Trial of suspended Tamarac mayor begins Tuesday

Beth Talabisco accused of bribery, accepting unlawful compensation

TAMARAC, Fla. – The corruption trial of suspended Tamarac Mayor Beth Talabisco began Tuesday in Broward County.

Prosecutor Catherine Maus told the jury that Talabisco was guilty of bribery and accepting unlawful compensation when she accepted $21,000 in shadowy political committee money from dirty developers Bruce and Shawn Chait in 2006.

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The Chaits have admitted that they bribed numerous politicians, including former county commissioner Josephus Eggelletion and former school board member Stephanie Kraft.

"Bruce and Shawn Chait paid the people they had to pay," Maus said. "They paid the defendant in campaign contributions."

Maus said in exchange for the secret campaign money, Talabisco voted for the Chaits' controversial housing project on an old golf course, while at the same time tricking the public into believing she was "holding the developers' feet to the fire."

"She was playing both sides," Maus said.

Talabisco's defense lawyer, Larry Davis, argued that his client broke no laws and that, while there may have been sleazy politics in play, Talabisco was supportive of the development all along and that the late-hour Chait money -- which also included $7,000 more spent on a poll -- had no effect on her vote.

Davis said the real villain in the case was former county Commissioner Ilene Lieberman, who at the time was Talabisco's friend and mentor, and who he claimed pulled the strings behind the scenes, setting up the political committee.

"Ilene Lieberman is the picture of pay to play politics in Broward County," Davis said.

The first witness called Tuesday was shadowy political operative Beverly Bard Stracher, who was working as Talabisco's campaign manager while at the same time accepting tens of thousands of dollars in cash from the Chaits, as well as an air-conditioning system for her home from the developers.

It was Stracher, another Lieberman acolyte, who arranged a meeting between Shawn Chait and Talabisco, setting up the $21,000 campaign contribution.

"They gave me a thousand here, a thousand there," Stracher said, calling it an informal agreement.

"What did you do with the money?" Maus asked.

"I kept it," Stracher said.

The trial is expected to last at least two weeks with a parade of politically connected witnesses, including Parkland Mayor Michael Udine, whom both sides claim played a key role behind the scenes.

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