On Thursday, a lawyer for Broward Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes fought mightily to keep non-Democrats from voting in the Broward Commission District 2 primary. Burnadette Norris-Weeks gave Judge Sandra Perlman a myriad of excuses of why it was too late to open the August 26 primary to Republican and Independent voters. On June 20th, the final day of qualifying, a write-in candidate filed for the District 2 race. The presence of a write-candidate closed the primary to non-Democrats.

On June 23, RED BROWARD broke the news that District 2 write-in candidate Tyron Francois did not live in the district. Florida Statute 99.0615 states, “At the time of qualification, all write-in candidates must reside within the district represented by the office sought.” In campaign paperwork filed with Snipes’ office, the 25 year-old Democrat listed his address as 4019 NW 37th Terrace in Lauderdale Lakes. This address is not within the boundaries of District 2. According to the Broward Supervisor of Elections(SOE) website, Francois lives in County Commission District 9, a seat currently held by Dale Holness. Francois is registered to vote at this Lauderdale Lakes address. Many political insiders believe Holness played some role in Francois’ candidacy.

Last April, RED BROWARD reported Holness was supporting community activist Carmen Jones in the District 2 race. “Carmen would be an excellent County Commissioner, as a product of north Broward with more than 20 years of fighting for community issues,” said County Commissioner Dale Holness, who has already endorsed Jones. “She has deep roots in Pompano Beach and Deerfield with her family roots dating back to the 1930s and she will be a great asset working for the people of Broward County.” Buddy Nevins of BrowardBeat.com wrote the Jones candidacy is “more proof that County Commissioner Dale Holness wants to be King of Broward County government.” A Democrat insider told Nevins that Holness “wants to be the Go-To Guy in Broward. He wants the developers coming to him.”

Snipes’ attorney Burnadette Norris-Weeks is a supporter of Dale Holness. In October 2012, she made a  $500 contribution to Holness’ re-election campaign. Weeks later Holness was a guest at Norris-Weeks “holiday party.” RED BROWARD obtained pictures of the party Norris-Weeks posted on Facebook.

On Thursday, Norris-Weeks took the lead role in fighting to keep the primary closed. She continually interrupted William Scherer, attorney for the plaintiffs. Robert Vaughan, Francois’ attorney, repeatedly deferred to Norris-Weeks.

Norris-Weeks told the court she was unprepared to present any legal argument or evidence at Thursday’s hearing. She claimed the hearing was simply a hearing to schedule a future hearing. Judge Perlman stated she was prepared to hear evidence and offered to give Norris-Weeks time to confer with Snipes. Norris-Weeks said Snipes was out of town. When asked if she discussed case with Snipes, Norris-Weeks claimed that was privileged information.

Norris-Weeks never told Judge Perlman that she addressed the same exact write-candidate issue just three days earlier in a Leon County courtroom. In that case, a Coconut Creek voter is seeking the removal of write-in candidate Ronald L. Bray from the Florida House District 96 race. Bray admits he does not live in District 96. RED BROWARD revealed Bray was a former campaign aide for Broward Commissioner Kristin Jacobs. She is a Democrat candidate in the District 96 race.

Snipes is named defendant in the Bray case. Leon County Court records list Norris-Weeks as the attorney for Snipes. She filed a motion to appear telephonically at the July 7th hearing.  On July 7th, Norris-Weeks filed a response to motion for a preliminary injunction in the Bray case. On July 8th, she filed Snipes’ answer to the lawsuit.

Same issue. Similar facts. Same county. Norris-Weeks could have easily made same case to Judge Perlman. Instead, she fought for more delays. She told the Judge there was no need for an emergency hearing because an emergency no longer exists; It’s too late because ballots have been printed.

After the hearing, RED BROWARD asked Norris-Weeks about the Bray case. She refused to even acknowledge she participated in the Bray case.

