Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/94842
TOP STORIES POWER, THY NAME IS PAM Analysis: City auditor and clerk proves to be a survivor — Stan Zimmerman It is very rare for a city charter official to receive public affirmation. These officials serve at the pleasure of city commissioners, not city citizens. If charter officials do not perform as expected, they can be removed by a simple majority of three commissioners. After her selection as city auditor and clerk on Feb. 25, 2010, Pam Nadalini fought a bureaucratic battle that led to the dismissal of her bête noire, City Manager Bob Bartolotta, enabling her to take control of the city's Informa- tion Technology Department from the City Manager's Office. For nearly three years, she stood in violation of a requirement in the city charter that she hold a surety bond; and for two years, she managed to keep that a secret from the City Commission. And on Monday, Nov. 19, she withstood a no-confidence motion at the City Commission meeting when nobody wanted to second it. (Full story here) 'HATE SPEECH' DEPLORED Jewish Federation criticized for planning event starring an anti-Islam firebrand — Cooper Levey-Baker An upcoming appearance by a controversial anti-Islam au- thor, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Man- atee, is prompting sharp criticism, with at least one critic labeling the writer's past words "hate speech." At the center of the controversy is Brigitte Gabriel, the author of Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America and They Must Be Stopped: Why We Must Defeat Radical Islam and How We Can Do It. She is scheduled to appear in Sarasota on Dec. 12 as part of the Jewish Fed- eration's ongoing Israel @ 65 celebration, intended to commemorate the founding of the Jewish state in 1947. While a press release promoting her appearance describes Gabriel as "a leading expert on global Islamic terrorism," that fails to capture the heat of her rhetoric. (Full story here) AT A GLANCE