on paper.

In the meantime, wildlife habitat continues to disappear, and pollution is killing native plants, allowing nonnative species to invade.

Go To Full Story

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First openly gay Episcopalian Bishop to speak on LGBT issues

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY TO HOST BISHOP GENE ROBINSON FOR LECTURE SERIES

First openly gay Episcopalian Bishop to speak on LGBT issues

30 Years After Anita Bryant's Crusade: The Continuing Role of Morality in the Development of Legal Rights for Sexual Minorities.

Our final Goodwin Speaker, Bishop Gene Robinson, will speak to the public on Tuesday, November 27 from 6-7, with a reception to follow. The lecture will take place in the Large Lecture hall at the law center. Bishop Robinson is the first openly gay Episcopalian Bishop, which has caused a great deal of discussion and fracturing within the church. He will be speaking to us on how religion influences the determination of LGBT rights, and how he reconciled his religion with his own identity.

A reception with drinks and food will follow the public presentation where you can meet Bishop Robinson. The speaking event and reception are open to the public and free, and they will both take place at the law center.

Our last three Goodwin speakers (David Mixner, Matt Foreman, and Suzanne Goldberg) have been well-received by the public and the Nova community, and our final speaker should continue the interest. If you were not able to attend the lectures, go to http://www.nsulaw.nova.edu/goodwin/ to view them online. For directions to the law center at Nova, go to http://www.nova.edu/cwis/campusmaps/maincampus.html

The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson

V. Gene Robinson was elected Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire on June 7, 2003, consecrated a Bishop on All Saints Sunday, November 2, 2003, and invested as the Ninth Bishop of New Hampshire on March 7, 2004. He holds a B.A.from the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee , an M. Div. from the General Theological Seminary in New York , and several honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees.

Gene's ministry to the Church has focused on clergy and congregational wellness, coordinating program among the seven dioceses of New England , youth and college ministry, and conflict resolution. His election and consecration has been at the center of the worldwide Anglican Communion's debate over the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the life and ministry of the Church.

Co-author of three AIDS education curricula for youth and adults, Gene has done AIDS work in the United States and in Africa (Uganda and South Africa ). He has been an advocate for anti-racism training in the diocese and wider Church, helped build the Diocese of New Hampshire's close working partnership with the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, advocated for debt relief for the world's most impoverished nations, and lobbied for socially-responsible investment within and beyond the Church. His personal story is featured in the 2007 feature-length documentary, "For the Bible Tells Me So."

Gene enjoys entertaining and cooking, gardening, and theatre. He is the father of two grown daughters and the proud grandfather of two granddaughters. He lives with his partner, Mark Andrew, who is employed by the State of New Hampshire 's Department of Safety.

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Nov. 21, 2007

Contact: Anthony Niedwiecki

Associate Prof. of Law, Director of LSV Program
Shepard Broad Law Center , Nova Southeastern Univ.

Email: niedwieckia@nsu.law.nova.edu

Phone: (954) 262-6206

###

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House District 101 Turnout

Voter Registration and Turnout
County	Voter Reg	Turnout	% Turnout
Broward	37,960	1,291	3.4%
Collier	57,611	5,989	10.4%
Total	95,571	7,280	7.6%

State Representative District: 101
County	Matt Hudson (REP)	Linda McDonald (DEM)
Broward	483	807
Collier	3,583	2,389
Total	4,066	3,196
% Votes	56.0%	44.0%

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Cindy Hutchinson For Mayor Of Fort Lauderdale?

Edgewood neighborhood resident and seven-year city commissioner Cindi Hutchinson, 50, officially announced today her intent to run for mayor of Fort Lauderdale. The seat is open in

2009 for the first time in 20 years. Mayor Jim Naugle will be term-limited out. (He could always come back and run for Cindi's seat; he lives in her District IV.)
"For too long, we've gotten into the mindset of focusing on what's wrong with Fort Lauderdale. I want to talk about what's right with Fort Lauderdale," Hutchinson said. "I'm running for mayor because I want to provide positive leadership for the city.''

She has a Website: www.ourcindi.com and will be campaigning and raising money for the next 15 months.
Hutchinson was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale and lives in the home her father built in 1954, she said. She takes care of her 86 year old mother, Virginia, and works on Fridays for her church, St. Jerome, doing odds and ends. She no longer has her office-cleaning business, Queen of Clean.

