Adam4Pd

Are You Any Good?

2009-09-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

SCENE: A small room with two chairs and maybe a table. In one chair sits a young man who appears both bored and tough. Into the room walks a woman.

LYN PROCTOR: “Mr. Rob Pilfer?

ROB PILFER: “That’s Me.”

LYN PROCTOR: “Hi. My name is Lyn Proctor and I’ve been appointed by the Court to be your attorney.

ROB PILFER: “Are you any good?”

LYN PROCTOR: “Excuse me?”

ROB PILFER: “I need a good attorney. I’ve had Public Defenders before and they didn’t do anything for me. So I’m asking you, are you any good?”

LYN PROCTOR: “Well, I’m not very experienced, I have a crushing case-load, and I’m afraid that I’m about to lose my job, but other than that, yeah, I’m pretty good.”

ROB PILFER: “Why are you about to lose your job?”

LYN PROCTOR: “Budget cuts.”

ROB PILFER: “Oh. What’s your caseload?”

LYN PROCTOR: “Well I guess I’m carrying about 150 right now.”

ROB PILFER: “Oh. And you’re not very experienced?”

LYN PROCTOR: “No. I’ve only been out of law school a year. Well, not quite a year. And I was just sworn in as a lawyer about six months ago.”

ROB PILFER: “Why should I think you’re any good? Why should I trust you?”

LYN PROCTOR: “I’m passionate about my job. I really care about my clients. I fight hard in Court. And I’m all you’ve got right now.”

(PAUSE)

ROB PILFER: (breaks down) “Oh Ms. Proctor I’m in so much trouble.”

THE END

This sixty second play was performed as part of the "Got a Minute" festival at the Player's Theatre in Sarasota, Florida on September 4, 5th and 6th, 2009 and written by Adam Tebrugge.

Please turn out and vote for Suzanne Atwell for Sarasota City Commissioner

2009-04-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

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It is interesting to me how excited people get over national elections, yet they tend to ignore a local race. Let me point out that your vote really matters in the race for Sarasota City Commission. Less than twenty percent of eligible voters are expected to cast their ballot on or before Tuesday, April 14th. The race is likely to be decided by some very close margins. The new city commissioners will be making decisions that directly impact your life on issues like traffic, neighborhoods, businesses and the environment.

I am asking you to please turn out and vote for Suzanne Atwell. I have known Suzanne for many years, mostly because she is already very active in local civic groups. Suzanne has dedicated her life in Sarasota to improving conditions for all of our citizens. She is also smart, friendly and someone you enjoy serving alongside on a committee. I know that if Suzanne is elected, we will have someone on the commission who will really listen to our concerns, and who will work well with others to solve problems. Please join me on Tuesday, April 14 and vote for Suzanne Atwell for the Sarasota City Commission.

Results: City Commission and Charter Amendment 3/11/09

2009-03-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

CITY OF SARASOTA COMMISSIONERS
VOTE TYPE SUMMARY
CONTEST DETAIL MAP
27 of 27 Precincts Reporting
Percent Votes
Suzanne Atwell 17.04% 2,146
Jay Berman 4.96% 624
Paul Caragiulo 19.29% 2,429
Rick Farmer 8.51% 1,071
Robin Harrington 8.32% 1,047
Ray E. McKinon 2.34% 295
Ken Shelin 15.38% 1,937
Pete Theisen 1.72% 217
Terry Turner 22.44% 2,825
12,591
CHARTER AMENDMENT
VOTE TYPE SUMMARY
CONTEST DETAIL MAP
27 of 27 Precincts Reporting
Percent Votes
YES 35.20% 2,393
NO 64.80% 4,406
6,799

Report on the "Embrace Change Banquet and Dance"

2009-01-18T07:59:00.000-08:00

Regina and I joined about 300 of our friends last evening at the Newtown Estates gym for Sarasota's version of an inaugural ball. A large, original portrait of the new First Family was part of the decorations, and people came dressed to impress. The evening began with beautiful renditions of the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing." Perhaps the only misstep was the reading of the President elect's acceptance speech from the Democratic National Convention, as this was one of his longest and most partisan speeches from the campaign trail. I felt for the young lady reading the policy pronouncements, and for the hungry attendees. This was followed by two very nice interpretive dances and a heartfelt prayer before the buffet lines opened. Folks assembled in an orderly manner to feast on ham, turkey, rice, green beans and pasta salad.

As dinner continued, speakers such as civil rights legends John Rivers and Dorothye Smith reflected on Sarasota's history and progress in race relations. City Commissioner Kelly Kirschner read a proclamation in honor of the inauguration. Then my friend Valerie Bouchard concluded the ceremony with a passionate and moving invocation to the Almighty. About half the crowd stayed for dancing. The DJ kicked off with half a dozen line dance favorites before moving into favorites such as "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" by McFadden and Whitehead. I was out for about six numbers but Regina easily doubled my efforts. We came home full, happy and excited at around 11:30 p.m., and will return to the gym tomorrow morning to kick of the Martin Luther King holiday with breakfast.

Remarks upon receiving the Duisberg Peace and Justice Award

2009-01-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

I want to thank everyone for this tremendous honor. Believe me, it is not false modesty when I say that I feel unworthy of this recognition. As many of you know, I just finished an unsuccessful campaign for public office. The best part of campaigning is the people that you meet. And it was just about a year ago that I met Peter Duisberg for the first time. Since then I have had about a dozen contacts with Peter, and on every occasion that we speak he expresses to me the absolute imperative of Peace. I don’t think that I have met anyone more tireless or committed to this cause in my life. And though I never had the opportunity to meet Annabelle, I will always be grateful for this day and for the opportunity to share the Duisberg name. And I hope that this award will inspire me to speak out ever more forcefully for the causes of Peace and Justice.

About 20 years ago I had the chance to travel to the island of Jamaica, and while I was there, I had a chance to have a conversation with an elderly Rastafarian man. He described me to the struggles of the Jamaican people who felt oppressed by their government. At the end of our talk, I said to him, “I wish you Peace.” When I said this, his eyes became fiery and he replied: “There can be no Peace without Justice.” I have been reminded of his words many times over the years, for instance I have seen protests when a citizen has been killed by the police and the demonstrators chant, “No Justice, No Peace.” And throughout the troubled world that we live in today, and as we celebrate World Peace Day this New Year, it seems to me the concepts of Peace and Justice are forever dependent upon one another.

When we say the word, Peace, I think we all have an idea of the concept that is involved. But the word Justice is one whose meaning is determined by the context of the moment and the passions of the speaker. We hear that criminals must be brought to justice, we conduct our trials at the Justice Centers, we describe a religion as being active in the field of social justice, and we hear that justice was or was not served in a particular case.

I think the best one word definition of justice is balance. Therefore we strive for balance between the individual citizen and the government, when we say that an offender must pay for his crime it is because we want to bring balance to the harm suffered by the victim, and when we speak of social justice we are attempting to balance the needs of the rich and the poor, the prominent and the destitute.

But when we look at our present criminal justice system, it is apparent that things are terribly out of balance. On the national level, the United States now has two million, three hundred thousand of its citizen behind bars, a far higher percentage of its population than any other nation on earth. Here in the State of Florida, our prison population recently passed the 100,000 mark. And just a mile or two west of we are this morning, the Sarasota County Jail has more then a thousand of our sons and daughter, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, locked up as we enter the New Year.

Now in addition to the human tragedy of having so many people behind bars, there is all of the resources we are devoting towards maintaining this prison industrial complex. For our present fiscal year here in the State of Florida, we will spend nearly Three Billion dollars solely on prisons, and we will spend over one hundred million dollars to continue to pursue a deeply flawed death penalty in a handful of cases. This is money that will not be spent on our childrens education or health-care, money not spent to care for our sick and elderly, money not spend to preserve our precious natural environment. And even though our Legislature has appropriated over 400 million dollars to open new prison beds in this coming year, it has simultaneously forced the Department of Corrections to eliminate inmate educational and drug treatment programs that have proven to be the most effective way to keep people from coming back to prison once they are released.

And here on the local level, not content with the thousand inmates already behind bars, Sarasota County is proceeding forward with plans to spend one hundred million dollars of our local tax money to build a new jail that we will inevitably fill with the homeless, the addicted and the mentally ill, while simultaneously cutting the programs that help these citizens avoid or surmount these problems in the first place.

Yet despite the tragedy of millions of our fellow citizens languishing behind bars, and the squandering of our resources to keep them there, we hear very little discussion from any of local office holders about criminal justice reform. If we continue down the path we are on, there will come a day when there are only two classes of citizens, inmates and their guards. But we don’t have to go down that path.

My call to you today is to not forget the prisoner in jail, to educate yourself about our laws and our court system and our sentencing practices. Justice Anthony Kennedy came to the Supreme Court 15 years ago as a rather conservative jurist, but once on the Court, and once he was exposed to the present madness of our criminal justice system, Justice Kennedy went before the American Bar Association a couple of years ago and said: "Our resources are misspent, our punishments too severe, our sentences too long," He recognized by these statements, the lack of balance and thus the lack of justice that permeates our present practices. If we are truly to be a nation that stands for the principles of freedom and equality, then we must all work together to restore balance to our definition of justice.

