BOB NORMAN'S DAILY PULP (NEW TIMES)
©2007 Village Voice Media All rights reserved
Is The "Wheel" Of Broward Justice Coming Off?
Mon May 14, 2007 at 09:05:30 AM
When Broward Chief Judge Dale Ross told reporters last week that JAABlog is out to "undermine" the judiciary, he gave the blog he hates a wonderful plug. It has led to a torrent of news reports, first by Jordana Mishory in the Daily Business Review on Friday and followed by the Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel yesterday.
Ross was upset that there had been name-calling on the blog, which was set up by attorney William Gelin to expose corruption at the Broward County Courthouse. Some of it has even been done, gasp!, anonymously. Ross complained to Mishory:
"I like folks who are serious people, who come up to me face-to-face and say, ‘Hey Dale, I have a problem I’d like to talk to you about.’"
Here's what he told the Herald's Jennifer Lebovich:
''There's nothing constructive offered. I think the blog, if it was positive in nature . . . would be helpful to the judiciary. I'm not sure the method and manner advances anyone's cause.''
I'll put my name to this bit of negativity: Ross is obviously afraid that he's about to get blown out of the water. So, rather than deal with his own problems, he's lashing out at a blog that is doing what a great free press ought to do -- uncovering the abuses in the justice system, no matter how seamy they might be. And in Ross's little empire, there's enough abuses to keep ten blogs busy.
People don't oppose the Ross machine because they don't want to be destroyed. But listen to Administrative Criminal Court Judge Ana I. Gardiner, who was recently promoted by Ross after JAABlog reported her predecessor Charles Green's remark that a case was "NHI" (No Humans Involved):
"If you feel your comment is a legitimate concern, then why not put your name to it? If your goal is to promote a positive change, then why not put your name on it?"
Those words, uttered to Tonya Alanez, sound more like a threat than a comment. Gardiner, who is the subject of plenty of rumors of judicial improprieties herself, is basically saying, "Put your name on it and then watch me and my powerful friends destroy you."
Now you want to hear some good negative courthouse buzz? People are talking about an investigation into the "Wheel," which is the system by which private attorneys are appointed by judges to represent criminal defendants who can't afford to pay. It's a major money machine, this Wheel. What I'm hearing is that the system is being abused and that some judges -- I wouldn't name names even if I had them -- have been corruptly favoring certain lawyers, handing them extra business. I've heard the investigation is about to break.
Gosh, hope it doesn't the undermine the judiciary.
Link To Bob Norman's Daily Pulp:
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2007/05/is_the_wheel_of_broward_justic.php


You might not be so powerful after Jenne goes down. Tick, tick, tick.....
Ross is such an idiot. He complains about the blog's content, then claims to not read it!!! As for Gardiner, she hands out maximum sentences to look tough so she can get a federal appointment. (Like Cohn) Although many of the defendants in her courtroom deserve life, she hands out the sentences like they are candy, even to those who deserve compassion. Don't be too surprised if she is challenged in the next election.
Thank the Lord they put hey in RO Court. She was like Ming the Merciless in her old regular division. At least now the sentences fit the crimes.
Followed your link to - BOB NORMAN'S DAILY PULP (NEW TIMES)and read the comments following his post ... Is it true Mike Ahearn has been blocked from Jaab b/c of his criticism of Jaab and Gelin?
Call me a kiss a**, a liar or whatever you like I can prove it. Since Tuesday afternoon until I left the office at 430 my ability to post from my office has been blocked. Not only I am blocked but the other lawyers and staff in my office (20 people or so) are blocked because we are on the same server.
I am sure it is just a coincidence that this happened at the same time the three newspapers were calling me about the blog. All reporters were otified, I invited them to come to my office to see it. Additionally I have phots of the computer screens in my office showing comments are not permitted. I even wrote Jeff and BIll in private to address the situation to no reply.
The bottom line is this, there is no anonimity on here, they are tracing everyones ip address. They have alleged I was writing anonymously, which I was not, as an excuse for their blacklisting me. As I have always shown if I had something to say I say it in my name.
They say they can prove I wrote anonymously, but if they can do that does that not confirm the cloak of anonymity is untrue? Just as well type in your own name they know who you are anyway.
Craig, I am writing this from my house, so now you know my home ip address, feel free to blacklist this one too.
Mike - didn't you very publicly quit this blog forever a couple of weeks ago?
Ahearn: "I'll never, ever post another article on this blog!" Just a matter of weeks ago you said it, and now I read you were addicted to it. Man, oh, man, you seem to be in a quandary. First you're addicted to it, then you'll never post again, then you use the blog to get your name in the newspaper (however stupid you may have sounded), then your email address is blocked, then you post again anyway. WHat you're saying doesn't make any since at all, but yet you still can't get off the blog. Then the blog is the cause of all the woes in the world and is chastising all these wonderful judges that can't keep their feet out of their own mouths this time, and yet you can't stay away. Sounds like an obsession problem to me. Maybe you should join some help group, you know something dealing with people that don't seem to have a life outside what anybody else maybe doing to fix these problems. You have a very big problem, Mike, and maybe you should get some help soon before you turn into a cyberblob.
How come Ross never ordered the Wheel investigation? What is he afraid of? Now it looks like the authorities will be doing it instead. Way to go, Dale keeps behaving like its 1994 and he is still all powerful.
Poor Mike, no more handouts, and your going to cry all the way to ciberblobdom.
You were alright with your stupid postings in the beginning, but now your starting to sound pathetic, Mike.
Everybody loves a winner, eh Mike?
Yeah, I remember reading a very nicely worded appeal to you after you quit, Mike. Something like you were welcome back at any time you wanted to post and your input was just as important as'. Now you sound like a big baby. Knock it off, man. Be a part of it if you want, but sincerely, stop the nashing of teeth. It sounds weird.
This wheel thing is really going to come back to haunt Ross. He let his buddies play all the games they wanted, and now he can't take it back.
It was a real scam with all the family members getting the lions share of things. That and the politicos.
I wonder where Ahearn fits in?
This Ross and Company have really messed things up.
Gardiner was born in Cuba was it? SHe should now what its like to live under a regime that rules through fear and intimadation. SHe's allready fell into it. Not the brightest thing to say, Ana.
What's this Ahearn crying about?
THE LOSS OF THE WHEEL !!
Takiing Ross' side so quickly. More of the same.
She's not as bad as Ross though.
Undermine the judiciary? It looks like he's done everything he can do to insure it!
Who is this Ahearn anyway? I don't think he's supposed to post using profanity.
I hope there is a WHEEL INVESTIGATION. They'll be moving out soon!
AHEARN: Don't you mean when (you) contacted the papers three times? What a cyberblob. You'd do anything for attention. Go play Nanu.
Whine, whine, whine. Your a regular whineeeeeeeeee Ahern.
Why doesnt he post something worthwhile?
Because he's to busy whining, stupid.
Great article, Mr. Norman. It's even worse than you state in your article though.