*UPDATE* Burndatte Norris Weeks states another attorney handled the Bray case

Valerie Saffran

Valerie Saffran is the latest write-in candidate to bring controversy to a Broward County Commission race. On Sunday, BrowardBeat.com reported Jeff Marano, president of the Broward County Police Benevolent Society(BCPBA) was playing a role in the race to replace the term-limited Sue Gunzburger. Two Democrats, Hollywood City Commissioner Beam Furr and State Rep. Joseph Gibbons will face off in the August 26 primary. Saffran’s presence as a write-in candidate closes to the primary to all non-Democrat voters.The BCPBA newsletter made it clear Marano was seeking political payback on Furr. “Commissioner Furr has been a long time adversary anti-police anti-Public Safety. And he if elected will double his pension which I really believe is why he’s in it,” e-mailed Jeff Marano.

Marano’s BCPBA newsletter addressed the write-in candidate issue. According to BrowardBeat, under “How and why is it closed?” Marano wrote, “Answer: a write in candidate for the same seat qualified. Her last name is Saffran…common spelling. She lives in the district however her home address is exempt from 119.” It does appear Valerie Saffran, an American Airlines flight attendant, actually lives in District 6.

Last week, RED BROWARD reported Tyron Francois, a District 2 write-in candidate did not live in the district. RED BROWARD also revealed Ronald L. Bray, the Florida House District 96 write-in candidate and former Kristin Jacobs campaign staffer, did not live in the district. According to Florida Statute 99.0615 states, “At the time of qualification, all write-in candidates must reside within the district represented by the office sought.”

It is unclear why Marano mentions the exemption issue. Marano is referring to the Florida Statue which covers public records. Information regarding home addresses for police officers is exempted from disclosure in public records. However, Saffran listed her address on her campaign documents filed with the Broward Supervisor of Elections office. Why would Marano mention a police officer exemption for a flight attendant? Valerie Saffran is married to Michael F. Saffran, a retired Hollywood police detective.

Michael Saffran is no stranger to Jeff Marano. In July 1989, the Broward State Attorney and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated links between Hollywood police officers and Tammy McGovern, the “Hollywood Madam.” According to the Sun-Sentinel, “During an undercover investigation, Hollywood Vice Detective David Graziadei went to McGovern`s house posing as a customer seeking sexual services. Before Graziadei could complete a transaction, McGovern received a telephone call, police reports said.” Following the phone, McGovern told Graziadei to leave. “There was a high probability (the caller) would be a cop,“ Hollywood Police Chief Richard Witt said.

After arresting McGovern, police recovered four address books. “Witt confirmed that the books included the names and phone numbers of police Detective Mike Saffran and Sgt. Jeff Marano. He said that McGovern had worked as a confidential informant for Saffran since 1979 and described Marano’s relationship with McGovern as casual.” Police received information that McGovern bragged the Hollywood police protected her.

Four months later, Chief Richard Witt announced Marano and Saffran had been suspended from duty “pending a grand jury inquiry into allegations of police corruption and the officers’ connections to a woman sentenced for operating a brothel.” Witt told the Sun-Sentinel, “During the briefing, I heard items that caused me sufficient enough alarm that I have taken steps to relieve of duty Sgt. Jeff Marano, Detective Mike Saffran and Detective Shawn O`Connor. (The case) really deals with the allegations of wrongdoing by members of the Hollywood Police Department and their relationships with Tammy McGovern.” As part of a plea deal, “McGovern agreed to cooperate with the FDLE investigation and pleaded no contest to charges of operating a house of ill repute and possession of marijuana. She was sentenced to 18 months of probation on Oct. 16, and will have no police record if she complies with terms of the probation.”

Days later, the grand jury failed to indict Marano or Saffran. “I am thoroughly confused,” Police Chief Richard Witt said after the Broward grand jury chose not to indict burglary Detective Mike Saffran. “It may be that (the prosecutor) was undermined by some very blatant perjury.” The Broward State Attorney “sought to indict Saffran… on two counts of resisting arrest without violence, two counts of disclosing confidential information, two counts of being an accessory to a crime after the fact and one count of misbehavior in public office.”

Records show Michael Saffran retired in November 2005.

Marano is backing Gibbons by placing signs all over Hollywood. In the July 3 BCPBA newsletter, Marano writes, “In driving through Hollywood Hills last evening and putting up Joe Gibbons signs I discovered the existence of only one, lonely ole Beam Furr sign.”