And my final comment about the relationship between peace and justice is exemplified by the great American, Eugene Debs. Debs had spent his life as a labor leader, in the late 19th century he fought for the rights of Railroad workers, laborers, and the common man. Five times Eugene Debs was a candidate for President of the United States, and in 1912—he received nearly a million votes. A few years later, as the United States prepared to enter World War One, Debs spoke out against war and militarism. He spoke out against the Draft and he appealed to man’s better nature. For his efforts, Debs was arrested and brought to trial by our Government and charged with sedition. At his trial, Debs represented himself but did not try to defend himself. Rather, he admitted to the jury that he had said exactly what was alleged, and he argued that his speech was protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Debs was convicted by the jury, and was facing a lengthy prison sentence, when he was asked by the Judge whether there was anything he wanted to say before sentence was passed. Debs did not plead for mercy, even though he was in poor health and knew that prison would likely shorten his life, as it ultimately did. Instead, Debs made one of the most beautiful statements ever heard in an American courtroom, concluding with the immortal lines:

"Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free."

Truly none of us can find peace or live in peace with one another, unless we are also willing to fight for justice, and return a sense of balance to our nation, our communities and our people. And so on this New Years Day, which in many ways feels like the dawn of the 21st century, I wish you Peace and Justice.

Well, I Lost

2008-11-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

After a year-long campaign, I am coming to terms with the fact that I will not serve as the Public Defender for the 12th Judicial Circuit. I congratulate Larry Eger on his victory and I wish him and the office well. I won't lie, it was a very tough week, and perhaps I will write more about that in the future. At this point I want to thank everyone who played a role in my campaign. As soon as you start naming people you run the risk of forgetting somebody important. But for starters, I would like to thank everyone who voted for me. I received 5,132 votes in DeSoto County, 65,345 votes in Manatee County, and 97,052 votes in Sarasota County. I very much appreciate the trust and confidence that I received from these voters. Several hundred people also made financial contributions to my campaign. Whether you contributed five dollars or five hundred dollars, I really appreciate this tangible show of support.

I would like to thank the Democratic Executive Committees in DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota Counties for all of the assistance you provided. I also want to thank the North Port Democratic Club, the Venice Democratic Club, the Englewood Democratic Club, the Sarasota Democratic Club, the Manatee Sarasota Black Caucus, the Longboat Key Democratic Club, the Island Democratic Club, the Southeast Manatee Democratic Club, the North River Democratic Club, and the Manatee Democratic Women's Club for all of the opportunities, volunteers, financial support and encouragement that you provided. I have many fond memories of all of the wonderful people that I encountered along the campaign trail and I hope to continue to see you all.

In particular, I must thank my treasurer Dottie Markley-Blizman. I don't think she had any idea of what a big job she was in for when she volunteered. Thank you also to Luis Trujillo, my outstanding graphics designer, for all of your patience and talent. And thanks to Colin Boyle, Lowell Gilbertson and Laura Gilkey for your assistance with my web page and internet campaign. Most of all, I must thank my wife, Regina Tebrugge, who gathered petitions, dug post-holes, stuffed envelopes, waved at cars, solicited voters and put up with my mood swings during the campaign.

As for my future the crystal ball is a bit cloudy. I hope to continue writing and perhaps will consolidate all of my blogs, this one, Homeless in Sarasota-Bradenton, and Sarasota Criminal Justice Reform. I will also continue to host my television program, "Law and Sarasota' at least for the near future. Regina and I are frugal and debt free and so I can stay retired from practicing law if I so choose. While I am disappointed at how the last chapter in my life concluded, I look forward to next one, whatever it may be.

Public Defender's Race as of Wednesday Morning

2008-11-05T03:48:00.000-08:00

UNOFFICIAL ELECTION NIGHT RETURNS
(may not include absentee or provisional ballots)

Public Defender
Circuit 12

Larry Eger Adam Tebrugge

Desoto 4,228 5,131
Manatee 51,121 43,916
Sarasota 91,658 96,841
Total 147,007 145,888

% Votes 50.2% 49.8%

This November Please Remember

2008-10-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

The long campaign is drawing to a close. A little over a year ago, I announced that I was running to be elected Public Defender for the 12th Judicial Circuit. I have traveled from Ellenton to Englewood and from Arcadia to Anna Maria Island. In fact, I was in Arcadia this morning greeting early voters in DeSoto County. My main message has been to describe the historic role of the Public Defender's Office and to request support solely based upon my qualifications for the job. Last week, over 300 people celebrated the legacy of Elliott Metcalfe, our present Public Defender, who has served this area for thirty-two years. Elliott provided leadership in the courtroom and the community. I am the candidate best positioned to continue this legacy.

My opponent, Larry Eger, is a friend of mine, but his message is entirely different. Larry sees the job only as that of an office manager. Although he stresses his administrative experience, during his tenure as assistant public defender, he has made no budgetary or employment decisions; these have all been the sole responsibility of Mr. Metcalfe. Larry, the nominee of the Republican party, successfully enlisted the endorsements of other elected Republicans, including the State Attorney and former sheriff Charlie Wells. He is now using these endorsements to pound a "law and order" message in television ads that ignore the mission of the office. Perhaps he believes that these ads will fool enough voters to propel him to victory, and maybe he is right. But do we really want to elect a Public Defender who is willing to mislead the electorate about the duties and responsibilities of the office he seeks to hold? Our responsibility is to provide high quality, cost effective legal representation to indigent citizens who are in jail or facing jail. What message is Larry sending to our clients?

In addition to the law and order message, Larry is running an e-mail ad that says "Experience Matters." I couldn't agree more, which is why I am asking for your vote. While Larry and I worked together for over twenty years, I was the only one who took the extra steps to become qualified to handle the death penalty cases in this area, and I performed this job with professionalism for over a decade. I am the one who took the extra steps to become board certified as a criminal trial attorney, which means that I can hold myself out as an expert in the field. And I have conducted legal training seminars across the State of Florida. For ten years I helped organize and teach the death penalty seminar that attorneys had to take to become qualified to handle those cases. But I also trained the young attorneys, fresh out of law school, and taught them how to investigate cases, question witnesses and introduce evidence.

As your Public Defender, I will work hard every day to build a world class office with an emphasis on professionalism. So this November, please remember, vote Adam Tebrugge, for Public Defender.

I Am Asking for Your Vote

2008-10-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, October 20th, I went to all of the early voting locations in Sarasota County. At several places I witnessed long lines of voters waiting to cast their ballots. After you vote for President and Congress, the next vote you will be faced with in DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties, is for the Office of Public Defender. In Florida, the Public Defender is a constitutional office responsible for providing legal representation to indigent citizens. There are four offices in this circuit; small offices in Arcadia and Venice, and large offices in Bradenton and Sarasota. The attorneys of the Public Defender's Office defend thousands of cases each year.

After serving as an Assistant Public Defender for 23 years, I am now asking for your vote to become your elected Public Defender. In addition to running the office, hiring the staff, and managing the budget, I believe that the elected Public Defender must provide leadership in our local criminal justice system and in the communities that make up the circuit. I have developed relationships with every elected county commissioner throughout the three county area. These relationships mean that I will bring credibility to issues like jail overcrowding, early case resolution, and continued development of alternative sentencing programs like Drug Court and Mental Health Court.

I have also worked extensively with the Manatee and Sarasota branches of the NAACP and I am acutely aware of the problems of our poor areas in each county. Presently I am serving on the Board of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness and we are working on discharge planning from the jails to reduce recidivism. I have conducted my campaign by visiting neighborhood and civic associations throughout the region in order to hear citizen feedback on criminal justice issues. With my extensive experience in the courtroom and the community, I believe that I am uniquely positioned to make a positive contribution to our justice system.

I would respectfully request your vote when you cast your ballot for Public Defender.

Teaching and Training and Professionalism

2008-10-14T03:27:00.000-07:00

Courtroom work is exhilarating and intense and requires hours of preparation. There is a unique skill set behind properly questioning witnesses, arguing points of law to the court, or persuading a jury to carefully examine the prosecution’s case. An experienced trial attorney can then mentor a younger attorney and teach them the legal ropes, but must also emphasize the concept of professionalism. In the practice of law we must always strive to emphasize ethical principles while vigorously defending our clients. Mentoring is necessary to teach a young attorney how to achieve this balance. My mentor was Jim Slater, an outstanding attorney and a true gentleman. Nobody worked harder than Jim to prepare a case, and no one was more widely respected for his behavior and his skill inside the courtroom.