She said she's proud that neighborhoods have been empowered during her tenure. She thinks it's time for residents to get together and tell the city their new "vision'' for the future.
She also said she'd be an "inclusive'' mayor, a "mayor for all of Fort Lauderdale.'' Those were references to the huge controversy Naugle stirred up this summer when he made comments that upset the gay community.
But Hutchinson didn't want to dwell on Naugle.

"You know what? I'm not running against Jim,'' she said. "I don't want to compare what I will do to Jim Naugle. Jim has his own style, and likewise I have mine, which is very inclusive, and working at the neighborhood level and working with the business community.''
She's the first to file her campaign account paperwork. She turned it in Monday.
Wonder who will be next? Let's hope whoever they are , they have lived in Fort Lauderdale for a while

"How to Rig an Election: Confessions of a Republican Operative"

Confessions of a Phone Jammer

Allen Raymond, the Republican political consultant who went to jail after pleading guilty to his involvement in the 2002 New Hampshire phone jamming scheme, is writing a tell-all book about his involvement in "the Republican election machine." During the 2002 midterm election, which included a hotly contested race for U.S. Senate, Raymond and others conspired to flood Democratic get-out-the-vote phone centers. The book, called, "How to Rig an Election: Confessions of a Republican Operative," is slated to come out on Jan. 22 and is co-written by former Page Six columnist Ian Spiegelman. READ MORE

"flood the Oval Office with copies of the Constitution this holiday season ... as a seasonal reminder that the Constitution needs to be upheld; not destroyed."

Even though a human rights group believes the Commander in Chief has been naughty, they plan to play Santa Claus this year and make a political statement at the same time.

The Center for Constitutional Rights plans to "flood the Oval Office with copies of the Constitution this holiday season ... as a seasonal reminder that the Constitution needs to be upheld; not destroyed."

Those interested can also sign an accompanying letter addressed to President Bush, which poses a multitude of questions reminding the president "that he swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States."

"I would have hoped that you'd be pretty familiar with [the Constitution] already," writes the anonymous author, "because you have at least three times in your life taken a solemn oath to uphold, protect and defend it, but all the signs indicate that you either don't know what's in it, or you don't care."

The diatribe covers controversial topics such as habeas corpus and torture, and beseeches the President to "uphold, protect and defend [the Constitution], like you swore you would."

Interested parties can donate money to help cover costs if they wish, but the offer itself is completely free. The CCR hopes to send the President more than 25,000 copies of the Constitution by January 2008.

Go To: www.ccrjustice.org for more details.

Cities With Jan 29th Elections

The following are Broward County cities with elected seats up for the Jan. 29 primary election.

COOPER CITY (mayor and two commission seats): mayor, Debra ¡§Debby¡¨ Eisinger (I), Lisa Conlan Dodge, Edward Wooley; District 4, Elliot Kleiman (I), Diane Sori, James C. Curran; District 3, Neal de Jesus, Abraham Rashid

HILLSBORO BEACH (two at-large seats): Thomas Puleri (I), Celinda Sawtelle, Claire Schubert

HOLLYWOOD (mayor and all six district seats): mayor, Mara Giulianti (I), Commissioner Peter Bober, J.R. Reed; District 1, Cathy Anderson (I), Patti Asseff, Sara Case; District 2, Peter Hernandez, Quentin ¡§Beam¡¨ Furr (I); District 3, Pete Brewer, Charles Howell, Joshua Levy, Thomas Michael Lynch, Heidi O¡¦Sheehan; District 4, Richard Blattner (I); District 5, Frances ¡§Fran¡¨ Russo (I); District 6, Ed Holodak, Linda Sherwood

LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA (mayor and two commission seats): mayor, Roseann Minnet, Lawrence William ¡§Peanuts¡¨ Wick; commission, Charles T. ¡§Chuck¡¨ Clark (I), John Yanni (I), Birute Ann Clottey; Alexander Stuart Dodd

LIGHTHOUSE POINT (mayor and two commission seats): mayor, Fred Schorr (I); commission seat, Sandy Johnson (I), Chip LaMarca (I)

