DeSantis hints he's weighing replacements for Sheriff Scott Israel

[Slartibartfast]

can't happen soon enough !

my guess Israel will retire before he can be outed !



DeSantis hints he's weighing replacements for Sheriff Scott Israel


https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/polit ... story.html

Ron DeSantis, sworn in as Florida’s 46th governor on Tuesday, hinted Monday that he is weighing possible replacements for Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel.

DeSantis, a Republican, didn’t reveal his plans for the embattled sheriff during a news conference ahead of his inauguration, but he promised there will be “executive actions on potentially a number of local officials” shortly after he takes office Tuesday.

“As you look at different folks who have been mentioned as people who could potentially be suspended, the goal is not to [be] like, oh this person is politically different,” DeSantis said when asked if he is going to suspend Israel. “If you are going to do it, get somebody in there who is going to do a good job. That second part kind of gets lost. Who are you going to put in?”

DeSantis said during the campaign he would have suspended Israel had he been governor during the Feb. 14 Parkland massacre that left 17 people dead. Since winning the election, DeSantis has evaded questions on the issue, instead saying he’ll take personnel actions but not specifying if Israel will be removed.

A DeSantis spokeswoman did not immediately return a phone message seeking clarification.

A state commission investigating the shooting faulted Israel’s agency for a variety of lapses that included fumbled tips, deputies who were slow to respond and inadequate training.

Israel has maintained he did nothing that would warrant his suspension. Stuart Kaplan, an attorney speaking on the sheriff’s behalf, said Israel will contest a suspension.

“He is steadfast in believing he has been elected to serve Broward County and will remain so until such time as there’s a new elected sheriff,” Kaplan said.

The governor can suspend officials for a variety of reasons, including neglect of duty, incompetence and malfeasance. Typically, governors have suspended officials who have been charged criminally. Israel could request a trial before the Florida Senate to seek reinstatement.

DeSantis promised he’ll move swiftly once he becomes governor.

“We’ll definitely have some actions on a number of different fronts. You may be surprised at some of the fronts we are looking at right now in that respect.”

The Broward Sheriff’s Office has paid Miami lawyer Ben Kuehne nearly $30,000 for legal services, according to agency records.

Kuehne said he’s assisting with Parkland shooting-related matters, but he declined to say if a possible suspension is part of his scope of work. A sheriff’s spokeswoman declined to release a detailed billing, citing an exemption in the public records law for “litigation strategy.”

Kuehne helped to get former Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi reinstated after he was suspended by Gov. Rick Scott. Pizzi was arrested on federal bribery charges in 2013 and acquitted a year later. Kuehne also worked on presidential contender Al Gore’s legal team during the 2000 recount. His firm Kuehne Davis Law specializes in criminal and civil defense, along with election law.

Kaplan said he is not getting paid with tax dollars for his legal advice, and he’s a friend of the sheriff’s.

[Chigger]

He'll fight his removal guaranteed.

[Greg]

Which is fine if he does. The Florida Senate is where his trial will occur. Republican supermajority in the Senate

[n0rlf]

He will fight for his pension! Long overdue though.

[Flame Red]

Good start for Ron - but don't let that incompetent POS walk with his lucrative pension.

[TACC]

Something aint on the straight and narrow

from fox news, not the same news

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-gove ... ources-say


Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' office on Tuesday denied that the governor officially suspended Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, following reports of the sheriff's imminent removal.

A spokesperson for DeSantis told Fox News that no one from the governor's team has had any contact with Israel or his attorneys and have not communicated to him that he'll soon be suspended.


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Separately, in a statement to Fox News, Israel's attorney Stuart Kaplan said that they "have received no official word from the Governor or his office on any position with respect to the removal or suspension of the Sheriff."

"The Sheriff has been steadfast to ensure his command staff and all the men and women in the BSO know that his commitment and dedication is unwavering," the statement continued. "He is focused on protecting and serving the citizens of Broward County."

Sources told Fox News on Tuesday evening that the governor suspended the sheriff. Israel faced criticism over his department's response to the deadly Parkland shooting last year.

17 people were killed during the February 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The suspect was identified as Nikolas Cruz.

Calls for Israel to resign came shortly after the deadly shooting unfolded and in April, the Broward Sheriff's Office Deputies Association voted "no confidence" in him. The association cited the national criticism surrounding Israel and his office following the shooting.

