While Jacquelyn “Jackie” Scott refused to comment on Fort Lauderdale Police finding an opponent’s stolen yard sign at her house, her campaign treasurer defended Scott’s antics on social media. Jodi Tanner responded to critics on the Nextdoor app with a full-throated defense of Scott removing a Mike Lambrechts campaign sign from a Fort Lauderdale home. But when contacted by REDBROWARD, Tanner equivocated.
On Thursday, REDBROWARD reported how Mike Lambrechts and Fort Lauderdale Police used a high-tech device to track the stolen sign to Jackie Scott’s Colee Hammock home. Lambrechts embedded an Apple Air Tag tracking device into his sign. Lambrechts and Scott are running for the District 4 seat on the Fort Lauderdale Commission.
Ms. Scott told Fort Lauderdale Police officers she had permission to remove the sign. Lambrechts had a signed document proving Scott did not have permission.
On Friday, Jodi Tanner parroted Scott’s excuse in a Nextdoor post.
“That sign was taken down with permission of the homeowner.”
Jodi Tanner, Treasurer for Scott Campaign
“That sign was taken down with permission of the homeowner,” Tanner wrote. “I was there and heard.” She called the intervention of police a “waste of time.”
But when contacted by REDBROWARD, Jodi Tanner changed her story. She said she never “specifically heard” the homeowner ask for the removal of the sign. Tanner said the homeowner did ask for a Scott campaign sign. When we pointed out that was two different things, Tanner continued to equivocate. “There was no intent of thievery.”
When asked why she changed her story after being so strident and definitive on social media, Tanner said there was no “malice” involved in the removal of the sign.
When told that the homeowner has placed the Lambrechts sign in his yard once again, Tanner she did not know that to be true.
While Scott was not arrested, a police report was filed. The entire incident was captured on police body cameras.
Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton (D-Big Baby) is funding fellow commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin’s campaign for mayor with large contributions from his personal bank account, his company and a political committee under his control, campaign records show. It appears Bolton plans on using tactics he used to get his allies elected in 2018 and 2020. Gelin is running against popular incumbent Mayor Michelle Gomez.
Marlon Bolton and Elberg Mike Gelin have repeatedly joined together to attack Michelle Gomez and her supporters. Now, the two men have teamed up in a desperate attempt to unseat her.
According to his May 2022 campaign financial reports, Elberg Mike Gelin received $3,000 in contributions tied to Marlon Bolton.
On May 13, 2022, Gelin recorded a $1,000 contribution from Forecast Holdings LLC, a self-described advertising company owned by Marlon Bolton.
Also on May 13th, the Gelin campaign reported a $1,000 contribution from Marlon Bolton. The address provided by Bolton was Post Office Box 451711 in Fort Lauderdale.
Two days earlier, Gelin picked up a $1,000 contribution from Broward Vision PAC. The Gelin campaign lists Post Office Box 451711 in Fort Lauderdale as the address for Broward Vision PAC. The same address provided by Marlon Bolton.
Last year, REDBROWARD exposed the deep ties between Broward Vision PAC and Marlon Bolton.
In September 2019, Trace Robinson created the Broward Vision PAC political committee using the same post office box address used by businesses owned by Marlon Bolton.
Florida business records list Marlon Bolton and Trace Robinson as owners of The Driven Project, Praise Experience Worldwide Outreach Church, and South Florida Theological Seminary, Inc.
State of Florida campaign records show Broward Vision PAC paid $1,400 to Exy Consultants, a corporation created under the Happy Feet Advertising LLC name by Robinson. Exy Consultants used the same P.O. Box 451711 address as Marlon Bolton. Trace Robinson is the founder of Happy Feet Advertising.
Florida business records show the post office box address used by Happy Feet Advertising has been used by Marlon Bolton since at least 2014. These businesses include Tyson Bolton and Associates, Forecast Holdings, LLC, Prophet Fire, and Win Without War.
According to his campaign reports, Commissioner Bolton provided Happy Feet Advertising with a huge payday—nearly $14,000 during the 2020 election cycle.
In addition to exposing North Lauderdale Commissioner Regina Martin’s ties to Happy Feet Advertising, REDBROWARD also revealed ties between Broward Vision PAC and Regina Martin. On September 11, 2020, Regina Martin announced Broward Vision endorsed her campaign. “Thank you Broward Vision for your support and endorsement of our campaign.”
Earlier this year, REDBROWARD exposed Tamarac Commissioner Debra Placko’s ties to Happy Feet Advertising.
On October 7, 2018, Tamarac Commissioner Debra Placko paid $4,000 to Resident United Advertising LLC for a “campaign expense,” records show. State records show Resident United Advertising LLC was a Margate company owned by Trace Robinson. Placko never said a word about our reporting.
REDBROWARD previously exposed the roles former Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness’ campaign guru, Omar Smith and his former aide Sophia Nelson played in Tamarac elections.
Florida Division Of Elections records show Sophia A. Nelson is the chairperson of the “A Better Florida For All” political committee. Division of Elections records show Omar Smith is the treasurer of the “A Better Florida For All” political committee.
In October 2018, Buddy Nevins of Broward Beat reported on four local judicial candidates appearing the endorsement card produced by A Better Florida For All. The card promoted Democrat candidates most notably Andrew Gillum. Nevins wrote, “Four Broward lawyers running for judge could end up in trouble for appearing to violate state Code of Ethics for judicial candidates. Partisan appeals judicial candidates’ ads are forbidden by the Florida Supreme Court Code of Judicial Conduct. Joint advertising by judicial candidates is also prohibited.”
Shortly thereafter, the State of Florida revoked the registration of A Better Florida For All. Smith failed to properly submit paper to the Florida Division Of Elections. Attempts to contact Smith failed.
Since the committee is no longer a legal entity, legal steps were made to keep the card from being distributed to voters. In Late October 2018, (now Judge) Corey Cawthon filed an emergency motion against A Better Florida All over its inappropriate endorsement card. A judge granted the motion and ordered the card removed from polling locations.
Omar Smith told to the Sun-Sentinel “that none of the candidates were picked because of financial ties to the political action committee or to any of Smith’s businesses, which perform campaign services.”
A copy of the A Better Florida For All card was included in Cawthon’s emergency lawsuit. One of the candidates prominently displayed is Tamarac Commissioner Debra Placko.
Placko is pictured alongside Commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin and Elvin Villalobos. Both Gelin and Villalobos enjoyed the support of Marlon Bolton.
Was timing of Placko’s $4,000 payment to Resident United Advertising LLC and her inclusion on the For Better Florida For All endorsement card in October 2018 a mere coincidence?
Omar Smith is currently facing thirty years in Federal prison for PPP loan fraud.
Even with Omar Smith sidelined, will Tamarac voters allow Marlon Bolton and a shady network of companies and political committees to run roughshod over city elections again?
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