MARGATE (three at-large seats): Seat 1, Frank Talerico (I), Frank Messana; Seat 2, David McLean (I); Seat 3, Arthur Bross (I) and Lesa„© Peerman, Richard Popovic

PEMBROKE PINES (mayor and two district seats): mayor, Frank C. Ortis (I), Michell ¡§Mike¡¨ Rubinstein; District 2, William B. Armstrong (I), Marilyn A. Comrie, Jack McCluskey, Jay Schwartz; District 3, Iris A. Siple (I)

SEA RANCH LAKES (mayor and two council seats): council seat, Holly Moody, Elliott Sokolow; mayor, Denise Bryan

(I) INDICATES AN INCUMBENT.

Parrish Slams Skidmore

Parrish rebuts representative

State Rep. Kelly Skidmore, a Democrat who represents part of northern Broward, delivered a withering attack Thursday on the way the Legislature handled the property tax issue.

Among her criticisms: The portability provision, which allows homeowners to transfer some of their accumulated Save Our Homes tax savings to new homes isn't going to cure the state's real estate woes.

As Skidmore finished her comments at the Democratic Professionals Forum, a political club that meets in downtown Fort Lauderdale, a hand shot up.

It was Broward Property Appraiser Lori Parrish.

Parrish disagreed with Skidmomre, arguing the tax proposal on the Jan. 29 ballot is worth voting for. "It may not be a whole loaf of bread, but it is a half a loaf of bread and it's better than nothing."

Linda McDonalds's Opponent A Big Hypocrite

Matt Hudson, Linda McDonald's opponent in the HD 101 race. Is a hypocrite, he had a DUI and accident in1998, but attacked his primary opponent Zichella for attempting to buy alcohol when he was underage.

To Volunteer To Help Linda this weekend call:

Anthony Joyce
Broward Field Director, Linda McDonald for State Rep. 101
954-536-1330
ajoyc001@fiu.edu

Volunteers Needed to Support Linda McDonald for Special Election

Saturday November 17th
10 a.m.

What: Canvassing Door to Door in Pembroke Pines, Miramar, and Davie.

When: Nov. 10 and Nov. 11, and Nov. 17 and Nov. 18, Starting at 10am.

Where: Meet at 10am at the Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan Street Pembroke Pines, FL 33331.

RSVP to:
Anthony Joyce
Broward Field Director, Linda McDonald for State Rep. 101
954-536-1330
ajoyc001@fiu.edu

Linda McDonald needs your help to win a seat as the State Representative from District 101, a gerrymandered district that stretches between Broward and Collier counties. State Rep. Mike Davis, a Naples Republican died in September. The special election will be held Nov. 20 (the Tuesday before Thanksgiving), so the results will hinge on which campaign does a better job of making sure voters know there is an election and convincing them it is important.

Information at http://www.lindamcdonald.us

Sunday November 18th

10 a.m.

What: Canvassing Door to Door in Pembroke Pines, Miramar, and Davie.

When: Nov. 10 and Nov. 11, and Nov. 17 and Nov. 18, Starting at 10am.

Where: Meet at 10am at the Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan Street Pembroke Pines, FL 33331.

RSVP to:
Anthony Joyce
Broward Field Director, Linda McDonald for State Rep. 101
954-536-1330
ajoyc001@fiu.edu

Information at http://www.lindamcdonald.us

Florida Mayor Arrested For Molesting Children

Mascotte Mayor, Jeff Krull, Arrested On Molestation Charges

The mayor of Mascotte was supposed to be getting ready to stump for last minute votes Tuesday morning, but instead he'll be heading to jail. Mascotte police arrested Mayor Jeff Krull on molestation charges one day before he was up for re-election.

Watch Video

Sgt. Daniel L. McCall

Hometown: Pace, Florida, U.S.

Age: 24 years old

Died: October 30, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Army, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.

Incident: Killed when enemy forces engaged his unit with small arms fire and a makeshift bomb in Baghdad.

The Florida League of Cities Opposes New Tax Amendment

The Florida League of Cities, wrapping up an annual legislative conference in Orlando, decided Friday to fight a $12 billion property-tax relief package that lawmakers placed on the Jan. 29 ballot.

"It really fails to deal with the disparities and the inequities in our current tax system," said John Thomas, the league's legislative director. "It further exacerbates an unfair system."

