The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page B002

2B pagelabeltag 2B THE PALM BEACH POST FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2010 Jose Lambiet's WEB EXTRA Jose serves up extra scoops every day. Check him out exclusively atwww.page2live.com Got a news tip? Call Jose at (561) 820-4725 or e-mail jlambietpbpost.com MAGENTA BLACK Goodman's lawyers aided state attorney's bid The attorneys defending Wellington polo mogul John Goodman in a vehicular homicide case that could land him in jail for 30 years contributed several thousand dollars to the campaign of State Attorney Mike McAuliffe. Radio station WRMF-FM 97.9 canned morning deejay Jennifer Ross last year, but in a court of law, they've remained bedfellows. And they got some good news this week: Neither the station nor Ross will have to pay $7 million in damages to a rival station for Ross' jump to WRMF in 2000. For a second time, the 4th District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach reversed an award in the non-compete case that WEAT-FM Sunny 104.3 first brought against WRMF and Ross in 2000 when she suddenly left Sunny for WRMF.

The district court already rejected an initial award of $17.2 million in 2005 after the judges deemed "speculative" the financial evidence presented to quantify WEAT's losses. The most recent award, $7 million, was struck down for similar reasons. GARY CORONADOStaff Photographer Guy Fronstin (right), who represents polo mogul John Goodman in a DUI manslaughter case, was a 'staunch' supporter of Mike McAuliffe's campaign. Through Black's spokesman, meanwhile, Fronstin said he doesn't expect anything in return for his efforts and cash to McAuliffe's campaign. 'As a former prosecutor in Palm Beach County I was actively involved in Mr.

McAuliffe's campaign," Fronstin's statement reads. "Like any other citizen, and everyone involved in the campaign, I was following my political leanings without expecting anything from the candidate except his exemplary service to those he is elected to serve." Black, too, issued a statement about his firm's checks to McAuliffe: "We were asked to contribute to Mr. McAuliffe's campaign, and we did contribute, as we have for the campaigns of judges and prosecutors throughout Florida for many years. We never expect anything in return. We know that candidates for these offices typically solicit contributions from the broader legal community, not just our firm.

We believe it is the obligation of lawyers who are familiar with the integrity and professionalism of judicial and state attorney candidates to support the most qualified candidate." Goodman, 46, was charged with vehicular homicide this week in connection with his role in the Feb. 12 DUI accident in Wellington that killed 23-year-old Scott Wilson. Trust-funder Goodman, who likes to surround himself with celebrities like actors Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Duff, is credited with rebuilding polo into a widely followed spectator sport in McAuliffe's the man whose job it is to put Goodman behind bars. According to state campaign records, Goodman's star defender, Miami lawyer Roy Black, made two maximum yearly contributions of $500 in 2007 and 2008, the year McAuliffe was elected, as did Black's law partner Scott Kornspan. Boca's Guy Frons- iU 1 1 4- A- local poiiiL-v-' man on Black's defense team, and McAuliffe members of his family contributed a total of $2,500 toward McAuliffe's election.

Fronstin's contributions included food and drinks for McAuliffe's fund-raisers. It's not uncom Black mon for lawyers to support candidates for the state attorney's office. All told, McAuliffe received thousands of individual contributions to his campaign, more than $500,000 total, with many coming from defense attorneys. Still, Fronstin's hiring by Goodman raised eyebrows in the legal community here. He's known for civil work for 67 clients of swindler Bernie Madoff who lost a combined $250 million.

Among other Fronstin clients: Michael Dippolito, whose wife in Boynton Beach is accused of hiring someone to kill him; and, formerly, Palm Beach Florida Lottery www.flalottery.com Next Lotto jackpot: $4 million Drawing on Saturday, 522 1 SELECTED All 6 5of6 billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Fronstin, however, is familiar with the ins and outs of McAuliffe's office, which makes him an asset for an out-of-town attorney like Black. And Fronstin personally knows Goodman's legal nemesis. A former Palm Beach County prosecutor himself, Fronstin was one of McAuliffe's most ardent backers, one who voted with his checkbook and encouraged others to do the same! "Guy Fronstin was a staunch supporter of Mr. McAuliffe in the campaign," said Paula Russell, a Boca lawyer beaten by McAuliffe in the Democratic primary.

"Mr. Fronstin represented Mr. McAuliffe in several political gatherings when Mr. McAuliffe had a conflict and couldn't be there. He talked on behalf of Mr.

McAuliffe. They're very close." Russell said Fronstin's hiring indicates Black may want to use Fronstin's access to McAuliffe in negotiations for a plea bargain. In all fairness, Russell said, there's no way around the fact that many defense lawyers contribute to campaigns for state attorney and judge. In an e-mail, McAuliffe commented that his job is to hold people accountable for their crimes, no matter who pays his campaign bills. "Our decisions and actions in any case or investigation are not influenced by the selection of counsel," McAuliffe's e-mail reads.

'Anyone's suggestion or expectation otherwise simply does not understand my role as the state attorney and my approach to the job. Our mission is to hold people accountable for crimes committed in this community. That is my guide." SI II RICHARD GRAULICHStaff Photographer Jennifer Ross and her former employer, WRMF, don't have to pay $7 million over a 2000 lawsuit from a rival station. SELECTED 519: Wednesday Fantasy 5 6-7-10-18-36 All 5 $59,108.63 (4 winners) 4of5 $101 (377 winners) 3of5 $9. (11,254 winners) One free ticket is awarded in Fantasy Five for matching two numbers; and in Mega Money for matching the Mega Ball only.

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