Former Broward County Judge Jay Spechler appears to be using his daughter to fight his battles with the Broward County Commission over raunchy videos involving his wife Mindy Shrago. Spechler’s wife is the co-founder/executive director of the Young At Art (YAA) children’s museum in Davie. The taxpayer-funded museum is trying to work out a new financial arrangement with Broward County.
The ongoing negotiations were jeopardized after REDBROWARD posted videos of Shrago cavorting with topless women at a strange pro-Bernie Sanders party. One of the topless women in the video is Spechler’s daughter Ali Shrago Spechler. According to a scathing report from an outside consultant, Ali Shrago Spechler and her brother Zack Shrago Spechler were paid by Young At Art. The consultant stated these payments were made without the knowledge of the Broward County Commission.
Yesterday, REDBROWARD reported Broward County Commissioner Lois Wexler plans on reviewing the videos with the County Administrator Bertha Henry and County Attorney Joni Armstrong Coffey. Wexler has demanded swift action on the YAA matter. Two weeks ago, Wexler wondered if YAA was “playing games” in negotiations with the County. She asked why the amended contract, which was due in July, had not been presented to the Commission. County Administrator Henry said YAA officials blamed the delay on board member vacations.
“Is the ultimate goal to wait until I am out of office? Because that’s exactly–I thought that was–That has been the goal for the last year,” Wexler asked. “And if this is a game that is being played it’s time to call their bluff. This is something that has been going on way, way, way too long.”
Hours after the story was posted, Ali Shrago Spechler removed the topless videos from YouTube. Last evening, YouTube informed REDBROWARD the clips of the videos included in our reports had been pulled down as well. Ali Shrago Spechler made a copyright claim on the videos she posted. REDBROWARD intends to contest YouTube’s decision.
Several legal observers believe the copyright claim is a bald-faced attempt to keep the videos from being seen by County officials and the public. Images, screen captures and videos have been previously provided to Broward lawmakers.
This is not the first time Jay Spechler appears to have enlisted his daughter to fight his political battles.
SPECHLER’S COURTHOUSE ENEMIES GET THEIR OWN WET-SHIRT VIDEOS
Over a year ago, Ali Shrago Spechler posted videos mocking her father’s courthouse enemies. In 2008, then Judge Jay Spechler resigned after Chief Judge Victor Tobin banned him from the courthouse. ”He was reassigned to his car, essentially. He didn’t like it,” one judge is anonymously quoted saying. The Daily Business Review reported, “Spechler’s reassignment came after he got into a verbal altercation with fellow County Court Judge Peggy Gehl and made disparaging comments about her sexual orientation.” Spechler filed a lawsuit against Tobin for defamation.
While the lawsuits may not have been successful, Spechler’s enemies were mocked in another strange video featuring his daughter.
In a YouTube video posted in April 2015, Ali Shrago Spechler appears as “Esther.” Accompanied by an accordion, she tells the cheering crowd a story about “lies,” “redemption,” and “titties.” The crowd lustily boos each time Shrago Spechler mentions Chief Judge Tobin and Judge Lee Seidman. She calls Tobin a “schmuck” while Seidman is his “evil sidekick.”
She claims Tobin tried to take away the humanity from the “surfer” (Jay Spechler). “Fuck Lee Seidman,” says Ali Shrago Spechler. She says her father’s enemies are “drunk with power, hate and rage.”
The strange political passion play comes complete with life-sized puppets of Tobin, Seidman and Jay Spechler. Some of this same work has been displayed at YAA venues. These appear to be the work of Ali Shrago Spechler.
She concludes the video by saying Tobin has declared martial law and ordered all women to partake in a wet t-shirt contest. Shrago Spechler then takes off her dress and water guns soak her shirt.