The League has been critical of the proposal since lawmakers struck a last-minute compromise in a special session last month.

It asks voters to approve constitutional changes that would double the $25,000 homestead exemption for homes worth more than $50,000 and would allow homeowners to take their Save Our Homes assessment cap savings with them when they move to new Florida homesteads.

The proposal also would grant a 10 percent Save Our Homes-like cap to nonhomestead property and give businesses a $25,000 exemption for the taxes they pay for equipment and other personal tangible property.

Thomas said the League is disappointed that the measure does nothing to offset the increasing burden the Legislature has placed on local property owners to pay for schools over the past eight years while cutting state budgets in Tallahassee.

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Continue reading "Broward could ban transgender discrimination by year's end" »

Broward County: Candidate qualifying 11-09-07

The following are Broward County cities with elected seats up for the Jan. 29 primary election. A two-week qualifying period for the seats began Nov. 2.

COOPER CITY (mayor and two commission seats): mayor, Debra ¡§Debby¡¨ Eisinger (I), Lisa Conlan Dodge, Edward Wooley; District 4, Elliot Kleiman (I), Diane Sori, James C. Curran; District 3, Neal de Jesus

HILLSBORO BEACH (two at-large seats): Thomas Puleri (I), Claire Schubert

HOLLYWOOD (mayor and all six district seats): mayor, Mara Giulianti (I) Commissioner Peter Bober; District 1, Cathy Anderson, Patti Asseff, Sara Case; District 2, Peter Hernandez; District 3, Pete Brewer, Charles Howell, Joshua Levy, Heidi O¡¦Sheehan; District 4, Richard Blattner (I); District 6, Ed Holodak

LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA (mayor and two commission seats): mayor, Roseann Minnet, Lawrence William ¡§Peanuts¡¨ Wick; commission, Charles T. ¡§Chuck¡¨ Clark (I), John Yanni (I), Birute Ann Clottey

LIGHTHOUSE POINT (mayor and two commission seats): mayor, Fred Schorr (I); commission seat, Sandy Johnson (I), Chip LaMarca

MARGATE (three at-large seats): Seat 1, Frank Talerico (I), Frank Messana; Seat 2, David McLean (I); Seat 3, Arthur Bross (I) and Lesa„© Peerman, Richard Popovic

PEMBROKE PINES (mayor and two district seats): mayor, Frank C. Ortis (I); District 2, William B. Armstrong (I), Jack McCluskey, Jay Schwartz; District 3, Iris A. Siple (I)

SEA RANCH LAKES (mayor and two council seats): council seat, Holly Moody, Elliott Sokolow; mayor, Denise Bryan
(I) Indicates an incumbent.

Broward County Right Wing Nut Job Joins Thompson Campaign

Christian conservative leaders nationally are torn between the various GOP front-runners. But Fred Thompson announced a key local addition to his Florida team Friday.

Barbara Collier, leader of the Christian Coalition in Broward County and local co-chair of the Bush-Cheney 2004 effort, joined the former Tennessee senator's campaign as a Broward County Aluminum Foil Hat Brigade Leader.

Florida Republican Party Chair: Time For Bob Allen To Retire

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer released a statement on the Allen verdict: "The nature of this conviction requires (Rep.) Allen to seriously consider his ability to effectively serve the citizens of his district, which should be one of his utmost priorities.

"I am confident that Speaker Rubio and the House of Representatives will take steps to uphold the integrity of the office, which may include Representative Allen's resignation or other available options."

But Greer was stronger in an interview with the St.Pete Times "He needs to resign," Greer said. "He can't effectively serve his citizens with this type of conviction."

Wexler is calling for the committee "to schedule impeachment hearings immediately

The following is from a letter sent to constituents today by Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, where the matter has been sent again. Wexler is calling for the committee "to schedule impeachment hearings immediately and not let this issue languish as it has over the last six months."...

