UPDATE:
In a statement, Amy Rose, a spokeswoman for Scott Israel, said Terry Scott is no longer working on Israel’s campaign.
“Sheriff Israel strongly condemns the language used in a video by Terry Scott, an African American community activist,” Rose said. “This language has absolutely no place in our society, and he (Scott Israel) believes it was an unacceptable choice of words. Mr. Scott has since resigned his role in our campaign and political committee.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
Broward Mayor Dale Holness today condemned racist remarks made by Terry Scott, a top aide of Scott Israel’s campaign for sheriff, towards Sheriff Gregory Tony.
In the video, which was broadcasted on social media on Saturday, Scott refers to Sheriff Gregory Tony as a “house n***er” in a racist tirade.
Holness is demanding that Scott Israel disavow the remarks and fire Scott. As of today, Terry Scott has been paid over $20,000 by Scott Israel’s campaign as a paid consultant.
“Comments like these, words like these, have no place in our politics or our community,” said Broward Mayor Dale Holness. “Using the n-word to attack any member of our community is unacceptable. Scott Israel needs to immediately condemn and disavow these despicable comments, and fire his top campaign aide who made them.”
The relationship between former Sheriff Scott Israel and current Sheriff Gregory Tony has had much tension since Israel, who was ousted by Gov. Ron DeSantis following the 2018 Parkland school shooting, was replaced by Tony.
Just two weeks ago, the two traded jabs at a candidate forum held by the League of Women Voters of Broward County and the American Civil Liberties Union ahead of the August 18 primary election.
Israel said that Tony had lost control of the agency [Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputies Association] and referenced that Tony is accused of lying on paperwork about his past. “He’s lost trust. He has come to Broward County, and he’s been untruthful, untruthful, untruthful, and he is actually being investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. You can’t have this with the sheriff of Broward County.”
Back in May, a police report had surfaced detailing a fatal shooting from Tony’s past which was never revealed.
The Broward sheriff, however, fired back at Israel at the forum, referencing the parkland shooting. “I refuse to lead an organization where union representation finds it suitable to allow 17 kids to die in a school,” Tony said. “I refuse to find it acceptable that deputies would beat someone in handcuffs in a hospital. I refuse to allow deputies to beat 15-year-old kids and slam their heads down into the ground.”
In the same week, Tony released a campaign ad in which he stated: “My predecessor, Scott Israel, did nothing to stop police brutality: no discipline, no accountability for officers using excessive force.”
As tensions mount between the two, all eyes are watching to see whether or not Israel will address the racist comments made by Terry Scott.
Both Tony and Israel are among the candidates running for the spot of Broward sheriff.