Jim got me involved in the training of other attorneys. As a member (and later chair) of the Florida Public Defender’s death penalty steering committee, Jim was responsible for training attorneys to properly handle capital cases. In the early 1990’s, Jim asked me to work with him on the annual conference. I was responsible for kicking of the three-day seminar by presenting a comprehensive overview of Florida law and best practices. I found I had a natural affinity for teaching and I began to take any opportunity that was presented. Over the years, I have presented lectures or taught classes to lawyers, high school and college students, church and civic groups, and television audiences.

One of my favorite experiences was teaching Public Defender College. Law Schools train attorneys how to think about law, not how to conduct a jury trial. Public Defender Offices frequently hire young attorneys fresh out of law school. These attorneys must be trained in courtroom procedures as well as proper courtroom behavior. Popular television programs frequently glamorize flamboyant or outrageous tactics, but these are rarely successful in Florida courtrooms. In my experience, a jury can only be persuaded if they trust the source of the information. I train lawyers to be prepared, polite and to the point. A lawyer who develops a reputation for these skills will also be the most successful courtroom advocate for his or her clients.

Be sure to watch the SNN debate between Larry Eger and myself that will be broadcast this Wednesday, October 15th, at 7:00 p.m. on Comcast channel 6 in Sarasota.

I make my case in the Bradenton Herald

2008-10-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

The Bradenton Herald is allowing candidates to publish a 500 word piece on why they should be elected. Here is what I submitted on behalf of my campaign to be elected your Public Defender.

In a Panama City courtroom in 1961, Clarence Gideon asked the judge to appoint him an attorney because he was too poor to hire one. The judge denied his request, Gideon had to represent himself, and he was found guilty and sentenced to prison. From his cell he sent a handwritten letter to the United States Supreme Court that changed the course of history. In 1963, that court unanimously ruled that poor defendants must be provided attorneys in criminal cases.

I discovered Gideon's story while attending New College, and decided I wanted to work at the Public Defender's Office. I excelled at the Florida State University College of Law and could have taken almost any private position in the State of Florida. But for the last 23 years, I have dedicated my career to providing high quality, cost effective representation to our poorest citizens.

This November, you will elect the next Public Defender of the 12th Judicial Circuit (Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties). When you cast your vote in this election, please remember:

I am the only candidate who is qualified to prepare, litigate and supervise death penalty cases. These are the most complex and expensive cases in the system. Without a qualified attorney, a case might be overturned on appeal at great cost, or worse yet, result in wrongful conviction or execution.
I am the only candidate who is a board certified criminal trial attorney. This means I have tried enough cases, received recommendations from judges and other attorneys, and passed a difficult examination, qualifying me as a specialist in criminal law.
I am the only candidate with extensive experience training attorneys throughout the State of Florida. I have taught Public Defender College for lawyers fresh out of law school, and have conducted death penalty training for today's most experienced attorneys.
I am the only candidate who received the NAACP Freedom Award for Public Service, and the Jim Slater award for professionalism in the practice of criminal law.

My campaign message is "making justice work." I will do this by accomplishing specific goals during my term in office:

I will improve the quality of legal representation through enhanced training of our attorneys;
I will focus our staff on jail issues and seek early resolution of undisputed cases;
I will work with our Judges and the Clerk of the Courts to improve the administration of justice and ensure representation of only the truly indigent;
I will closely monitor costs to make better use of available funds, and be a voice for common sense on local criminal justice issues.
I believe that our Public Defender must provide leadership in the courtrooms and in the community. I have devoted my entire professional life to the Public Defender's Office and have worked hard to establish a solid record of preparation and professionalism. Now I need your help. "This November, Please Remember, Vote Adam Tebrugge, for Public Defender." For more information, please visit my website at www.Adam4pd.info.

Public Defender Debates

2008-10-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

I debated my opponent Larry Eger three times within twenty-fours last week. On Tuesday, September 30, we arrived at the Bradenton Kiwanis expecting to make brief after-lunch remarks. I think we were both surprised to see lights, television cameras, timekeepers and formal questions. I really enjoyed this opportunity and Manatee Educational Television will be rebroadcasting this debate frequently between now and election day. METV can be found on Bright House channel 614 (Manatee County), Verizon channel 31 (Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties), or you can watch the debate on the web at www.metvweb.com where you can also find a schedule. For instance, the debate will be shown this Sunday, October 12 at 9:00 a.m.

The next morning Larry and I met up at the League of Women Voter's where we answered questions in front of about fifty people. As you can see from the photo above, Larry and I remain friendly and the debate was cordial and included a wide ranging discussion of our qualifications and vision for the Public Defender's Office. We then raced over to the SNN studio for our televised debate that will be shown on October 15 at 7:00 p.m on Comcast channel 6. Unfortunately we do not have many joint candidate appearances scheduled between now and election day so if you are interested you will have to try and catch one of the television broadcasts.

During the debates I am stressing my experience handling death penalty cases. These cases are the most complex and expensive and important in our criminal justice system. The Florida Supreme Court has established a list of qualifications that an attorney must meet before they are allowed to handle a death penalty case. Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.112 says: "Counsel in death penalty cases should be required to perform at the level of an attorney reasonably skilled in the specialized practice of capital representation, zealously committed to the capital case, who has had adequate time and resources for preparation." The rule then sets out a variety of standards that an attorney must meet before being allowed to handle a death penalty case. I am the only candidate running for Public Defender who meets these qualifications.

A Board Certified Criminal Trial Attorney

2008-09-29T05:08:00.000-07:00

In 1999, I became a board certified criminal trial attorney in the Florida Bar. Board certification means that I can hold myself out as an expert or specialist in the field of criminal law. To achieve certification. I had to show that I had handled at least 25 criminal trials, submit references from judges and fellow attorneys, and pass a difficult examination designed to test the breadth and depth of your knowledge of criminal law. Certification is the highest level of recognition by The Florida Bar of the competency and experience of attorneys in the area of law approved for certification. I took the extra step to be come board certified because I wanted my clients at the Public Defender's Office to have confidence that their attorney was top notch. When choosing your next elected Public Defender, I believe that you should vote for the only candidate who can demonstrate this extra level of competence in the field.

It was another great week of campaigning in Venice, Sarasota and Bradenton. Bob Sweat, Supervisor of Elections in Manatee County, spoke at the Bar Association lunch and gave a detailed overview of his work year. Representative Keith Fitzgerald continues to impress audiences in Sarasota and Venice with his detailed understanding of state government. WSLR held a musical beach picnic on Siesta Key that attracted a big crowd of fans. The Venice Jazz festival drew hundreds of people to Blalock Park on a warm Saturday afternoon. Riverview overpowered my Booker Tornadoes in the fourth quarter before thousands of people on a beautiful Friday night. The residents of Bay Village turned out to hear the Democratic candidates give their vision for the future. Joan Donnelly in Sarasota, and Lucille Burke in Bradenton hosted lovely receptions for my campaign. And I was at all of these places, trying to meet every last voter, especially since absentee ballots have already been mailed.

This week features several debates between myself and my opponent for Public Defender, Larry Eger. We will be at the Bradenton Kiwanis club at lunch on Tuesday, at the League of Women Voters "Food for Thought" on Wednesday morning, and then tape our television debate for local news channel SNN. I also have several receptions and fundraisers planned for the week, and in our spare time Regina and I might put up another sign or two. It is hard to believe that there are just 36 days until the election. Hopefully I will see you soon!

Watch Adam Tebrugge on Voice For Democracy

2008-09-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, September 28, channel 21 (Comcast) at 9:00 p.m., Adam Tebrugge, Democratic candidate for Public Defender, will be interviewed on the program " "Voice for Democracy." Adam discusses the history and mission of the Public Defender's Office, his legal career in Sarasota, and his goals for improving our local criminal justice system. Please help get the word out to others to watch "Voice for Democracy" this Sunday night.

Senator Bill Nelson in Sarasota

2008-09-23T05:55:00.000-07:00

Senator Bill Nelson has made several trips to Sarasota recently to support local Democratic candidates and address citizens about pending issues. Last Friday, the Senator was here to support Morgan Bentley's campaign for the Florida State Senate. Nelson had just gotten off of a conference call with Treasury Secretary Paulson and members of Congress. He dispensed with the usual pleasantries and immediately began a detailed discussion of the country's financial crisis. In the picture above, you can see Tax Collector Barbara Ford Coates and Morgan Bentley listen intently as Senator Nelson described the circumstances that led the markets into this problem. Later that evening he went into even more detail at the Sarasota County Bar Association's annual dinner, creating a somewhat somber atmosphere in an otherwise festive evening. I could not really blame Senator Nelson for being in a grim mood and I was impressed with his grasp of detail and his willingness to work across the aisle to find solutions.

I also attended the kickoff luncheon for the South County United Way, and was reminded that need is greatest when crisis arrives. It was inspiring to see hundreds of service providers and employers from North Port, Venice, Nokomis and Laurel, joining together to help others. In Sarasota, we had an excellent event at the Bacalao sports bar on Tuttle and 17th where Latin-American voters were targeted. I also had the privilege of addressing the Southeast Manatee Democratic Club about my campaign. Regina and I are still putting up signs, and supporters are hosting meet and greets for me to help get out the word.

