Rothstein Scorecard -- Who Represents Who?

Well I hope everyone had a warm, loving, and peaceful Thanksgiving, and is now fighting over deals at Walmart -- that HDTV screen will only be on sale for two more hours!

I wonder if any meaning can be derived by looking at who is representing who in the Rothstein saga.

We know Scottie has loyal Marc Nurik, who recently has been cracking jokes and alternately acting as Scott's public psychologist:

"He did something that, when you think about it, is kind of extraordinary. He goes away to a country that has no extradition treaty with the U.S., reportedly, allegedly has a lot of money at his disposal, and chooses to come back and deal with this … I think because beneath it all, and not withstanding all the things that have been said about him, I believe that he is truly a decent human being, not withstanding flaws. I really do believe he did it out of, a true decent emotion to try to deal with this.''

Again, I have no problem with a public rehabilitation strategy. I just think, in the absence of other positive facts, this strategy is way too premature.

Marc would have you believe at the same time he is denying that Scott is cooperating with the feds and singing like a bird, Rothstein nonetheless has returned to "make everything right." How does that square up?

Rothstein's bankruptcy lawyer is Hinshaw's Michael D. Seese.

I agree with Bob Norman that Bill Scherer's amended complaint is an interesting read but a bit of a mess.

It is 289 pages long and asserts 245 counts. To be honest it reads like a placeholder, an effort to "occupy the field" and get in front of the other civil suits coming down the pike. Somebody at some point definitely needs to edit that thing.

Let's see -- Bob Josefsberg is representing Banyon COO Frank J. Preve -- what could that mean?

Bruce Lehr is representing Big Stu, Fred Haddad has Russ Adler's back, and Neal Sonnett is representing Grant Smith.

Russ even recently appeared in court on behalf of former Judge Seidlin.

It's a small town, huh?

L'Affaire Galleria Mall $36 Polo -- Resolved!

This has to be one of my favorite South Florida judicial scandals of late:

Last year, Fort Lauderdale attorney Lawrence ''Chris'' Roberts alleged that Seidlin solicited kickbacks in exchange for appointments as a special public defender on cases. Attorneys are paid $350 per case for such appointments.

Although appointments from Seidlin netted Roberts more than $72,000 between April 2001 and July 2004, the most serious allegations hinged on a DUI case eight to 10 years ago.

According to Roberts, Seidlin asked the attorney to buy him a $36 polo shirt from the Galleria Mall. In exchange, Seidlin would give him a favorable ruling, Roberts alleged.

Those alleged details are simply too precious -- can justice really be bought so cheaply here in South Florida? A $36 Polo at the Galleria Mall in exchange for a favorable ruling?

"How about an Everything bagel toasted with a schmear, and I'll throw in a summary judgment?"

But alas, the sobberin' former judge was completely cleared:

There was no record of Seidlin ever presiding over a DUI case, wrote Miami-Dade investigator Jim Futch in a close-out letter. Gov. Charlie Crist assigned the investigation to the Miami-Dade state attorney's office to avoid a conflict of interest.

Roberts also claimed Seidlin told him to buy a $1,000 purse for the judge's wife in exchange for three appointments a few years later. Months later, the judge asked for another purse costing $1,400. Those allegations were also unfounded, Futch wrote.

Investigators also looked into about $460,000 in gifts given to Seidlin's family by an elderly Fort Lauderdale woman that the family was caring for. Seidlin was cleared of any illegal activity in those transactions also.

Good stuff. My favorite part may be this:

He is rumored to be working on a court television show.

Umm, Judge Seidlin's 15 minutes were in 2007. In Hollywood terms that makes him older than ancient. I may not be Glenn Garvin but even I know that if Seidlin is still "working" on his TV show two years later it's probably long dead.