Commissioner accused of using city workers to help campaign

A Pompano Beach city commissioner who’s running for mayor has solicited campaign support from city workers and used the city seal on campaign materials — potential violations of state election law — according to complaints filed with a county watchdog agency.

A public records request to the city shows that emails were sent from info@electmayorsobel.com to city employees, telling them about Sobel’s campaign for mayor with a “donate” button. Another one, from another email address, urges recipients to “save the date” for his mayoral campaign kickoff May 17 — with the same time and place that was reflected on Sobel’s Facebook page.

Florida statutes say, “No person shall solicit … any political contribution in a building owned by a governmental entity.” A violation is a first-degree misdemeanor.

Sobel declined to address the allegations, saying of his opponents, “They are getting desperate.”

A city spokeswoman, also representing the city manager, declined to comment about the emails.

Pompano voters will be asked to go to the polls Nov. 6 to elect a mayor and five City Commission members.

Fred Stacer, a chairman of the city planning board, said that Sobel also combined the seal he’s allowed to use as a commissioner with his campaign materials in about 2,000 emails.

“It’s electioneering communication with the city’s symbol,” said Stacer, who lost the commission race to Sobel in 2016. “It’s not allowed.”

The Inspector General’s office does not confirm or deny complaints received. Stacer and Dockswell showed a receipt indicating their complaint paperwork had been stamped as “received” last week.

Commissioner Hardin said he was taken aback to receive a solicitation for Sobel’s campaign. It begins, “Hello Friend — You are receiving this email because you previously indicated you are interested in my campaign” at his email with the “copblfl.com” suffix. Hardin said he has never indicated any interest in Sobel’s campaign — only that it end.

Hardin has had his own problems with campaign laws. The state Elections Commission fined him $1,300 in May for filing an incomplete finance report in the 2014 election.