Tag Archives: BGW Consulting

Aide For Miami-Dade State Senator Annette Taddeo Launches Coral Springs Political Action Committee

Leave a reply

An aide for State Senator Annette Taddeo (D-Miami) recently created a political committee apparently tied to the upcoming Coral Springs city commission election. State records show the “Coral Springs Community Strong” political committee was created on May 20, 2019 by David Geller. He is listed as the chairman and treasurer of the PAC. According to the documents filed with the Florida Division Of Elections, the committee is located at 1221 South 21st Avenue in Hollywood, Florida.

This is the same address used by the Barreiro, Geller, Wahid (BGW) lobbying firm.

Last week, REDBROWARD revealed Coral Springs city commission candidate Khurrum Wahid hid his role as a lobbyist from voters. None of Wahid’s campaign materials list his lobbyist work. However, the website for his law firm trumpets Wahid’s lobbyist role.

Mr. Wahid is also a partner at Barreiro Geller and Wahid Consulting, a lobbying firm…. lobbies local, state, and federal government agencies in order to leverage relationships for the benefit of corporate interests. Additionally, BGW Consulting manages several elected officials public images and election efforts.

David Geller was Wahid’s partner at BGW Consulting. The Wahid campaign did not respond to questions regarding his lobbying or clients.

An entry on his vanity website, KhurrumWahid.com, mentions a new lobbying group–“Axcis Partners Government Affairs Consulting.” According to State records, Axcis Partners is owned by Gus Barreiro, Khurrum Wahid and Adam Geller, the brother of David Geller.

Adam Geller’s firm, Geller Tamayo, uses the same Hollywood address as the “Coral Springs Community Strong” political committee.

State Senator Annette Taddeo has endorsed Khurrum Wahid, but is she aware her aide started a political committee?

DARK MONEY COMES TO CORAL SPRINGS?

Will “Coral Springs Community Strong” attack Khurrum Wahid’s five opponents for seat 2? Earlier this month, REDBROWARD reported a Wahid campaign official blasted candidate Diane Gonzalez Simpson for using a Sun-Sentinel article about the election. Alissa Jean Schafer blasted Simpson for “feeding into the fear mongering” by “sharing this racist article.”

Even though the Simpson Facebook advertisement made no mention of Khurrum Wahid, Schafer believed the sharing of a newspaper story could lead to violence. Schaefer wrote, “This is downright shameful at best, and dangerous at worst. We already know that spreading hateful fear-mongering rumors can lead to devastating violence, we have far too many recent examples.”

Not only does Alissa Schafer, an elected official, thinks the Sun-Sentinel story could lead to violence, she falsely claimed the Sun-Sentinel apologized for the story.

In response to the REDBROWARD story, Lisa Huriash, the Sun-Sentinel reporter who wrote about the candidates said no apology was made to Khurrum Wahid. Huriash wrote, “Hello. I just want to set the record straight here. Yes, we did update the story after a candidate, Khurrum Wahid, issued a response, including why he has represented terrorism suspects. We did this out of fairness, to provide more explanation and context. The first story was accurate, and we never apologized for it. That’s the full truth. Thank you for allowing me to share it.”

Once again, the Wahid campaign refused to respond to the controversy or apologize to Huriash.

Will “Coral Springs Community Strong” spread fake news like Schafer?

Will “Coral Springs Community Strong” fund mailers or palm cards for the June 18th election?

REDBROWARD asked David Geller to comment, we will update story if he responds.

Coral Springs voters deserve answers from Khurrum Wahid, right?

Coral Springs Candidate Khurrum Wahid Wants To Use “Behavior Modification” To Reshape City

Leave a reply

Forget free will. City Commission candidate Khurrum Wahid stunned some Coral Springs residents when he called for “behavior modification” as a solution to city problems.

When a Coral Springs resident asked about transportation solutions at a recent voter forum, most of the candidates for the upcoming city commission seat 2 election gave familiar answers. One talked about solving traffic congestion at the busy intersection of Sample Road and University Drive. Other candidates described transportation options in big cities and density studies. Candidate Shawn Cerra recounted talking to residents on a recent ride across Broward county on a bus. But candidate Khurrum Wahid stunned voters with his call for “behavior modification,” ride share subsidies and electric bicycles as a solution for Coral Springs.

Wahid called on the city to work on “behavior modification” as a solution to transportation problems. He said, “Right now, we have too many cars driving around. So we need to start designing a city for the city we want.”

Mentioning his business interests in technology consulting, Wahid told residents to follow California’s testing of autonomous buses as a possible solution along with the use of electric-powered bicycles. Wahid called for the City to pay for senior citizens use ride-share (UBER/LYFT) options.

Wahid gave no plan on how he would pay for these options.

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION VS FREE WILL

According to The Atlantic, “B. F. Skinner’s notorious theory of behavior modification was denounced by critics 50 years ago as a fascist, manipulative vehicle for government control. But Skinner’s ideas are making an unlikely comeback today, powered by smartphone apps that are transforming us into thinner, richer, all-around-better versions of ourselves. The only thing we have to give up? Free will.”

Basically, Skinner believed human behavior could be controlled by reinforcements–positive or negative. Think of the “carrot and the stick” analogy. Good behavior is rewarded. Bad behavior is punished.

Do Coral Springs residents want to give up their free will to city politicians?

How would Khurrum Wahid “punish” the bad behavior of residents?

Who says Khurrum Wahid knows what is good?

How does Khurrum Wahid know there are too many cars in Coral Springs? What is the correct number of cars? What would he do to residents with cars? Buy them back? Force them to give them up?

To paraphrase Jon Snow, what about all the other Coral Springs residents who think they know what is good?

Last month, REDBROWARD exposed Khurrum Wahid’s call for changing Coral Springs. Wahid said:

We can make history. We can change the City of Coral Springs and continue the work [progressive candidate] Nancy [Metayer] started and you’re all supporting. A lot of folks are very excited about this campaign because we’re going to move Coral Springs–more progressive, more in a way that is going to give us all more of a voice, better opportunity. This is a diverse city and it has to start looking more diverse in its leadership. It has to start speaking to those voices that are currently not being heard.

Will Coral Springs voters give control to Khurrum Wahid on June 18th?