Tag Archives: Lobbyist

Broward Democrat Lobbyist/Consultant Barbara Miller Worked For FTX

6 Replies
James Fox Miller Facebook post
Barbara Miller, center, with brother Joe Bankman at FTX event.
Sam Bankman-Fried, Joe Bankman and Barbara Miller.

According to her husband, Democrat lobbyist and Broward School Board whisperer Barbara Miller worked for the troubled cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Two weeks ago, REDBROWARD revealed Miller is the aunt of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Miller and her brother Joe Bankman played pivotal roles in the development of the 2022 FTX Hackathon And Crypto Summit which promised a $1,000,000 prize to Broward school students.

In a February 26, 2022 Facebook post, Miller’s husband, attorney James Fox Miller trumpeted news that Sam Bankman-Fried offered a $25 payment to residents of Ukraine who opened an FTX account. Then, Fox Miller confirmed his wife’s role in her nephew’s company. James Fox Miller wrote:

“Barbara is working for FTX and really enjoying it. Her goal in life has always been to leave the world a little better than she found it. Sam is doing it big-time.”

Two weeks ago, the new CEO of FTX announced the company was halting donations by the FTX Foundation Group amid “questions about legitimacy.” Marketwatch reported, “The senior staff of Bankman-Fried’s philanthropic FTX Future Fund publicly quit Thursday night, saying that the fund could no longer operate or process grants, and that they ‘have fundamental questions about the legitimacy and integrity of the business operations that were funding the FTX Foundation and the Future Fund.’”

What role did Barbara Miller play at FTX?

How much did FTX pay Barbara Miller?

What role did Barbara Miller play in luring Broward schools, local universities and government entities into the FTX web of “philanthropy?”

Sun-Sentinel Touted Fort Lauderdale Commission Candidate John Herbst’s Dislike Of Lobbyists But Failed To Mention His Deep Ties To Controversial Democrat Lobbyist Judy Stern

1 Reply
Judy Stern and Steve Bousquet

In September, Steve Bousquet and his Sun-Sentinel Opinion Makers™️ dubbed John Herbst as the candidate with the “once-in-a-lifetime chance” to reshape the City of Fort Lauderdale. Herbst is no newcomer to city government. Seven months earlier, Herbst, the longtime city auditor, was fired by Mayor Dean Trantalis and the current city commission.

Claiming he is armed with “a fine-tuned BS detector,” Bousquet and his Opinion Makers™️ said Herbst “soundly rejects the status quo, which is just what this city needs.”

Bousquet and Co. wrote how Herbst recognized the danger posed by lobbyists at City Hall. “We need to recognize the influence of lobbyists who push bad projects on our neighborhoods,” Herbst told the Sun-Sentinel.

Despite the myriad of lobbyists working in Fort Lauderdale, Herbst and Bousquet singled out land use attorney Stephanie Toothaker. Herbst said Toothaker “has her thumb on the scale,” a saying used to described cheating. The Sun-Sentinel even asked Herbst’s opponent, Ken Keechl for his opinion on Toothaker.

One lobbyist never mentioned in the endorsement is Judy Stern. The controversial Stern has been a fixture in Fort Lauderdale for decades. Stern is listed a registered lobbyist in the City of Fort Lauderdale for four companies: Suntex Marinas, The Corradino Group, Skanska USA and Garth Business Solutions.

In addition to her lobbyist role, Stern is campaign manager/consultant.

In fact, despite his alleged dislike of lobbyists, John Herbst is using Judy Stern to run his campaign. Herbst told REDBROWARD that he has known Stern for many years.

But Judy is not the only Stern in Herbst‘s corner. In April 2022, the lawyer for John Herbst wrote a letter to Fort Lauderdale City Attorney Alain Boileau seeking to settle matters surrounding his dismissal. John Herbst’s lawyer is Barbra Stern, daughter of Judy Stern.

So why didn’t Steve Bousquet and his Opinion Makers™️ ask John Herbst about Judy Stern?

Last week, Bousquet penned another story about John Herbst. It was more love letter than news report.

Bousquet wrote, “While other candidates rely on canned, phony text messages that could have come from a car dealer, or slick direct-mail attacks that are half-true at best and usually end up in the trash, Herbst is out there in the flesh with his dog Chester, walking Bayview Drive and tweeting about it.” Judy Stern couldn’t have said it better herself.

According to political insiders, Bousquet and Stern are friends.

Does Steve Bousquet have a duty to disclose ties to a campaign consultant before endorsing her candidate?

Did Steve Bousquet use the Sun-Sentinel to target a youthful competitor of Judy Stern?

Does Tallahassee resident Bousquet really think Stephanie Toothaker is the only land use lawyer working in Fort Lauderdale?

Do candidates using Judy Stern get preferential treatment by the Sun-Sentinel?

REDBROWARD reached out to Steve Bousquet for comment. As of publication, he has not responded.