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Was Democrat Consultant “Pushing” For County-Backed Bonds For Broward Health?

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According to emails obtained by REDBROWARD, Democrat consultant Dan Lewis was highly involved in Broward Health’s plans to obtain bonds backed by the Broward County Health Facilities Authority. Created by the Florida Legislature, the Authority assists “health facilities in the acquisition, construction, financing, and refinancing of projects” in Broward County. As of September 2014, the Health Facilities Authority is “authorized to issue bonds…not to exceed $329,100,000” dollars. As of September 2014, the Authority has issued $288,620,000.00 in bonds.

On April 24, 2014 , Dan Lewis, a board member of the Broward County Health Facilities Authority sent an email to Noel Pfeffer, an attorney for Broward County and Art Wallace, Vice President of Broward Health. According to the Broward County website, Pfeffer is the assistant County Attorney overseeing the authority. Lewis’ email was copied to former Broward Health CEO Frank Nask.

Lewis wrote, “Please consider this an electronic introduction and handshake. Art Wallace has been tasked by Mr. Martin, Broward Health CFO to initiate and inquire into the Broward County Health Facilities Authority bonding program.”

Lewis urged the men to meet. He wrote, “Please contact and visit with each other. I understand that Broward Health may be interested in as much as at $110 million in bonds and may be prepared to dedicate a part of its taxing authority as payment guarantee. I am under the impression that the authority has over $300 million in available bonding authority at present. Please keep me informed as appropriate.”

Lewis does not disclose how he became aware of Broward Health’s interest in $110 million in bonds.

On May 7,2014, Frank Nask forwards an email to Dan Lewis. The original email was sent by Art Wallace. He is informing Nask and Robert Martin about his conversation with Noel Pfeffer. Wallace said they would need to go to Authority to ask for permission and then get the Broward County Commission to approve the bond. According to Wallace, Pfeffer claimed the “Authority has been used very infrequently.” Pfeffer did not think Broward Health needed the Authority.

Wallace wrote, “When we told him that we issue our own debt and that we have $256M outstanding he was kind of aghast and said we don’t even need them.”

Wallace ends his email with this cryptic note. He wrote, “[Pfeffer] said there is one member of the Authority Board that is pushing to have the Authority utilized more. All I could get out of him is that the Board Member’s name is Dan. At least he said that he wouldn’t argue that his name wasn’t Dan.”

No mention is made of Lewis’ ongoing attempts to win a lucrative contract from Broward Health. As REDBROWARD previously reported, during this very time period, Lewis was trying to win a million dollar contract operating Broward Health’s intensivist program. Lewis had been pushing for the creation of such a program since 2012. 

Embattled Broward Health Lawyer No Stranger To Controversy

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The Broward Health attorney accused of blocking an FBI probe into corruption is no stranger to legal controversy. Earlier this month, the Florida Bulldog reported Lynn M. Barrett, Broward’s Health’s general counsel, “failed to cooperate with the FBI, withheld evidence and protected an executive accused of attempting to rape several employees.” The allegations came in an email from an investigator hired by Dr. Nabil El-Sanadi, the Broward Health CEO. In January, El-Sanadi committed suicide at his Lauderdale-By-The-Sea condominium.

According to the Florida Bulldog, private investigator Wayne Black alleged, “Barrett had shut him out of ‘various investigations’ and accused her of wrongfully asserting a claim of legal privilege to block law-enforcement access to a laptop used by an executive suspected of improprieties.”

Last week, Barrett created more trouble for Broward Health when she advised the hospital district’s commissioners to discuss the matter outside the presence of the public.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel blasted Barrett’s advice. The Editors wrote, “[W]e do not believe it is legal — let alone, appropriate — for this public board to prevent the public from hearing discussion of an email that alleges obstruction of justice.” Barrett convinced some board members that a public discussion would hinder the FBI investigation. Broward Health Chairman David Di Pietro blasted Barrett’s advice. The Sun-Sentinel reported, “DiPietro later said he wouldn’t participate in such a scheme.”

This is not the first time a controversy involving Lynn Barrett made the pages of the Sun-Sentinel.

In July 1987, Barrett claimed her boss was hindering her private practice. Her former boss was Broward State Attorney Mike Satz. According to the Sun-Sentinel story, Barrett, “accused [Satz] of blackballing her and hindering her new career as a defense attorney.” Barrett was upset that the State Attorney’s office would not accept a plea bargain agreement in a DUI case. It was Barrett’s first case in private practice.

“I’m embarrassed. I’m humiliated. My ability to earn a living in this county is being hampered,” Barrett told Judge Dale Ross. Barrett blamed Asst. State Attorney John Countryman for “abusive and unfair” treatment because “he simply dislikes her.”

Countryman denied all the allegations.

After less than a year in the State Attorney’s office, Barrett “resigned because she was ‘stressed out’ from handling a huge caseload.”

Barrett claimed the State Attorney handling the DUI case told her no plea deal would be offered if she was on the case. When asked if an offer would be extended if another attorney represented the client, Barrett claimed she was told yes.

After another lawyer was brought onto the case, the State Attorney’s office made the deal.