Look for another post in a day or so about some of my qualifications that set me apart in this race. As always, thanks for reading.

Public Defender Campaign Update

2008-09-16T04:33:00.000-07:00

I hope that you have been following my campaign to be elected Public Defender of the 12th Judicial Circuit (Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties). I believe that our Public Defender must provide leadership in the courtrooms and in the community. When you are deciding whom to support, please keep in mind:

--I am the only candidate who is qualified to prepare, litigate and supervise death penalty cases;

--I am the only candidate who is a board certified criminal trial attorney;

--I am the only candidate with experience training attorneys throughout the State of Florida;

--I am the only candidate who has received the Freedom Award for Public Service presented by the Sarasota branch of the NAACP, and the Jim Slater award for professionalism in the practice of criminal law.

I have devoted my entire professional life to the Public Defender's Office and to our community. Now I need your help to get elected. Would you please consider making a contribution to my campaign to help me tell others about my qualifications? You can go to my web-site right now, or mail a check to the Adam Tebrugge campaign, 2337 Ixora Avenue, Sarasota, Florida 34234. You can also forward this e-mail to anyone you think might be interested in my campaign. And finally, please tell your friends and neighbors and relatives:

"This November, Please Remember, Vote Adam Tebrugge, for Public Defender."

I sincerely thank you for taking the time to read this, and for all of your ongoing support.

Adam Tebrugge

Political Advertisement paid for and Approved by Adam Tebrugge, Democratic Candidate for Public Defender, 12th Circuit.

Happy Birthday Lyn Tebrugge

2008-09-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

Today, September 8th, is my mother's birthday. Lyn Mary Cox Tebrugge grew up in Ft. Myers, Florida, the oldest daughter of Norman and Mimi Cox. Norman was a cattle rancher and gladiolus grower and a powerhouse personality. Lyn and her two sisters, Nancy and "Boo," have remained close over the years despite making their homes in different states.

Lyn graduated from the University of Florida and as a young woman, was given a column in the Tampa Tribune. While attending an art installation in Tampa, she met an architect by the name of George Tebrugge. They were married on December 31, 1960, and their son Norman Adam Tebrugge, was born on December 7, 1961. Caroline ("Kitty") McCrae entered the world on July 31, 1964. Recently Lyn had some of our old movies from this time transferred to a DVD. The films show a glamorous young mother dressed in sharp outfits from the early 60's tending to two well groomed children.

My mother helped instill in me my love of politics. One of my earliest memories is attending an appearance by the Republican nominee for president, Richard Nixon, when he came to Tampa in 1968. Suitably inspired, Lyn and I went door to door for Hubert Humphrey in that tumultuous year. Later she got me involved with Bob Shevin's campaign for Governor of Florida. Lyn remains well read and interested in her state and nation to this day and has recently been canvassing for Senator Obama.

My mother was also part of the large wave of women who re-entered the workforce in the 1970's. Motherhood was important to her but she also felt a drive to help others, primarily through education. Ultimately she found her perfect job at the University of South Florida in Tampa, where she worked primarily with nontraditional students, helping them adjust to university life. When she retired a few years ago, a tree was planted in honor of "Mother U.S.F." in recognition of her many contributions. While at U.S.F., she became familiar with a small liberal arts college in Sarasota that had been taken over by the University after financial struggles. New College was still finding its way in the late 1970's but Lyn thought that the school was a good fit for her son, and so it was.

So Happy Birthday Mom!. Thank you for bringing me into the world, introducing me to politics and books, and getting me to Sarasota where I have spent so many good years. Lyn now lives in Tarpon Springs and volunteers at the spectacular Leepa-Ratna Museum of Art, located on the campus of St. Petersburg Junior College. The campaign has prevented us from seeing much of one another recently, but I wanted to express my love and honor for her on this special day.

My Goals For the Public Defender's Office

2008-09-04T03:18:00.000-07:00

I was employed by our Public Defender’s Office for 23 years and had the opportunity to work extensively in our offices in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties. I have a good understanding of the challenges of our local court system, and when I am elected, I will be making justice work by implementing the following:

IMPROVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR OUR CLIENTS
---Improve training of attorneys in the office;
--Hire more Spanish speaking attorneys and staff;
--Improve and expedite representation of clients in jail;
--Implement discharge planning for sentenced inmates to reduce recidivism.

COST EFFECTIVE ADMNISTRATION
--Work with Judges and Clerk’s to ensure we only represent the truly indigent;
--Closely monitor costs to make better use of available funds;
--Foster positive employee relations in the office and with the community;
--Be a voice for common sense on local criminal justice issues.

What else would you like to see me focus on? What experiences have you had with the Public Defender's Office? Drop me a line at Adam@Adam4pd.info.

In Wind and Rain and Sun

2008-09-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

The Republican primary election was held in the Public Defender race for the 12th Judicial Circuit last Tuesday. Ron Filipkowski won DeSoto County (by two votes) and Sarasota County (by about 300 votes), but Larry Eger won Manatee County (by around 700 votes) and was finally declared the winner on Wednesday with a total margin of 425 votes). I congratulate Larry and I feel for Ron who worked very hard to secure the nomination.

Now that the primary is over I am happy to start getting my signs up and out in the community. This past weekend, friends volunteered to help us post signs in all three counties. Now you might recall that Hurricane Gustave was moving past the coast of Southwest Florida with associated bands of wind and rain. Regina and I were standing in mosquito infested fields, watching lightning streak the sky, digging muddy holes. We would occasionally pull down the sign of a candidate who lost last week and reflect and appreciate the effort that they put into running for office. After a full day on Saturday, we went out on Sunday to check our signs, only to find that the winds had snapped some of our 2 x 4s. We repaired the damaged poles and spent the afternoon in DeSoto county where we worked until twilight through the intermittent showers. I kept telling Regina that at least it wasn't broiling hot. She was a great wife to spend her weekend putting up signs with me and so I would like to say: "Regina I Love and Appreciate You!"

The other big news of the week revolved around the presidential campaign. The Obama team opened an office in Bradenton and a large crowd turned out to help. On Thursday night there were parties throughout the area to watch his acceptance speech and I decided to attend one at the Beach House on Bradenton Beach. About 150 Democrats turned out but wahat was really impressive was when other patrons of the restaurant decided to join the fun. I was able to capitalize on the excitement and meet a lot of new people, all of whom promised me they would vote.

The Manatee County NAACP had postponed their banquet due to Tropical Storm Fay but it still turned out to be a tremendous success. The attendance was great, the food was good, and the speeches and awards were inspirational. I also enjoyed participating in the Englewood Pioneer Day parade and the Palmetto Labor Day picnic. Thank you for your continued support and be sure to keep checking in as I begin to discuss the issues in this race.

My Primary Complaint

2008-08-25T17:51:00.001-07:00

Over the past two days, more than a dozen people have asked me whether I dropped out of the Public Defender’s race. The answer is a resounding “NO!” Why are people asking this question? Tomorrow, August 26, is the primary election in the great State of Florida. Among the races that will be determined is the Republican nomination for the Office of Public Defender. Now by reading the local papers recently, it would be understandable if you thought that whoever prevails would have won the entire election. Unfortunately, the combination of headlines, signs, and advertising can leave you with that impression, ignoring the fact that I am the Democratic Party’s nominee. Let me assure you, I am in this race to win, and assuming that Tropical Storm Gustav stays away, we will start getting my signs up this weekend. With my opponent finally determined, I can now take the Public Defender race to the next level. I pledge, however, to run a positive campaign focused on my qualifications for the job.

Last week was a mixed bag thanks to the damper that tropical storm Fay threatened us with early in the week. I had three major events scheduled for Tuesday and they were all canceled. However, Senator Bill Nelson was able to make it to Bradenton on Wednesday and I was glad to hear him speak out forcefully against offshore drilling. My friends Elsa and Lenny Lentz threw a lovely reception for Florida House candidate Richard Jackson and myself that night. On Thursday evening, Manatee Glens invited their employees to meet the candidates, and about 150 of them turned out. Later that night I went to Cerviche to speak to a large and enthusiastic group of Young Democrats. On Friday night we had a great barbecue and rally in Newtown. And on Saturday Regina and I enjoyed celebrating the anniversary of women getting the right to vote at the Equity Day luncheon in Bradenton, before heading to the Venice YMCA to eat and drink at the annual luau.

While I am going to continue writing about some of the fun events we attend, I am also going to focus on the issues and differences between myself and my opponent (whoever that turns out to be). I am looking for help as we get into the final two months, so please keep up with the campaign on my web-page at www.Adam4pd.info, or at my Facebook group, Adam Tebrugge for Public Defender.

