Well-known Democratic fundraiser dead in shooting at Signature Grand (banquet hall)

Miami Herald ^ | Apr. 29, 2003 | Herald staff

[Liz]

Miami businessman Jerome Berlin, once described as the country's most powerful Democratic fundraisers, died in a murder-suicide this morning at the Signature Grand, the huge and popular Davie banquet hall in Davie that he owned with partner Michael Pecora.

Police say Pecora is the other person found dead in a second floor office of the hall.

An employee reported hearing a loud argument, then three gunshots behind the locked door. The shooting occurred following a loud argument while hundreds of public school students ate lunch one floor below.

Police broke in and found two white males -- a part of the catering hall's upper management -- on the floor.

The shooting occurred during an event where eighth-graders from Broward public schools were learning more about African tradition at an African Heritage Forum.

The children, who were eating lunch on the first floor, were not evacuated. It was unclear whether the children knew what was going on above them.

The banquet hall hosts hundreds of events a year, including weddings, corporate events, luncheons, reunions and other events.

It has 100,000 square feet, capable of hosting up to 1,800 guests in private areas.

Police stopped traffic on State Road 84 near 70th Avenue. Berlin, who over the years has raised millions of dollars for political candidates, was acquitted in 1991 of federal charges that he and another lawyer conspired to defraud a crippled securities investment firm in 1985.

At the scene of the shooting, a Rabbi and family members appeared at the scene of the shooting and were quickly ushered inside the building.

[swheats]

That's what I was thinking. He's getting the Lott treatment right now.

[Liz]

I just love it when the Dumbocrat deadheads get all "tolerant and compassionate"....(barf and hurl).....

[Grampa Dave]

He probably made some deal that if GW leaves him, he will help to eliminate the double taxing of dividends, a real key to economic recovery.

Then he will retire sometime in 2004 or early 2004. Then GW can appoint someone else and hopefully will have at least 60 senators to ensure the appointment.

If he retired now, it would be worse than getting a conservative judge appointed. He hasn't done anything for over a year now. So he and his board are irrelevant when we have no inflation.

[Grampa Dave]

When a rat politician gets tolerant and compassionate about the rights of their dark siders, that means they want to take away our rights.

[Liz]

Double-dealing, self-serving Dumbos.......T&C is their signature scam.

[nicmarlo]

Too bad his business partner wasn't Terry McAuliffe.

Well, if this guy gave that much money, TM's not too far away from him, IMHO.

[mass55th]

Nah. Lover's spat.

Must have been fighting over the gerbil.

[Lancey Howard]

Alamo-Girl, you have to read this!


Drug Smuggler Made Clinton Donation in Cuba, Investigators Say
By DON VAN NATTA Jr.
New York Times
April 4, 1997

MIAMI -- Jorge Cabrera, a drug smuggler who has emerged as
one of the most notorious supporters of President Clinton's
re-election campaign, was asked for a campaign contribution in
the unlikely locale of a hotel in Havana by a prominent Democratic
fund-raiser, congressional investigators have learned.

snip

her only strong memory of Cabrera is at the
fund-raising dinner on Dec. 3, in Coral Gables, Fla., at the home
of Jerome Berlin, a lawyer who was indicted in 1990, and later
acquitted, of federal conspiracy charges of bribing public
officials.

50 posted on 04/29/2003 3:36 PM EDT by Brad Cloven

[piasa]

See the previous post and the entire thread...Cabrera

[kcvl]

MIAMI -- Jorge Cabrera, a drug smuggler who has emerged as one of the most notorious supporters of President Clinton's re-election campaign, was asked for a campaign contribution in the unlikely locale of a hotel in Havana by a prominent Democratic fund-raiser, congressional investigators have learned.

[...] On his return to the United States several days after that meeting, in November 1995, Cabrera wrote a check for $20,000 to the Democratic National Committee from an account that included the proceeds from smuggling cocaine from Colombia to the United States, said the investigators, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

[...] In early January 1996, three weeks after having attended the Christmas reception at the White House, Cabrera was arrested and charged with importing 6,000 pounds of cocaine into the United States on boats through the Florida Keys. Late last year, pleaded guilty to those charges and was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison and fined $1.5 million.

Much more here...

[Robert A Cook PE]

Funny.

These guys were "aquitted" of felony bribery and corruption charges, but still managed to get and carry a (concealed) gun .....

Legally?

(Oh. They were democrats...... Of course.)

[Liz]

Dems paid Dem judges off.........what else do you need to know?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

This story will be buried as fast as this crook.

Thank you for the ping!

[MissAmericanPie]

May they all turn and devour each other, save us the trouble.

[friendly]

Is it not peculiar how many democrat "fund raisers" meet early, strange deaths, expire in jail under mysterious circumstances, and questionable suicides?

You don't see this with other political parties. You do see this in criminal gangs.

The democrats are not an opposition party. They are the Sopranos!

[Alamo-Girl]

Jeepers! Thanks for the heads up!

[far sider]

Maybe a decaf cappuccino...

[piasa]

bttt