Jared Moskowitz holds the mike as his father Michael and former Broward County Chief Judge Peter Weinstein help swear him in while his family looks on. {photos by Vice Mayor Ken Cutler}
By Sharon Aron Baron
On Wednesday, Parkland resident and former commissioner Jared Moskowitz and Torey Alston were sworn in as Broward County commissioners.
According to Vice Mayor Ken Cutler, this marks the first time two former Parkland commissioners will serve on the county dais. Currently, Parkland resident Michael Udine is serving as mayor.
The ceremony was held in Parkland, so his father, Michael Moskowitz, 68, a lobbyist and litigator, who has pancreatic cancer, could attend.
Former Chief Judge Peter Weinstein swore him in.
Born in Coral Springs, Moskowitz, 41, graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from George Washington University and earned his Juris Doctor from Nova Southeastern University.
During law school, he worked as an intern for Vice-President Al Gore, served as an assistant on Joe Lieberman’s 2004 presidential campaign, and in 2008 served as one of Barack Obama’s electors in Florida.
While attending law school, Moskowitz was elected to the Parkland City Commission in 2006 and was re-elected in 2010, serving until he resigned to run for the legislature in 2012 as a Democrat.
While serving as a state rep, following the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, he became an advocate for school safety. As the only Marjory Stoneman Douglas graduate serving in the Florida Legislature, Moskowitz helped draft the bipartisan Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Act, the first comprehensive mental health, school safety, and gun control bill of its kind in over 20 years.
In 2018, Governor-Elect Ron DeSantis announced he would appoint Moskowitz as director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management in his new admin, where he served until April 2021.
Moskowitz replaces county commissioner Barbara Sharief of District 8, who resigned, and unsuccessfully run for congress. His district covers Pembroke Pines, Miramar, and West Park and will serve until November 2022, when voters head to the polls for the midterms.
Tory Alston, a Republican, was sworn-in to Dale Holness’ seat in District 9 and serves until November 2024.
Michael Moskowitz, Marilyn Moskowitz, Leah Moskowitz (Jared’s wife), Jessica Moskowitz Isrow, and Jordan Isrow
Tory Alston is being sworn in.
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