[Miami_JBT]

Useless gesture. Broward County would elect him back into office or someone just like him.

[Tenzing_Norgay]

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/brow ... story.html





Broward Sheriff Scott Israel Tells Staff He Expects To Be Suspended

A review of Broward Sheriff Scott Israel’s performance since the Parkland shooting shows continued excuses, falsehoods and inaction, revealing a leader who appears unwilling or incapable of addressing deep-rooted problems under his leadership.

Linda Trischitta, Megan O'Matz, Brittany Wallman and Anthony ManContact Reporters
South Florida Sun Sentinel


Embattled Broward Sheriff Scott Israel told members of his command staff Tuesday that he expects Florida’s new governor to suspend him, sources say.

But early that evening, the anticipated bad news had not been delivered.

“Although it may happen, I have not been suspended,” Israel told the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a text message.

The months-long parlor game of when Israel might be removed heated up Tuesday with the departure of Gov. Rick Scott and the swearing-in of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

In his inaugural remarks as the new leader of the Sunshine State, DeSantis said, “If a local official is neglectful of required duties, I will remove the official.”

DeSantis hinted Monday that he was weighing possible replacements for Israel.

“As you look at different folks who have been mentioned as people who could potentially be suspended, the goal is not to [be] like, oh this person is politically different,” DeSantis said when asked if he is going to suspend Israel. “If you are going to do it, get somebody in there who is going to do a good job.”

Israel has been under intense criticism as evidence has mounted that his department mishandled its response to the mass shooting Feb. 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Seventeen staff and students died, and 17 more were wounded.

Eight deputies did not immediately rush into the school to confront the gunman after hearing gunshots. Commanders did not take control of the scene. And in 2016, Israel had changed the agency’s policy on active shooters to say deputies “may” go in rather than “shall” pursue a gunman.

In December, the sheriff’s office announced the active-shooter policy was revised and that deputies must immediately eliminate threats from a gunman.

Less than two weeks after the shooting, Israel appeared on CNN and said he showed “amazing leadership” during the tragedy.

In November, while testifying to the state commission investigating the Parkland shooting, Israel said: “At this point, based on what I know, I don’t have any reason to believe that any members of our agency knew there was an active shooter.”

Police reports show they did.

Israel followed that by saying that the school deputy Scott Peterson “never got on the radio and advised this agency there was an active shooter.”

Audio and transcripts of radio communications show he did.

Israel has maintained that he did nothing that would warrant his suspension.

The parents of children slain in the Parkland massacre are watching closely to see who will become the next sheriff in Broward County.

Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, died in the shooting, attended DeSantis’ inauguration. He expects Israel to be suspended in the next few days.

Guttenberg, a supporter of Democratic candidates, said he would not oppose Israel's ouster.

"I do think it is time for people to be held accountable," he said.

To watch Israel’s activities on social media Tuesday, it was a regular day at work.

He promoted leaders in his agency and signed a contract with the Broward County School Board that granted the Sheriff’s Office access to live feeds from school security cameras, according to a Twitter post.

“Real-time video feeds from schools would greatly assist in a more effective, directed police response,” said the post, which was also circulated Facebook. “Live, accurate intelligence can make all the difference when every second counts.”

Delayed video during the Feb. 14 massacre at Stoneman Douglas contributed to the disorganized response by police and deputies during the shootings.

Another sign of turmoil at the Sheriff’s Office also emerged Tuesday.

No one from the office turned up at the Broward County Commission meeting for a significant discussion about the county’s aged and unreliable police radio communications system, which is slated to be replaced at the end of this year for about $60 million.

The radios were a key failure in the response to the Parkland shooting.

“I thought when we were talking about the largest public safety expenditure in South Florida history probably, with the new radio system,” Broward County Commissioner Michael Udine said. “I thought there should have been top level people from BSO Communications at our meeting today. I was disappointed that they weren’t there.”

Staff writers Stephen Hobbs and Skyler Swisher contributed to this report.

[FfNJGTFO]

Gov. DeSantis is on Fox & Friends right now, saying no decision has been made yet, but that it could be by Friday. But he's angry with the rumors that started (i.e. that he (Israel) *would* already be suspended)...

I guess we'll see come Friday...

[photohause]

Useless gesture. Broward County would elect him back into office or someone just like him.

Kinda like mayor Marian Barry in D.C.