A Broward judge whose campaign for office last year was partly based on false accusations of judicial misconduct in another county is facing an ethics charge from the state’s judicial watchdog.
Following a campaign that emphasized the need to rebuild public trust in the judiciary, County Judge Lauren Peffer was elected to office last August. A self-published tirade by a disgruntled former employee, who also posted fictitious recordings accusing the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and the Chief Judge of the 11th Circuit Court of Florida of inappropriate and unprofessional behavior, was promoted by Peffer as proof of the lack of public trust in the Orlando judiciary.
Originally filing two counts against Peffer, the state’s Judicial Qualifications Commission, which oversees cases of judicial misconduct, announced on Wednesday that it was only moving forward with one rule, which requires judges and candidates to act in a way that is consistent with the independence, impartiality, and integrity of the judiciary and to maintain the dignity appropriate to judicial office.
The notice on Wednesday omitted a second accusation that had been first brought against Peffer, which accused her of making inappropriate promises, commitments, or pledges of any type.
When the book’s validity was questioned throughout the campaign, Peffer admitted its flaws and ceased using it in her speeches. With 52.5% of the vote, she was elected.
She is being criticized by the Judicial Qualifications Commission for not contacting any of the judges involved or confirming the accusations made in the Orlando book before using it as part of her campaign.
Rafael Olmeda can be contacted at 954-356-4457 or [email protected].