An Inspiration to us all

2008-08-19T05:02:00.000-07:00

Dr. Kay Glasser continues to demonstrate the positive influence that one person can have upon an entire community. Last week she was one of the honorees at the Community Youth Development breakfast. CYD is a program designed to provide leadership training to our high school students and then allow them to put that training to work. Participating students can ultimately serve on the Board of Directors of area non-profits, providing valuable insights to the other members, while preparing themselves for future service. In her remarks, Dr. Glasser reflected upon her career of social service and volunteer activities. She described a formative experience she had with a mentor when she was a young woman, and how this inspired her to a lifetime of helping others. Her words resonated throughout the gym at the Boys and Girls Club in Sarasota, providing similar inspiration to both young and old in the audience.

Also on the agenda last week were a series of debates and joint candidate appearances in the Public Defender race. I appeared with one or both of my opponents at the West Manatee Rotary Club, Heron Creek Country Club in North Port, the Sarasota County Bar Association, and at Kaiser University at Lakewood Ranch. I fielded a variety of questions about the office and my qualifications that were thoughtful and challenging. Some of the toughest questions were posed at a forum sponsored by the NAACP youth council. The moderator, Ed James, and the rest of the council, had obviously worked hard to identify some of the pressing issues in each race. Unfortunately neither of my opponents joined me for that forum but I was grateful for the opportunity.

Tropical storm Fay may have fizzled but she still managed to cancel some of the events I was looking forward to this week. Today all the candidates were supposed to meet the employees of Sarasota Memorial Hospital and tonight was the Manatee NAACP banquet; both have been postponed. At least I didn't have to worry about my signs being launched by gale force winds as we are not putting them up until next weekend. Maybe this will be our only brush with hurricane season this year or at least I hope so! The campaign will provide enough excitement for the next few weeks as we push on to the finish line.

I Said Goodbye to my Dog Today

2008-08-12T05:56:00.000-07:00

Grendel came into my life about ten years ago. She had been adopted from the pound by my step-son's girlfriend. They all moved in around the corner from us, and lived together three or four years. Grendel would roam the neighborhood, visiting different dogs and people from house to house. She was a frequent visitor to our home where her face would suddenly appear at our back door. She got along with our miniature dachshund, Nicki, and tolerated Georgie the cat. When her parents broke up and were not in a position to take care of her any longer, it was only natural that Regina and I would adopt her.

The first challenge was converting her from a street dog to a house dog. I was not about to allow her to roam free, as she was used to, so this meant long walks for us both. For several years we dominated our Indian Beach neighborhood in the early mornings and evenings. Grendel was a great dog to walk. She was purposeful and focused and kept a steady and limitless pace. Putting her on a leash seemed to make her more aggressive towards other dogs. Regina described her as an alpha dog and it was true that Grendel knew she was queen of the neighborhood.

Nicki died last February and not long afterwards Grendel began showing declining interest in longer walks. Soon it was apparent that she was having hip and leg problems. I met Dr. Mauricio Vargas of All Pets Mobile Clinic when I campaigned at Conexion Latina. Dr. Vargas began working with Grendel and she rallied a bit but her overall path was downhill. Folks say that you will know when it is time to put your dog down, and by this past weekend, it had become clear to me. Regina said goodbye before she left for work, stroking her head and promising her she would run free in the sky. I helped Grendel up and out into the sun where she lay for a half hour in a state of doggie contentment.

Later, Dr. Vargas came by and then took her away when she was gone. He was very kind and sympathetic and treated us both well. I now have no dog in the house for the first time in years and Georgie the cat is not much one for walking on a leash. Grendel joins the litany of Nicki and Frieda and Ralph and Crystal and all my other pets who have gone on before her.

I offer the only epitaph that is fitting for her: "She was a good dog."

A Day in DeSoto County

2008-08-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

I am running to be the elected Public Defender of a three-county area: Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto. I grew up in Tampa and my grandparents lived in Fort Myers. For some reason we would always travel through Arcadia, the DeSoto County seat, and stop for an orange Fanta in town. Even as a child, the majestic courthouse made quite an impression upon me. Over the course of my career, I have been privileged to handle many cases in that courthouse. Judge Parker, Judge Hall, and the Clerk of the Court Mitzy McGavic have always treated me with courtesy and respect. Jurors in DeSoto are a great mix of ranchers, retirees, working folks, and people of all races, ages and beliefs. I really enjoy practicing law in DeSoto County.

I also like campaigning there. This past Saturday was the big political rally that had been planned for some time. I arrived in town early so that I could have breakfast at Wheeler's cafe which is owned by one of the candidates for Sheriff, Carl Willey. Carl is running against Will Wise and the incumbent Sheriff, Vernon Kean, in the Democratic primary. While this is the hottest race going, all of the candidates have conducted themselves in a civl manner as far as I can tell. There are also a couple of closely contested County Commission races as well.

The rally was scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. and at about 9:45 the skies opened up, the rain fell sideways, and lightning began crashing around the fairgrounds. After about a half hour though, it let up enough for people to start arriving and for the candidates to set up their tables. Ultimately there were nearly 200 people that braved the elements to come talk politics. The crowd responded positively to all the speeches and cheered their favorites with gusto. Afterwards I had lunch at Slim's barbecue and picked up three bottles of sauce for Regina, before heading home.

The rally culminated a busy and productive week. National Night Out Against Crime drew big crowds in North Port and in Sarasota and I was fortunate to attend both events. Jefferson Apartments, a beautiful building for lower income seniors near my house, hosted a great candidate debate for Sarasota County Commission that they graciously allowed me to crash. And I had an interesting debate with my opponents at the Manatee County Commission chambers that will be broadcast on METV over the next couple of weeks. We have several additional debates this week, and I will be at the NAACP youth forum for candidates on Saturday afternoon.

Thank You Beneva Flowers!

2008-08-05T08:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a low energy day. My dog is on her last legs, I was tired from campaigning all weekend, and I was paying bills. The phone rang and a very pleasant lady told me that her boss wanted to send me flowers. Turns out the business section of the Sarasota Herald Tribune had noted that I had won the Jim Slater award for professionalism in the practice of criminal law. I had completely missed the blurb when I read the paper in the morning, but Mr. Arthur Conforti had not. A few minutes ago the delivery man showed up with my flowers, and I decided to share them with you.

Thank you Beneva Flowers! You just made my day.

The Promise of Our Youth

2008-08-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

Early in the week, I had a conversation with a voter. He asked a common question, “Why would you want to be Public Defender.” One of his points was that the youth of today are disrespectful, if not dangerous, and probably made up a great deal of our clients. He assumed that the work must be frustrating and perhaps counter-productive to our shared goal of creating a safe society.

On the other side of the ledger, I was privileged to experience portions of the “Greatness Beyond Measure” teen summit held in Sarasota this weekend. On Saturday night, I was a judge at a debate contest as ten teenagers addressed racial, gender and age stereotypes head-on. A crowd of over 100 mostly young people sat in the audience, fully engaged in the exchange of ideas on stage. The next day an even larger crowd gathered at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park for Gospel music, performances, and hot dogs. Spending time with these fine young men and women, primarily African-Americans, was just the antidote I needed to combat cynicism.

The rest of the week was inspiring as well. The Sun-House Restaurant on Bradenton Beach hosted a very enjoyable fundraiser to benefit the Manatee Red Cross. I won Chef Darryl’s cooking jacket in the silent auction. Also fun was the Selby Library’s 10th birthday bash on Saturday afternoon. In attendance were numerous families, Mote Marine, the Humane Society, and Marie Selby as portrayed by a wonderful actress. And I even took a day off to go fishing with my stepdaughter and her boyfriend. We hit a small school of jacks and of course had to have a photo memorializing out catch.

As busy as it has been, the next few weeks will be even crazier. You can come out and meet me between August 5-9 at any of the following. On Tuesday, August 5, I will attend the North Port Chamber of Commerce candidate mixer at the Olde World Restaurant, then head over to North Port High School for "National Night Out." On Wednesday, August 6, I will debate the other candidates in my race at the Manatee County Commission chambers at 6:30 p.m. Watch for later broadcasts on Manatee Educational Television. Thursday, August 7, I will attend the League of Women Voter's candidate fair at the Gulf Gate Library in Sarasota from 6-9 pm. Friday, August 8 I'll see you at the Sarasota Slam street party on Lemon Avenue in the evening. And finally, on Saturday, August 9, there will be a rally for all Democratic candidates at the DeSoto County fairgrounds, beginning at 10 a.m.

100 Days: A Marathon, Not a Sprint

2008-07-28T05:35:00.001-07:00

If you are paying attention to the political process at all, you are probably aware that there are now less than 100 days to go until the elections of 2008 will be over. Candidates and voters alike will both probably say "Thank Goodness" to this news. Most voters are just now beginning to pay serious attention to local races. Absentee ballots have now been mailed for the primary to be held on August 26. Samples of these ballots may be found at the various Supervisor of Elections websites.

