LOW BIDDER, ESQUIRE REPORTS
Hanging in the Levine home soon?So, spent about 5 hours today at the Scott Rothstein bankruptcy auction. Hundreds of folks showed up and it looked like people from most walks of life. While there were at least 300 people at the auction, I wonder how many were actually real buyers. The auctioneer wouldn't give you a bid card unless you forked over $500 in cash as a refundable deposit on purchases. So in reality, it looked like maybe half those present were actually bidders.
One thing I can say about Scott Rothstein is that he loved to collect -- everything. And he is certainly proof that spending a lot of money for something doesn't mean it's valuable or in good taste. There was a lot of custom furniture that Rothstein probably paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for (with other people's money, apparently). What was truly shocking though was the volume of PEOPLE he seemed to collect -- signed photos with every major politician (mostly Republicans) and sports figures in this town. Oh, and for all you Seminoles out there, Scott Rothstein was a MAJOR GATOR -- there were dozens of UF items, from Danny Wuerfel photos to Albert the Gator sculptures to Gator Martini Glasses and even a piece of the wood floor from the 2007 Final 4.
The auction is for a good cause -- the proceeds went to the bankruptcy trustee hopefully for the benefit of the creditors. Before you start saying that Scott's creditors might be as crooked as he, remember that for every feeder to Scott's Ponzi scheme, there is also a regular person who hired RRA to represent them on some small matter, maybe a home purchase or sale, and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars that were supposed to be sitting in their trust account.
No pics of Mike Satz and Scott Rothstein, but wow, did he and Charlie Crist and Al Lamberti have some good times together. I personally like the Crist and Rothstein picture, nearly hugging each other, signed to Scott from the Governor -- "Scott, You're amazing..." Also of interest were the certificates of appreciation to Rothstein -- two stuck out in my mind......The Certificate from Charlie Crist formally appointing Rothstein to the 4th DCA Judicial Nominating Committee (pictured above). The other was a 2003 certificate of appreciation from the Florida Bar to Scott for his commendable service on the BAR GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE for Broward.
The prices for some things were minimal -- martini glasses, coasters, and other stuff for well under $100.00. Other items went for FAR more....in fact, far more than anyone could say they were worth. Seems like most of the pictures of Rothstein with prominent Florida republicans went to one or two bidders, who was paying outrageous prices for many of the items -- I mean, $2,000+ for the Charlie/Rothstein pic? Whispers around the room were that a few of the bidders for the political items were plants from the Republican Party, trying to buy up as many embarrassing pictures as possible. If I were one of the candidates in a picture with Rothstein, I'd hate to have that shot plastered over ads by my opponent later on. The few Democratic politician photos similarly went to one or two people for prices that were well above their actual worth.
For everyone who saw the news reports, the "See No Evil, Speak No Evil" monkey statue that you may have seen went for $900.00. The cuff links went for scrap gold prices. And hundreds of thousands of dollars in overpriced office furniture went for pennies on the dollar.
The excess of Rothstein was apparent, from the 18 karat gold and diamond RRA tie tacks and cuff links, still in the JR Dunn Jeweler boxes, to the Tiffany and Waterford crystal and silver. I still don't understand how anyone would give this guy money to invest when he's spending on the frivolous garbage he surrounded himself with.
By the time I left, I think the auction had grossed well into six figures. There were a handful of politicians there, at least one judge (who didn't buy anything that I saw). While there were plenty of smiles and happy people that got a bargain, the event was also a bit haunting -- it's like picking through a dead man's pockets in a way. Saddest was the sale of the office cubicles, furniture and computers of the lawyers and staff at the firm. I saw people going through drawers prior to the auction starting, finding old billing statements, letters and documents from who knows what.
There are apparently going to be more auctions coming up, cars, real estate, and other things. If I can afford to get in the room, I'll send a report.
-- Low Bidder, Esq.
Mayo: Picking on the carcass of Rothstein's fallen firm
"I can't believe I got it," Broward Circuit Judge Marc Gold said after spending $400 for a campaign donor photo of Rothstein with George W. Bush."
Pulp: Dwayne Wade autographed shoe: $900
Nevins: "The War Hero Vs. The Drunk Driver’s Friend"
NPR busts Broward - Featuring Book, Spath, Keechl, Finkelstein, and Hurley:
NPR AUDIO: Finkelstein says "Don't pee on me and tell me it's rain!"
"According to campaign records, Book, Spath and the rest of Broward's bondsmen spread almost $23,000 across the council in the year before the bill was passed. Fifteen bondsmen cut checks worth more than $5,000 to commissioner and now-county Mayor Ken Keechl just five days before the vote.
