A Fort Lauderdale Mayoral candidate is under fire for a misleading mailer that was sent out this week. A mailer was sent out from Barbra Anne Stern depicting pictures of prominent elected officials such as Broward Property Appraiser Marty Kiar and U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz. The problem? They never endorsed her, and don't plan on doing so either. Actually, Congressman Jared Moskowitz has endorsed Dean Trantalis, not Barbra Stern.
The mailer, sent this week, boasts endorsements from first responders, unions, the South Florida Sun Sentinel, and excerpts from articles. Pictured below is the controversial mailer sent to Fort Lauderdale voters:
Marty Kiar, a former state legislator and county commissioner who is currently Broward County's Property Appraiser spoke out. "I've received numerous phone calls from people living in Fort Lauderdale and members of the news media about a mail piece that was recently sent using my picture. I had nothing to do with the mail piece and have not endorsed the candidate who sent the mail piece." Kiar went on to clarify that while using the images of prominent elected officials is legal as long as it doesn't explicity imply an endorsement. "As a public official, I am fair game and my picture and my statements can always be used as long as they do not say I have endorsed the candidate, when I have not endorsed the candidate."
This is tricky politics, though. The average voter isn't going to be able to tell the difference and will not know that Stern was not endorsed by these individuals. They will see the names and faces they recognize, and assume an endorsement was made. We asked voters their thoughts, and many were upset. One voter who wishes to remain annonymous told us that the mailer almost led them to vote for Stern. "I wasn't sure who to vote for, until I received that mailer. I have a high degree of respect for Marty Kiar. So when I receive this mailer, I was under the impression that he endorsed Barbra Stern. However, that's not the case. It is really disappointing that someone would attempt to confuse voters." The individual has confirmed that they will now be casting their vote for Dean Trantalis.
Bill Brown, President of the Central Beach Alliance neighborhood association went further. "It's very misleading and deceptive. To trick people into thinking that Congressman Moskowitz and Marty Kiar endorsed her, when neither one of them issued an endorsement for her is a dirty political trick." Brown went on to claim that these types of ads may confused the many senior and elderly voters in the city. "This is tricky, especially for the many senior voters in Fort Lauderdale."
Barbra Anne Stern, whose mother is controversial lobbyist Judy Stern, jumped in the race in June to challenge incumbent Mayor Dean Trantalis. These desperate moves, designed to trick and confuse voters should be denounced by everyone. Voters should be aware of these last-minute ads, and verify all media and materials received or consumed.
Attempts to reach Stern were unsuccessful by the time of publishing.
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