I began my campaign last October, almost 300 days ago. Experienced people, like County Commissioner Paul Mercier, warned me that a political race is a marathon, not a sprint. I have kept up a steady pace of appearances, speeches and events, and I think I have enough energy to make it to the finish line. Last week I attended the candidates reception put on by the Young Professionals Group of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, the Connexion Latina networking at the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, "Pizza and Politics" at Primo grill on Friday night, and the quarterly meeting of the Nokomis Area Civic Association. My favorite event, however, was the celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act put on at the Suncoast Center for Independent Living. Several hundred people with all types of abilities turned out on a rainy Friday afternoon. I met many people who had inspiring stories to share with me and I left the Center really feeling like I had learned something important. Events like these are the best part of campaigning.

The worst part of campaigning are negative attacks and misleading claims. Unfortunately, political consultants continue to encourage candidates to engage in these tactics. Recently,m the Pelican Press asked all candidates to pledge to not engage in negative behaviors. The University of South Florida's Institute on Public Policy had candidates sign a similar pledge during a candidate college a few months ago. When I was President of the Sarasota County Civic League, we championed good government and clean campaigns. But really, it comes down to the voter. If you receive a negative "robo-call," or receive an e-mail that makes outrageous claims, it is up to you to reject these tactics. Only when we show them that negative campaigns will not work, will we help put an end to these practices.

Candidate Mixers

2008-07-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

Five weeks from today, primary elections will be held throughout the 12th Judicial Circuit. In Sarasota, Republican voters will make decisions in hotly contested races for Property Appraiser, Sheriff, and Florida State Senate. In Manatee, the Republicans will elect some new county commissioners. Democrats in DeSoto will vote in Sheriff and County Commissioner elections. Republicans throughout the circuit will decide their nominee for Public Defender who will face me in November. And all voters, regardless of party affiliation, can vote for a new Circuit Court Judge to replace the retiring Durand Adams. Fortunately we have two good candidates for that position with Connie Medros-Jacobs and Gilbert Smith, Jr. facing one another. Monday, July 28 is the last day to register to vote in this primary. Early voting begins at the Supervisor Elections Offices on August 11, or you can call and request a vote by mail absentee ballot if you prefer.

Between now and primary day there will be a lot of opportunities to meet the candidates at "mixers," informal events that are light on speech-making and heavy on one to one interaction. In the picture above I was captured with incumbent property appraiser Jim Todora and his wife Estelle while attending the South County Tiger Bay event at the Venice Yacht Club. This Wednesday, July 23, I will be at the Manatee Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Group event which will be held at the Lakewood Ranch country club. On Tuesday, August 5, the North Port Chamber of Commerce will host a candidate's mixer at the Olde World Restaraunt from 6-8 p.m. The Sarasota League of Women Voters is hosting a candidate fair on Thursday, August 7 at the Gulf Gate Library beginning at 6:30. The Democratic Party of DeSoto County is serving hot dogs and politics at the fairgrounds on Saturday, August 9 at 10 a.m. All of these events are free of charge so come on out and let us know what is on your mind.

The Business of Endorsements

2008-07-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

Now is the time when candidates are interviewed for purpose of endorsements. Last week I had to complete a complex questionaire from the Sarasota Herald Tribune, and I was happy to have the opportunity. Unfortunately, many of the groups that do endorsements are not interested in the Public Defender election. I spend a lot of time going to business networking events. These are usually conducted in a relaxed atmosphere where there is time for conversations, not just introductions. Many people have concerns about our local criminal justice system and I think it makes me a better candidate to hear these questions. But while the organized business groups are interested in those running for county commission or state legislature, the Office of Public Defender is not on their radar.

One exception is the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts. This is the largest and most influential union in Sarasota County and I was privileged to be invited to meet their members when their convention met at the Hyatt last weekend. Whenever I go to an event and I see that union member Roy Sorenson is there setting up the sound system, I know that everything is going to work properly. I am proud to be endorsed by the West Central Florida Federation of Labor and all of their members. I am also proud to have the endorsement of Representative Keith Fitzgerald (pictured above) who has truly distinguished himself in the Florida House of Representatives during his first term. Representative Fitzgerald has represented the interests of our area and of the entire state of Florida in a positive manner by emphasizing problem solving, not partisanship. I hope you get the opportunity to meet him or hear him speak during this campaign.

I am also trying to pay attention to the neighborhoods during this campaign. Nobody wants to feel insecure where they live, and street crime continues to plague some of our poorest neighborhoods. On the other hand, we must ensure that all people are treated equally under the law. The Office of the Public Defender can help maintain the delicate balance between citizens and law enforcement. We must be responsive to our clients and their families, we must investigate cases properly, and we must litigate matters in Court when necessary. When neighbors come together in the community they can combat crime and maintain positive relationships with law enforcement, while supporting those who need a second chance. As your Public Defender, I will be there with you when you need me, providing straight forward answers to your questions, and working to provide leadership in our criminal justice system.

A Three County Fourth

2008-07-06T18:59:00.001-07:00

With parades, picnics and politicians, the four day long Fourth of July celebration kept us moving. Festivities began on Thursday evening with the boat parade down Main Street in Sarasota. A light rain let up enough that by 7:00 p.m. the sidewalks were filled with families. This is a somewhat unusual parade, made up primarily of decorated tractor trailers and large offshore racing boats and their crew. Sarasota has hosted these boats for many years now and it seems as popular as ever. I walked the parade route, handed out some literature, shook a few hands, and was a walking billboard in my red and white tee-shirt.

The parade we really prepared for was the next morning in Arcadia in connection with the annual Independence day rodeo. The main road through downtown is Oak Street and it is lined with antique stores, restaurants and churches. It seems like the whole town turns out for the parade, either to participate or to spectate. We borrowed a cute red PT Cruiser convertible from our friend Carol Williams. One of Regina's ideas was to fill the back-seat with balloons, to almost make it appear as if I were emerging from a red, white and blue bubble bath. The crowd along the parade route seemed to get a kick out of this and we all waved at one another enthusiastically.

The day was just beginning, however, as we then headed to North Port. We missed the parade there but went to Dallas White park where some picnics were in progress. After grabbing a snow cone and a hot dog, we traveled to Sarasota, dropped off the convertible, and went home for a quick nap. Then it was of to Bradenton for a part at the west end of Manatee avenue with a lot of the volunteers from WSLR community radio. The only fireworks we got to see were in the night sky as we finally headed home.

The final big event of the weekend for me was pizza and politics put on by the Parrish Civic Association. The Florida Railroad Museum allowed a flat-car to be used as a staging area and a large tent was set up in front. A couple of hundred people turned out to hear a debate among the Manatee County commission candidates. Though I wasn't allowed to speak, I did get to greet the audience as they entered, and then passed out my pamphlets and discussed the Public Defender's office at each table. Forums like this are really encouraging as there seems to be more interest in politics, both local and national, then I have seen in some time. No parades for me this week but I do have stops scheduled in Lakewood Ranch, Venice and Bradenton. Let me know what else is going on this month and I will try and join you there.

Manatee United

2008-07-01T04:26:00.000-07:00

Regina went on vacation without me last week as there were too many exciting events in the area to miss. I toured a diamond mine in Sarasota, courtesy of Gemesis. This is a company that grows diamonds in a warehouse as opposed to extracting them from the ground. I made it to North Port by 7:00 a.m. Wednesday morning to address the early bird Kiwanis meeting at the Family Table restaurant. The Sarasota area Realtors kicked off their "surge of support" for veterans with a nice program about Haley Hospital and the Haley House for families located in Tampa. And the Venice area Chamber of Commerce hosted an excellent networking event at the Ashton Gardens Senior living center.

The best parts of my week were spent in Manatee County. We had a joint candidate appearance in front of the Bar Association where I was well received. The newly formed Lakewood Ranch Democratic Club hosted a picnic on Saturday in Adventure Park. Approximately two hundred people showed up to enthusiastically kick off the campaign. A club like this is very important to a candidate, particularly in a community like Lakewood Ranch that does not allow door to door campaigning or even yard signs. There were also a half dozen or more house parties held in the area to support Senator Obama's campaign. I went to Cortez where 25-30 people gathered to share snacks and stories about what attracted them to the Obama candidacy. To be honest, I have never before seen such excitement and enthusiasm connected with the political process. I am hopeful that the momentum will carry us all into November as citizens unite to retake and reform government.

The 4th of July is a big day for campaigning. Regina and I will begin the day in the Arcadia Rodeo parade, then make our way to Dallas White Park in North Port, head up to Bradenton for a party on the Manatee River, and close the evening with fireworks in Sarasota. Come say hello if you see us out and about.

Photographs, Signs and Weather

2008-06-24T07:50:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of decisions for a candidate to make when running for office. For one thing, there is the matter of the photograph to use on your flyers, signs and web-page. I wanted to do something a little different than the standard head-shot. The photo I have been using was taken on the steps of the Manatee County Courthouse, though you couldn't really tell the location by looking at it. I was happy with the shot but I was getting a lot of comments that I was better looking in person than in the photo. Since I am not necessarily all that good looking to begin with, I decided we needed to try something new. To the left is the result and I would like to thank Paul Martin of "Pictures in Paradise" and Lowell Gilbertson for their assistance.