Keechl and several other commissioners declined NPR's repeated requests for an interview. At the meeting last January, they said they were concerned that Broward's pretrial program cost more than other counties' programs, and they vigorously denied that campaign contributions played any role."
NPR article: "Bondsman Lobby Targets Pretrial Release Programs" (abridged from audio)
Mayo: Picking on the carcass of Rothstein's fallen firm
"I can't believe I got it," Broward Circuit Judge Marc Gold said after spending $400 for a campaign donor photo of Rothstein with George W. Bush."
Pulp: Dwayne Wade autographed shoe: $900
Nevins: "The War Hero Vs. The Drunk Driver’s Friend"
NPR busts Broward - Featuring Book, Spath, Keechl, Finkelstein, and Hurley:
NPR AUDIO: Finkelstein says "Don't pee on me and tell me it's rain!"
"According to campaign records, Book, Spath and the rest of Broward's bondsmen spread almost $23,000 across the council in the year before the bill was passed. Fifteen bondsmen cut checks worth more than $5,000 to commissioner and now-county Mayor Ken Keechl just five days before the vote.
Keechl and several other commissioners declined NPR's repeated requests for an interview. At the meeting last January, they said they were concerned that Broward's pretrial program cost more than other counties' programs, and they vigorously denied that campaign contributions played any role."
NPR article: "Bondsman Lobby Targets Pretrial Release Programs" (abridged from audio)
Wow, a judge that was too cheap to actually spend his/her own money to buy something? Big shocker for Broward.
So I was at the auction. I was the big winner. I got Scott Rothstein's toe-nail clipper as part of a miscellaneous lot. Freaking gross.
Poor Mike. He's not even important enough for Scotty to hang their picture from the fundraiser in his office.
Ok, so the biggest irony of the auction that I didn't include in my report was the set of 8 law books that were auctioned from Scott's office.
It was the 8 volume set of Legal Ethics and Florida Civil Trial Practice.
So I wonder which Chapter was titled "How to forge federal judicial orders and get away with it"?
Low Bidder, Esq.
Great article Low Bidder guy
How many corrupt political hacks and dirty cops were there trying to buy back their integrity?
I was at the auction. There aren't all that many folks that were there that have any connection to this blog, so guessing this author's identity is a piece of cake.
I'll be outing him later.
It obviously isn't Vic Tobin since its in complete sentences with proper punctuation.
who was the judge in attendance?
Conan O'Brien wrote it. He needs the work.
I guess the judge was Merrigan hoping to find a snapshot of Golburgh and Crookstein.
With friends like "Low Bidder My Butt" who needs enemies?
I saw 2 judges there
So which judges were at the auction....not including retired Judge Stettin (the RRA trustee/receiver).
And as for the "low bidder my butt", there were plenty of local lawyers at the event -- including a number of former RRA lawyers. So guessing who the author of this piece is would be a bit harder than you'd think.
There were many judges there. Too many to count. They were in disguises -- fake beards mustaches, glasses. You get the picture. Most are up for election, covertly buying up all the pictures of themselves with Rothstein.
The judge who is half man/half horse was there too.
Who ended up buying Rothstein's fake yarmulke that he used when pretending to be religious?
The paper says Gold not horse head.
Maybe Judge Gold is Low Bidder? Hmmmmmm?
What a bunch of morons. Only Broward Judges would find value in any of Rothstein's junk. Never seen so much crap in one place.
I think the guy was mentally ill with all the cheap junk he surrounded himself with.
As far a Gold buying a picture of the two junkies; Judges in Broward are paid more than they're worth.
Sad commentary.
Scotty, the Broward Bar still loves you!
Not bad enough that Broward Judges received campaign contributions from this creep Rothstein. Now they show up to pick through his ill gotten garbage? Weird. That's Broward for you.
Impeach Keechel and shakeoff scum like Book and Spath from local politics for starters.
What did Hurley buy?
This revelation of Keechl and Ron Book along with Wayne Spath came as no suprise. Everybody on the Broward County Commission knew about it. And yet nothing happens to correct a glaring problem when it comes to more Broward County Officials on the take. It's just taken in stride the corruption that exists here. It's almost as if it's expected.
Funny how the same republicans that profited from Rothstein's scam and took campaign contributions beat a trail to buy back the pictures they had taken with him. They were all there. They probably used the same money for the buybacks.
Crooks!
Scott Rothstein and Charlie Crist appointments are all being challenge. Keep up the good work. No fake candidates like Melissa Donoho.
...and one time at band camp Judge Hurley saved a girl from a flute. I'm voting for Judge Hurley!
The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said.