I share your belief that Vice President Cheney must answer for his deceptive actions in office, particularly with regard to the preparations for the Iraq war and the revelation of the identity of covert agent Valerie Plame Wilson as part of political retribution against her husband. That is why I voted against the motion to table debate on H.Res. 333. Along with only 85 other Democrats, I opposed tabling the measure and supported beginning immediate debate and a vote on the Cheney impeachment resolution. The vote on tabling the Kucinich resolution was rejected, and the House subsequently voted to refer the matter to the Judiciary Committee.
...
The American people are served well with a legitimate and thorough impeachment inquiry. I will urge the Judiciary Committee to schedule impeachment hearings immediately and not let this issue languish as it has over the last six months. Only through hearings can we bring begin to correct the abuses of Dick Cheney and the Bush Administration; and, if it is determined in these hearings that Vice President Cheney has committed High Crimes and Misdemeanors, he should be impeached and removed from office.

Broward could ban transgender discrimination by year's end

Activists hoping to get protections for transgender people added to Broward's human rights ordinance are optimistic that could happen by year end.

"It will pass unanimously. Broward has always been a beacon," predicted Stratton Pollitzer, South Florida director for the gay rights group Equality Florida. "On this issue, Broward has fallen behind the times."

The politics aren't as problematic as many people believe, he said during an interview with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board. "The issue is coming. Broward is ready for it."

The measure, sponsored by County Commissioner Ken Keechl, would provide protection in housing and employment to transgender people, and would cover the private sector. It is supported by a range of gay rights and civil rights organizations.

Dean Trantalis, a former Fort Lauderdale city commissioner who helped lead the effort that won protections for gays and lesbians in 1995, said transgender people deserve the same coverage.

"We have a defined prejudice here. Unfortunately, Americans don't seem to be able to grapple with differences," he said.

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Rep. Wexler: Consider Cheney impeachment

Upholding his status as one of the most anti-Bush politicians in South Florida, U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler voted in favor of having Congress consider the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney.

Wexler, a Delray Beach Democrat, represents a swath of northern Broward.

Here's his statement:

"Vice President Dick Cheney and the Bush Administration have demonstrated a consistent pattern of abusing the law and misleading Congress and the American people. We see the consequences of these actions abroad in Iraq and at home through the violations of our civil liberties.
"The American people are served well with a legitimate and thorough impeachment inquiry. I urge the Judiciary Committee to schedule impeachment hearings immediately and not let this issue languish as it has over the last six months. Only through hearings can we begin to correct the abuses of Dick Cheney and the Bush Administration; and, if it is determined in these hearings that Vice President Cheney has committed High Crimes and Misdemeanors, he should be impeached and removed from office."

Read More........

South Florida GOP Will Override Bush's Veto

Sen. Mel Martinez, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln Diaz-Balart say they're ready to vote to override the presidential veto. The Water Resources Development Act HR 1495 contains more than $2 billion for Everglades restoration efforts.

Martinez said "at the end of the day, as a Floridian, Everglades restoration is such an integral part of this WRDA bill we have to take the good with the bad."

Rep. Connie Mack, R-Cape Coral, assailed the presidential veto

"I'm confident that both the House and Senate can override his veto," Mack said. "And I hope we do so without delay."

The White House issued a press release in which the President explains why he vetoed HR 1495. Bush's first comment was that "this bill lacks fiscal discipline." Bush goes on to admonish the bill for making promises that Congress cannot keep, based on past bills that also promised certain funds to local communities that the communities never saw. Bush points out that the House version of the bill was set at a cost of $15 billion, and the Senate bill called for $14 billion, and the compromised bill between the two chambers is now set at $23 million.

The bill has overwhelming bi-partisan support in both chambers. It cleared the House by a vote of 381 to 40 and the Senate by 81 to 12. Two-thirds of each chamber must support the override for the bill to become law.

Florida GLBT Caucus Demands Kathy Castor Withrdraw Her Endorsement Of Gershom Faulkner

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus of the Florida Democratic Party has called on U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa to withdraw her endorsement of a St. Petersburg City Council candidate who expressed lack of sympathy with gay rights causes.
The candidate, Gershom Faulkner, is outreach director for Castor.
The caucus made its request in a letter Saturday to Castor from Michael Albetta, president of the Florida GLBT Caucus.

According to the letter, Faulkner said during an Aug. 16 appearance before the Pinellas gay Democratic group that he considers homosexuality a lifestyle "preference" or "choice"; he won't attend the annual St. Pete Pride celebration; he won't oppose the proposed state constitutional amendment "that would write discrimination into Florida's Constitution" by limiting marriage to men and women; that he won't support repealing Florida's ban on gay adoptions or gay foster parents; and won't oppose prohibiting straight-gay alliance organizations in public schools.