The newly formed South County Tiger Bay held a lovely reception for all candidates at the Venice Yacht Club last Thursday. The best part was that I met a number of voters whom I hadn't met before. From there I went to a reception in Bradenton at the home of Becky and Ed Martin where I was able to speak to about 25 residents of Manatee County. On Friday evening I attended the family fun festival outside Van Wezel where a couple of thousand people were sweltering in the six o'clock sun. One campaign tactic is to print you face and name on fans and distribute them during hot parades and concerts. I had considered doing that but the cost is close to a dollar a fan and I am trying to be frugal.

The combination of being frugal, and the summertime weather, is why I have not yet put up signs. My opponents have begun to blanket Sarasota county with signs, and every day I am asked where mine are. I explain that they have an August primary while I will not be on the ballot until November, but my supporters are a bit anxious. But the weather this past Saturday reinforced my decision. "A Taste of Newtown" was scheduled and heavily promoted, the streets were closed, and a variety of vendors turned out. Then the thunderstorms moved in and remained most of the afternoon and evening. Not only was much of the festival washed out, in the aftermath I saw political signs laying damaged or destroyed along several roads. So be patient my friends, and help me scout out some good locations with permission from the owners, and I will put up some very nice signs in August.

Rally Round the Flag

2008-06-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence (SCOPE) held their annual event this past week. My friend Isabel Norton was honored as a "boundary crosser" for her multiple involvements in the community. I first came to know Isabel when we served together on the Scope mental health study group. Recommendations from this group led to improved training of law enforcement when they encounter people in crisis. Isabel also works to prevent blindness, is helping lead the capital campaign at Ringling School of Art, and is a lovely and gracious lady whenever we meet.

I had to leave her celebration early in order to head out to Lakewood Ranch for the organizational meeting of the new Democratic Club there. A lot of new voters have moved to Lakewood Ranch in the past decade and I am interested in meeting them all. A big crowd of 60-80 people turned out for this meeting, We overwhelmed the Country Pancake House who nevertheless provided outstanding food and service. The club has a picnic planned for Saturday, June 28.

Just as exciting was the "Chew and Chat" held on Wednesday night in Newtown. There was a fish fry and a meet the candidates event in connection with the monthly Democratic Executive Committee meeting. We had an inspiring crowd of well over one hundred people and everyone went home happy. It is great to see enthusiasm in the community and to reemphasize our commitment to include all people.

And finally, I was privileged to participate in the Daughters of the American Revolution celebration of Flag Day which was held at the historic Field Club in Sarasota on Saturday. !60 people turned out for a celebration of patriotism and to benefit the Haley House Fund. Tampa is home to the James Haley veteran's hospital where injured troops are treated and undergo rehabilitation. The Haley House fund allows the families of injured veterans who live more than 50 miles away, and who are short on funds, the opportunity to stay near their loved ones. I sat next to 86 year old Harry Stimmel, a member of Veteran's for Common Sense, and a big supporter of Haley House. The best part of campaigning is all of the interesting people you meet. Maybe this week I'll meet you in Manatee County as I turn my attention to the North.

Picking up the Pace

2008-06-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and my campaign schedule is heating up. Last week I spoke to the Laurel Civic Association, attended the Indian Beach Sapphire Shores neighborhood association, joined the Young Professional Group for happy hour at the Rustic Grill, went down to Englewood for a picnic, attended World Ocean Day at Mote Marine, and danced the night away at the CYD prom. Those were all great events but the prom was particularly memorable. The CYD students had decorated the gym at the YMCA with streamers and balloons and ruffles and roses. Mattisons served a great dinner and the Rays game was broadcast on a big screen over the dance floor. It was fun to see local politicians cutting a rug, and it was great to have the student chaperones keep all us adults in line.

The big event of last week for me was the Tiger Bay “debate” for the Office of Public Defender. This was the first joint candidate appearance for the three of us. Marge Baldwin, the moderator, asked a few questions and then turned matters over to the audience. All of the exchanges were conducted at a very high level. I tackled a number of the questions first and felt like I had substantive and concise answers. Later I was told that I needed to smile more. That night there was some decent coverage of the race on SNN. All candidates welcome these forums, as we want voters to get a chance to know us, and the issues. The next time we will all be together is June 25th at the Manatee County Bar Association lunch.

We have 20 Democratic candidates running in Sarasota County this year. On Friday afternoon, most of us gathered for a rally in Five Points Park outside the Selby library in downtown Sarasota. A small but enthusiastic crowd turned out to cheer us on in the afternoon sun. When the rally was over, we retired to a downtown condominium for a fund-raiser, narrowly avoiding an afternoon deluge. I must again express my appreciation to all those who are helping local Democratic candidates in Sarasota. Your efforts leave me more time for other endeavors, such as creating a Facebook group called “Adam Tebrugge for Public Defender.” I posted video, photos and a podcast of my recent appearance on WSLR radio’s “Surreal News.” Within just a couple of days, sixty people joined the group. If I don’t see you on Facebook, maybe I’ll see you in Newtown at the “Chew and Chat” on Wednesday night, or at the PDA social at the Rustic Grill on Saturday.

Awards, Debates and Rallies

2008-06-03T04:18:00.000-07:00

I was truly honored last week to receive the “Jim Slater Award for Professionalism in the Practice of Criminal Law.” Judge Peter Dubensky made the announcement at a meeting of the Sarasota County Bar Association held to celebrate law day. In his remarks, the Judge discussed a lawyer’s obligation to our constitutional process. While the client we represent may not always be on the right side, if we uphold the integrity of the courtroom and the rule of law, then all can know that justice was served. Jim Slater was a great lawyer who worked both as a prosecutor and public defender. He was a mentor to many young attorneys, including myself, and helped train a generation of capital attorneys throughout the State of Florida. Jim was also a friend of mine and if I never accomplish anything else, I will always have this honor to reflect upon.

On Thursday, June 5th, the Sarasota Tiger Bay will host the first debate of the Public Defender campaign. Tiger Bay is a long-standing political club with hundreds of members in Sarasota and similar clubs throughout the state. Marge Baldwin is the local moderator and she prepares a variety of questions that she peppers the candidates with over lunch. The floor is then opened to Marge’s “Tigers” who are not shy about grilling politicians with questions that are sometimes loaded for maximum impact. I have never been up on the Tiger Bay rostrum before and I am looking forward to the experience.

Finally, I would like to encourage anyone interested in local politics to come to Selby Five Points park this Friday, June 5th at 3:00 pm. There will be a rally to kick-off the summer campaign season that should be fun and interesting. If you come, you will be able to hear from candidates like Christine Jennings for U.S. Congress, Morgan Bentley for Florida State Senate, Keith Fitzgerald for Florida House of Representatives, Barry Sullivan for Supervisor of Elections, Jono Miller for Sarasota County Commissioner, and a number of others. You might also get to meet a certain candidate for Public Defender for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit. I hope to see you then and there.

Nominated for Writing

2008-05-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

I decided to keep a campaign blog so that I would have something to look back upon at the end of the race. I also hoped to interest some readers in my campaign experiences, and educate them about the issues at the Public Defender's Office. It is very gratifying to learn that people throughout the State of Florida have been reading my accounts. Now I have been nominated as "Best Writer" in a poll being sponsored by the Florida Progressive Coalition.

UPDATE: I did not win but it was fun while it lasted!

Memories on Memorial Day

2008-05-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

On Memorial Day, my first thought is always of my father, George Robert Tebrugge. George enlisted in the United States Army in 1942, and served as an infantryman with the Timber-wolf Division in Europe during World War Two. A few years ago I cam across a box of his letters home from the battlefront and I think I will read a few of them today. George was always very proud of my accomplishments. Dad passed away some seven years ago and I miss him and wish he were around to see this campaign.

I attended the dedication of the new Manatee County Courthouse this past week. Listening to Judge Hensley and Judge Silvertooth reminisce reminded me of my very first jury trial which was conducted in the historic Courthouse next door. I was a twenty-two year old legal intern defending a DUI case under the able supervision of my co-counsel, Charles Williams. I lost that trial but the following week I was more successful. Manatee County Court Judge Walter Talley, who also served as the first Public Defender in this judicial circuit, heard both cases. I went on to win and lose a lot cases in the old Courthouse but I am glad to consign it to memory.

I must also remember my friend Jim Slater who passed away three years ago. Jim was a very focused and brilliant lawyer who trained me on handling complex cases. He was also the Chief Assistant Public Defender, in charge of our Manatee County office. His passing left a leadership void that has never been filled. You can read the tributes to Jim at http://jimslater.blogspot.com/.

This weekend we also celebrated another New College graduation. The commencement speaker was Bob Graham who I was fortunate to work with when he was Governor of Florida. Graham has always been a fan of New College and he seemed interested and amused with the unusual dress of the graduates. We also have an alumni reunion during graduation and my old roommate, Dr. Danforth Lincoln, paid a visit to Sarasota. At a brunch on Saturday morning, we toasted the success of John Cranor who is stepping down as President of the New College Foundation.

