Tag Archives: Lawrence Jabbow Martin

FL State Rep. Anika Omphroy Reserved 50 COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments For Lauderhill Mayor & City Commissioners

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“If this isn’t public corruption, I don’t know what is.” Nikki Fried

While Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried and Senate Democrat Leader Gary Farmer scream for an investigation into whether Florida Governor Ron DeSantis allowed certain communities to receive COVID-19 vaccinations for political reasons, e-mails show their fellow Broward Democrats were allowing politicians to personally pick vaccination recipients. In a January 28, 2021 e-mail obtained by REDBROWARD, a City of Lauderhill clerk told Mayor Ken Thurston about a vaccination event hosted by Florida State Representative Anika Omphroy (D-95). Thurston and Commissioners Denise Grant, Melissa Dunn, Sarai “Ray” Martin and Lawrence “Jabbow” Martin were told they could reserve spots for ten people each at the January 31, 2021 vaccination event.

Mayor Thurston and the Lauderhill Commissioners were told:

“I was advised that each [sic] of the Commission can send 10 people each who are 65 and older to get vaccinated this Sunday. These people do not have to be residents of the City of Lauderhill. Please provide a list of their names, contact numbers and date of births [sic] that will be forwarded to Representative Omphroy.”

A February Facebook post by Representative Omphroy confirms the vaccination event was held at the First Baptist Chruch Piney Grove in Lauderdale Lakes. Omphroy wrote, “This collaboration was full of care and all about community service. Being able to partner with Paster Hughes and FL Department of Emergency Managment to help serve Floridians specifically our 65+ seniors made my heart full.” Representative Omphroy stated more than 430 residents were vaccinated at this event.

Representative Anika Omphroy specifically thanked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida National Guard. But she also thanked the Florida Democratic Party.

Does Nikki Fried want the FBI to investigate the FLDEMS?

Omphroy specifically thanked City of Lauderdale Lakes Mayor Hazelle Rogers. Does Senator Gary Farmer want the FBI to investigate whether fellow Broward Democrat Hazelle Rogers and the other Broward Democrats on the Lauderdale Lakes Commission picked friends to get vaccinated?

What about the other Broward Democrat controlled cities in Omphroy’s district?

Did other Democrat State Representatives from Broward host similar vaccination events? Did they allow local Democrats to reserve vaccinations for friends?

Did Senator Farmer host an event?

REDBROWARD asked Representative Omphroy, Mayor Ken Thurston and the Lauderhill Commissioners for comment.

As of publication, there has been no response

Lauderhill Agenda: “ANNEXATION OF PLANTATION”

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The clandestine plans of the City of Lauderhill to annex parts of the City of Plantation are much further along than originally thought, according to documents obtained by REDBROWARD. Last month, REDBROWARD exposed a meeting between two political newcomers–Lauderhill Commissioner Lawrence “Jabbow” Martin and Plantation Councilwoman Jennifer Andreu. Martin contacted Andreu to discuss plans to have Plantation “de-annex” a historic commercial district in order to allow Lauderhill to annex the property. According to emails, the land coveted by Martin was located along 441 from Broward Boulevard north to Sunrise Boulevard and then west along Sunrise to the Florida Turnpike.

When contacted by REDBROWARD about the meeting, Jennifer Andreu dismissed it as a simple introductory meeting. She wrote, “I had a Zoom meeting with Commissioner Martin to introduce myself and for us to get to know each other. There was not a deal proposal or deal.” Andreu told us she discussed several topics with Martin.

When pressed, Andreu stated she would not support de-annexation of the Plantation Park East neighborhood.

When asked if she discussed this plan with any other Plantation council members or other politicians Andreu said, “[T]his was an introductory meeting and there was no need to discuss it with anyone.”

Yet, new documents obtained by REDBROWARD show the City of Lauderhill has engaged in elaborate planning for the “annexation of Plantation” since at least the beginning of January 2021.

“ANNEXATION OF PLANTATION”

In addition to emails to Jennifer Andreu, Lauderhill emails and documents obtained by REDBROWARD show Commissioner Lawrence “Jabbow” Martin discussed the plan with City administration as well as the City Attorney.

One document, titled Commissioner Martin’s “to-do list,” includes an entire section on Plantation. Under the heading “Annexation of Plantation,” Martin’s list lays out the plan to get key pieces of land from the City of Plantation.

Martin’s plan includes meetings with the Lauderhill city manager and the Lauderhill city attorney. Martin is advised to, “Discuss meeting with City and State Reps.” Also, Martin needs to “get with the Broward delegations and the City of Plantation about this matter.” Then, the list instructs Martin to contact the “City of Plantation Commission (sic).”

Martin’s list includes instructions to, “Contact the big 4 State Reps (DuBois, Thurston, Debbie Wasserman, +,+).” It appears Martin’s list is referring to State Rep. Bobby DuBose, State Senator Perry Thurston and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. Plantation Councilwoman Jennifer Andreu is a lifelong friend of State Representative DuBose.

This list defines the “annexation” area as “Broward to Sunrise/441, 441/Sunrise to Turnpike.”

REDBROWARD obtained a map of the area in question. It appears to have been created by City of Lauderhill staffers. Another document lists the contact information for the owners of the properties along the east side of 441 in Plantation.

In a January 26, 2021 email, Lauderhill city attorney W. Earl Hall tells Lauderhill city manager Desorae Giles-Smith he has discussed the annexation plan with Commissioner Martin. “Please place the Plantation de-annexation discussion on the next COVID workshop agenda,” Hall wrote.

REDBROWARD asked other members of the Plantation City Council if there was any contact from persons promoting this annexation plan. Councilman Tim Fadgen and Councilman Nick Sortal said no one had discussed the matter with them.