One developer in Hallandale Beach has put $375,000 into a political committee that is helping to financing attack ads on two candidates in that city.
To put that in perspective, the whopping contributions are equivalent to $10 from every man, woman and child in Hallandale.
The money is coming from the Diplomat Golf Club, which happens to be at the heart of an ongoing criminal investigation by the state after Vice Mayor Bill Julian was caught on audiotape admitting that he agreed to accept secret gifts from Diplomat representatives before voting to approve the golf club's massive $450 million development.
The money is coming from three companies tied to Diplomat principal Louis Birdman, who has previously denied knowing about the PAC money at all. The ads target Annabelle Taub, who is running against Julian, and Michele Lazarow, the only commissioner who voted against the Diplomat project in March.
“Obviously the Diplomat was willing to buy Bill Julian's vote,” said Taub. “Now they're trying to buy the election.”
Julian said today he had no idea about the Diplomat money that was financing attacks on his opponent.
“Do you think the Diplomat is trying to buy the election?” Local 10 investigative reporter Bob Norman asked Julian.
“No way,” answered Julian. “Somebody should have called me. l would know. How would you know if I don't know? Idon't know.”
Julian also claimed that reports that he had agreed to accept secret gifts from the developer weren’t true, despite the fact that he admitted as much not only during a phone call that was inadvertently recorded but also in an interview with Local 10 in August.
“Nothing promised, nothing given,” said Julian.
“You said it on tape,” Norman countered.
“Don't try to spin this okay?” said Julian. “You're good at it.”
“I'm telling you what's on tape,” said Norman.
There is also a big money supporter in the city helping Taub and Lazarow , Gulfstream Park. The racino has put at least $75,000 into attacks on Julian and Lazarow’s opponent, Alexander Lewy. It’s a huge figure for that that city but only one fifth of what the Diplomat has put in.
Gulfstream is in a clash with the city over a road it owns that the city says is needed to alleviate traffic in the notoriously congested city. Both Taub and Lazarow said they had nothing to do with the Gulfstream money, but Taub said the company was fighting corruption in the city.
“Do you really think that Gulfstream’s there to clean up corruption?” Norman asked Taub.
“Absolutely,” answered Taub.
“That doesn’t sound absurd to you?” asked Norman.
“It does not,” said Taub.