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Broward Sheriff Scott Israel Meets With Veteran Florida Lobbyist Ron Book

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Book’s Daughter Sits on Commission Investigating Parkland Shooting

Israel Accuses Reporter of “Bullying”

In a rare display of South Florida news media committing true journalism and going after a corrupt public official–Democratic Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel.

Miami’s ABC affiliate WPLG News10 reports that Israel, who is under fire after an overwhelming no-confidence vote, recently wined and dined with “one of the most powerful lobbyists in Tallahassee,” Ron Book.

Book’s daughters, State Senator Lauren Book, sits on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission that is in charge of investigating the Parkland school massacre.

From WPLG News10:

After an overwhelming no-confidence vote by his deputies’ union and with investigators — from both the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Gov. Rick Scott’s public safety commission — looking into his actions after his agency’s failures in Parkland, Israel may need all the protection he can get.

“Everything is on the line right now,” said union chief Jeff Bell, who led the no-confidence vote and is encouraging Scott to suspend Israel from his post, alleging incompetence and neglect of duty.

The clouds surrounding BSO could explain the sheriff’s meeting with lobbyist Ron Book Tuesday night at J. Alexanders in Plantation. Book is one of the most powerful lobbyists in Tallahassee and has the ear of the governor, who has said he will decide whether or not to suspend Israel when the FDLE investigation into the BSO response to Parkland is completed.

Presenting a more serious potential conflict of interest for Israel is the fact that Book’s daughter, Sen. Lauren Book, sits on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, which is also investigating the shooting and BSO.

When reporter Bob Norman asked Israel about the meeting the Sheriff was visibly perturbed, refused to answer Norman’s questions, and stated that he was the victim of “bullying and disrespect.”

WPLG appears to be the only news outlet reporting on Israel’s behind-the-scenes maneuvering with the veteran lobbyist who’s related to a state official on the Marjory Stoneman Commission. To date no South Florida news outlet has covered two unusual deaths of Broward Sheriff’s Deputies under Israel’s command.

 

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