Read The Letter

Contact Castor At:

Washington Office
317 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202)225-3376
Fax: (202)225-5652

Tampa Office
4144 N Armenia Ave
Suite 300
Tampa, FL 33607
Phone: (813)871-2817
Fax: (813)871-2864

To email Rep. Castor, please click here

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Dean: Dems 'only writing off the hard right'

We're only writing off the hard right that beats up on gays and women," Dean said.

After meeting with evangelical leaders like Joel Osteen and Rick Warren, Dean said there are some areas where they don't see eye-to-eye but there are similar goals.

Dean said they should be able to "sit down and say, let's agree to disagree on Roe. v Wade" without dismissing the possibility of agreeing to try to reduce the number of abortions.

Leah Daughtry, the minister Dean picked to head the Democratic National Convention Committee, said abortions should be legal but that churches and community groups should work toward making them rare.

But that's where Focus on the Family would have a problem.

Qualifying begins in Broward County

Qualifying begins in Broward County
As a Jan. 29 election qualifying period kicked off Friday

Of nine cities that began taking candidates' filing fees and qualifying paperwork Friday, Pembroke Pines drew the strongest showing, with all five candidates who previously announced their intent to run visiting City Hall.

With the exception of Parkland, candidates have until noon Nov. 16 to make their candidacies official with municipal clerks. Parkland's qualifying period ends noon Nov. 9.

Those filing on Friday were:

Cooper City (mayor and two commission seats): mayor, Debby Eisinger (I), Lisa Conlan Dodge; District 4, Diane Sori, James C. Curran; District 3, Neal de Jesus

Hillsboro Beach (two at-large seats): None

Hollywood (mayor and all six district seats): District 1, Sara Case

Lauderdale-By-The-Sea (mayor, vice mayor, mayor-pro-tem): mayor, Lawrence William "Peanuts" Wick ; mayor pro-tem, Charles T. "Chuck" Clark (I)

Lighthouse Point (mayor and two commission seats): mayor, Fred Schorr (I); commission seat, Sandy Johnson (I)

Margate (three at-large seats): Seat 1, Frank Talerico, (I)

Parkland (one commission seat): None

Pembroke Pines (mayor and two district seats): mayor, Frank C. Ortis (I); District 2, William B. Armstrong (I), Jack McCluskey and Jay Schwartz; District 3, Iris A. Siple (I)

Sea Ranch Lakes (mayor and two council seats): council seat, Elliott Sokolow; mayor, Denise Bryan

(I) Indicates an incumbent.

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Hutchinson Makes It Offical

Hutchinson to run for Fort Lauderdale mayor

The run to replace Mayor Jim Naugle has officially begun. Cindi Hutchinson, a city

commissioner since 2000, said she will run for the open mayor's seat in 2009.

Hutchinson is term-limited out of her district commissioner seat, where she has represented southwest Fort Lauderdale.

She said she isn't going to start actively campaigning yet. The election is 16 months off.
But she said she's enjoyed her time as a commissioner.

"I've met some really wonderful people. And what a wonderful experience working with the public. I've always been a service-oriented person. I really like my job. As much as it's challenging and hard at times, I think the difficulty is you can't make everybody happy. I mean you want to. It's just my nature.''

Hutchinson was self-employed as an office cleaner but said she wasn't making money at it anymore, because of the demands of the commission job. She shut down her business at the end of December last year, she said. Now she works full-time as a commissioner, but is employed by her church, St. Jerome Catholic Church in Fort Lauderdale, doing odds and ends.

In October, she switched parties, from Republican to Democrat.

"I have just not felt aligned with the Republican Party,'' she said. (She switched from Democrat to Republican back in 1999, but said she doesn't remember what prompted that.) "I have always been pro-choice and I'm not happy with their stance on the war. I met a lot of nice people in that party but it didn't feel right for Cindi anymore.''

Hutchinson was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale.

The mayor's job pays $35,000 plus $500 a month for expenses. Candidates must be 21 and have lived in the city for six months. Seats can be held for three consecutive three-year terms before the term limit is reached. The race is non-partisan.

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