Official under misconduct investigation; special election needed
his position as an elected official to award nearly $1 million to a nonprofit that made monthly payments to his church and family.
The Broward Inspector General’s Office said it plans to file a complaint against Sanders with the state Commission on Ethics.
The Broward State Attorney’s Office is not investigating Sanders, spokesman Ron Ishoy said this week.
James Stark, Sanders’ attorney, said he was not surprised.
“I know there was no crime committed,” he said Friday. “I know Anthony Sanders. Anthony Sanders is no criminal.”
On Wednesday, political activist Chaz Stevens filed a complaint against Sanders with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. As of Friday, the agency had not opened an investigation, an official there said.
Sanders’ departure from public office will trigger a special within the next 90 days.
The new commissioner would serve through November 2018.
Bill Julian, a former city commissioner under a yearlong investigation by the State Attorney’s Office, told the Sun Sentinel he plans to run for Sanders’ seat this fall.
Julian was already planning to run in the city’s 2018 election and opened a campaign account in July.
“Many, many people have asked me to try again,” said Julian, who lost last year’s election to newcomer election Anabelle Taub.
“I’m going to run a clean race and I’m going to run on my record of 14 years.”
Prosecutors began investigating Julian on Aug. 26, three days after Ch. 10 aired a story saying he had been caught on audiotape saying he may have taken favors from a developer.
Julian has vowed he will be vindicated, but has declined further comment.
sbryan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4554