Tag Archives: Broward Supervisor Of Elections Office SOE

Broward Elections Lawyer’s PAC Used Opa-Locka City Hall Address

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Burnadette Norris-Weeks committee used Opa-Locka City Hall address

Burnadette Norris-Weeks committee used Opa-Locka City Hall address

Documents sent to the Florida Division of Elections show the political committee operated by Broward Supervisor of Elections attorney Burnadette Norris-Weeks was operated out of Opa-Locka City Hall. Last month, REDBROWARD reported “The Right Group” political committee was formed by Norris-Weeks in 2003.  The Right Group spent $34,000 over ten years. Norris-Weeks’ committee made contributions to the political campaigns of Perry Thurston, Joe Eggelletion, Joe Gibbons, Alain Jean, Eric Jones, Chris Smith, Carlton Moore, and even Broward Supervisor Of Elections Dr.Brenda Snipes. The committee was disbanded in June 2013.

Throughout its ten year existence, The Right Group received numerous “fail to file” letters and fines from the Florida Division of Elections. In March 2010, Norris-Weeks responded to one of the State’s letters. She stated no money had been collected due to a death in her family. REDBROWARD reported The Right Group’s money came from membership dues. One contribution came from Doris Harrell, the committee’s treasurer. Ms. Harrell is the wife of former South Florida Sun-Sentinel senior editorial writer Douglas C. Lyons.

Norris-Weeks’ March 2, 2010 letter was faxed from a telephone number associated with her Fort Lauderdale law firm. However, the fax cover sheet tells a different story.

The header of the printed fax cover sheet contains the words, “The Right Group.” The footer section of the sheet lists the following address:

“780 Fisherman Street, Suite 335, Opa-Locka, FL, 33054”

This address is the Opa-Locka City Government center. It is clearly listed as the official City of Opa-Locka address in this 2010 City of Opa-Locka Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The United States Federal Register lists this address as the official contact information for the City of Opa-Locka.

So, why did Burnadette Norris-Weeks use the City of Opa-Locka as the address for “The Right Group” political committee?

Did Norris-Weeks operate her political committee while serving as the Opa-Locka city attorney?

Is Dr. Brenda Snipes asking her private contract attorney about her partisan political activities?

Broward voters deserve answers before the 2016 general election.

Alcee Hastings, Sun-Sentinel Touted Political Activities Of Broward Elections Office Lawyer

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Broward Supervisor of Elections (SOE) Brenda Snipes may be clueless, but Congressman Alcee Hastings and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel touted the political activities of Snipes’ “right-hand lawyer” Burnadette Norris Weeks. At a Broward County Commission workshop this week, Snipes admitted she did not know Norris Weeks gave money to candidates with legal matters involving SOE. County Commissoner Mark Bogen has proposed a resolution requiring SOE lawyers to recuse themselves from matters involving candidates they have endorsed or supported. The resolution will be discussed at the June 9th County Commission meeting.

REDBROWARD reported Bogen questioned Norris Weeks’ role in last year’s District 2 election. Norris Weeks fought to keep write-in candidate Tyron Francois on the ballot even though he admitted to living outside District 2. In court, Francois admitted to a close relationship with the daughter of controversial County Commissioner Dale Holness.

REDBROWARD reported Norris Weeks was a staunch supporter of Holness. Just weeks before the court hearing, Norris Weeks attended a minority business conference in Denver. REDBROWARD obtained pictures of Norris Weeks and Holness dancing at the convention. Norris Weeks has a concession contract with the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport.

THE BULLY DEFENSE

Burnadette Norris Weeks launched a defense of Snipes on Facebook. She pulled the same “bully” card Snipes used against Bogen. Norris Weeks wrote, “As the attorney for the Supervisor of Elections Office for more than a decade, I have seen Republicans, Democrats and Independents all try to bully Dr. Brenda Snipes at one time or another on a myriad of issues.” She claimed the complaints stem from “people who feel that they cannot control this constitutional office are seeking to destroy it.”

POLITICAL OPERATIVE OR IMPARTIAL LAWYER?

Even though Snipes claimed ignorance of Norris Weeks’ political forays, Congressman Alcee Hastings boasted of her work. In an October 2012 Westside Gazette article, Hastings wrote, “I tried to get a current list of all of the African American organizations in Broward County.  Nobody, I mean nobody, is working from a list that has all the names and leaders of every organization in Broward. That’s ridiculous people.”

Hastings continued, “Enter Step Up to the Polls, the brainchild of Burnadette Norris-Weeks and her law partner.  They have pulled together what I believe will be the most effective effort of an African American led effort this election season.  I am following their leadership, and I encourage you to do the same.”

One week later, Sun-Sentinel Editorial Writer Douglas Lyons praised Norris Weeks’ work to get President Obama re-elected. Lyons wrote, “Even better, other black professionals and organizations have organized similar efforts. Take today’s early morning “Steps to the Polls,” a march from downtown Fort Lauderdale to one of the early voting polling sites at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center…spearheaded by prominent attorney Burnadette Norris Weeks, is just one of several last-minute attempts to rally the faithful to take advantage of early voting and tip the scales of a razor-thin race in Florida to the president’s advantage.”

Shouldn’t the “right-hand lawyer” for the Broward Supervisor Of Elections Office be above politics? Should the SOE private contract lawyer play any role in partisan politics?

Shouldn’t Supervisor Of Elections Brenda Snipes be asking these questions?