Clean Up Your Act

Broward SOE Brenda Snipes had a special helper down at the office:

What was John Kerry campaign activist Dan Lewis doing in nonpublic areas of Snipes' office while the election was being planned and votes were being counted? We may never know.

There are Republicans who would no doubt be concerned that Lewis, a political consultant helping Kerry, was allowed to roam at will in Snipes' office.

Snipes said about Lewis: "He's helping me on many levels." Gisela Salas, the deputy supervisor, said Lewis "has been functioning as Dr. Snipes' adviser."

None of this inspires great confidence in the impartiality of Snipes' office.

Snipes needs to have folks like Lewis sign an affidavit that they are not involved in any campaign on the ballot before allowing them to be volunteers or advisers in the elections office.

It was in that office that I spotted Lewis and asked him what he was doing. He smiled and said flippantly before walking away: "I'm not here."

Let's hope by the next election, he's telling the truth and not just joking.

We've got a streak going here in Broward: three SOE's in a row to bungle elections and consider themselves above restraint. You'd think Snipes would be on her toes considering police were used to remov her predecessor from the building.