And finally, I have to remember to wish a very Happy 80th Birthday to my mother-in-law, Virginia Wittekind. I have been very fortunate to marry a wonderful woman and build a relationship with her parents. I wish all of you a Happy Memorial Day and hope you build lasting memories with your loved ones.

Half My Life

2008-05-20T05:24:00.001-07:00

Twenty-three years, and sixty pounds ago, I joined the Public Defender's Office of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit. I went to law school because I wanted to make sure that poor people received quality legal representation. The reason that America is the greatest country on earth is because our Constitution strikes the delicate and necessary balance between the government and the individual citizen. In our country, it is not enough simply to make an accusation. The government has the responsibility of proving a person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt before taking a person's life or liberty. Attorneys make sure that the government abides by the rule of law, and that clients have the opportunity to present a defense. When I was sworn into the Florida Bar on May 22, 1985, I took an oath to "never reject, from any consideration personal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed." Each day that I have practiced law I have attempted to uphold this duty.

The modern system of public defenders was established in the 1960s. In Florida, the Public Defender is a constitutional officer and an elected position. Each of our twenty judicial circuits elects a State Attorney and Public Defender to hire qualified assistants and make sure they are well trained and in the proper courtrooms in order to keep our criminal justice system functioning. The elected Public Defender also works with the Legislature and County Commissioners in order to ensure the efficient operation of the courts. In these times of scarce resources and repeated budget cuts, it will be more important than ever to elect a Public Defender who is familiar with all facets of the job and has experienced every type of criminal case. When I am elected, I will make sure that my Assistant Public Defenders will provide quality legal services in a professional manner so that all citizens in our community can have confidence in the outcome of criminal cases. I will also collaborate with all our elected officials to make sure that we are spending our money wisely, impacting lives in a positive manner, and making our justice system work as intended by our founding fathers.

Campaigning at Pride-Fest

2008-05-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

After a one year absence, Pride-Fest returned to Sarasota this past weekend. This celebration of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community had drawn thousands of visitors in previous years when it was held at the fairgrounds. Now considerably toned down, the festival was held inside and outside Van Wezel. A day of beautiful weather helped attract a steady crowd of interested visitors from Sarasota, Bradenton and points beyond. Mayor Lou Ann Palmer showed up to read a proclamation recognizing and celebrating the event. The event was well organized, fun and interesting.

I rented a booth in order to meet voters, and a few other candidates were there as well. Rhyan Rice, college student home for the summer, helped me out. A lot of people stopped to talk throughout the day, sometimes waiting in line to speak to me. These voters were happy that I was there, and they wanted to tell me about some of the legal issues they face. Sadly, many of these issues involved various forms of discrimination or harassment. Really, all I could do was listen, and perhaps add a few words of advice or comfort. I am a strong believer in the equal protection of the laws for all citizens, and I believe we must fight continue to fight discrimination. I am very happy that I had the opportunity to meet a couple of hundred voters last Saturday, and hear their concerns.

A few days before Pride-Fest was the interfaith celebration of love, held at the church of the Trinity-MCC. I left the Florida Association of Women Lawyer's chocolate and champaign party early in order to go to the service, and I was glad I did. Even though I arrived a few minutes early, I got one of the last seats at the church. The Gulf Coast Men's Chorus performed with a group of female singers who perform under the name Harmony. The music and singing were outstanding, as was the preaching. Pastors from a half dozen congregations spoke on the topic of Love, for three minutes apiece. At the end of the service, we all exchanged silk roses that had been provided when we entered. I left church that evening feeling invigorated by the music and the message.

Speaking of love, I will be attending a wedding in Georgia this Saturday and so I will not be campaigning for the first time in a while. However, the Democratic Black caucus is holding their convention in Sarasota for the first time ever, and I plan to go to the welcoming reception on Thursday evening. When I return, I know that things are really going to pick up as we head into Memorial Day weekend and the summer campaign season.

Qualified to Advertise

2008-05-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

The last step in getting your name on the ballot is qualifying. In Florida, the qualifying for judicial, state attorney, public defender, and congressional races, was last week. From October through March, my team had worked to gather 4,652 petitions from registered voters in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties. We were successful in this effort which also meant that we did not have to pay a filing fee of over $9,000 last week. However, I did have to prepare and file a detailed financial disclosure which even required that I inventory the contents of my home. I also had to sign a loyalty oath, and get the packet to the Secretary of State's office in Tallahassee. I put my trust in the United States Postal Service and started checking the Division of Elections web-site on Wednesday afternoon. The web-site was experiencing problems that day, probably because candidates throughout the State were getting anxious. Late Wednesday night the word "qualified" appeared next to my name and so now it is on to November.

My greatest challenge is how to reach the nearly half-million registered voters in the three counties that make up the 12th Circuit. One of my opponents has begun putting up a lot of signs but I think I will hold off on those for the time being so as not to add to the clutter along our roadsides. Instead, I have begun an ad campaign on the Sarasota Herald Tribune web-site that will hopefully drive traffic to www.Adam4pd.info If that is how you made your way to this blog, please consider dropping me a note at Adam@adam4pd.info I am also trying to build recognition for my logo which appears at the top of this page. Some seasoned political consultants don't like it because they say it is too hard to read. I like the fact that it might require a second look and I am hoping it stands out in a crowded field. I would be interested to know what you think.

Last week I had supper with Sheriff Brad Steube and several hundred citizens of Manatee county . I also had dinner in DeSoto County with about 100 members of the Democratic Party there. I also attended the meeting of the Southwest Alliance in Englewood and the property appraiser debate at Sarasota Tiger Bay. The public defender candidate forum will be held on June 5th and will likely be the first time that the three of us share an appearance together. Maybe this week I will see you at Lakewood Ranch on Wednesday evening, the Teen Court Golf Tournament on Friday, or at Pride-Fest on Saturday,

Veterans, a Lighthouse and a Parade

2008-04-28T10:57:00.001-07:00

I had the honor of addressing the Sarasota County Veteran's Commission this past week. Veterans face a variety of problems that can bring them into contact with the criminal justice system. About ten percent of the inmates in our local, state and nation correctional facilities are veterans according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. A recent study by the Rand Corporation estimates that about 20% of the veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan may be facing severe mental illness or suffering from head injuries. The Surgeon General of the Army, and the newly formed Pentagon center on brain injury are sending the message that seeking help is a sign of strength. At risk veterans need services before they come into contact with our courts. Judges and attorneys need information from veterans so that we can give better representation and make better decisions. And law enforcement and other first responders may need training on dealing with those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. I hope to see many more veterans and the rest of our community when the new national cemetery has its groundbreaking on June 1, at 2:00 p.m. The cemetery is located on Clark Road (SR 72) about four miles east of the interstate. The Navy band will perform and it should be an exhilarating ceremony.

This past Saturday I participated in the "Be a Visionary" walk, at Sarasota Jungle Gardens, to benefit the Manasota Lighthouse. The Lighthouse provides services to visually impaired clients. A variety of doctors, staff, patients and benefactors gathered on a lovely morning. I was privileged to walk with Ruth Book, 87 years old, a spunky and intelligent companion, pictured with me above. Ruth educated me on many aspects of the challenges facing the visually impaired. I will say it again--the best part of campaigning is learning of all of the wonderful people and services in our area.

My walking was not complete, though, as I marched the entire length of the Heritage Day parade on Saturday evening. This is the biggest event of the year in Bradenton and an estimated crowd of 200,000 people lined the parade route. The Manatee County Democratic party sponsored a float. About 30 of us handed out 10,000 American flags to the spectators. We received an overwhelmingly positive reception along the way which makes me feel good about our prospects this November. Regina marched with me and we enjoyed a well deserved meal at Demetrios that evening.

I hope to see you this week as I attend the DeSoto Democratic banquet, the Manatee Bar Association beach party, and the performance of the Gulf Coast Community Choir on Sunday at the First United Methodist Church on Pineapple in Sarasota.

Campaigning on Planet Earth

2008-04-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I visited a multitude of events focused on our natural environment. It is encouraging to see the business community catching up with consumer interest in reducing our impact upon the planet. On Friday I attended the Sarasota Area Realtors green exposition. Builders, retailers, landscapers and others provided us with education as to products and services that reduce energy consumption or chemical impacts. This was the first year for the Expo and it seemed to be a rousing success with a steady crowd throughout the day.

On Saturday there was a festival in North Port put on by the group "People for Trees." Dallas White park was a perfect place to attract a lot of families, and hundreds of free trees were distributed to those willing to attend a brief seminar. I then headed to the New Gate school which is located near the boundary of the Myakka River State Park. Again there were a variety of vendors with innovative products, musicians performing as the audience munched wholesome foods, and lots of kids enjoying themselves.

Oscar Sherer State Park hosted the big Earth Day celebration on Sunday. We arrived to set up around 9 am, just as a heavy rainstorm passed through the area. While the shower was brief, it left the trees filled with water that dripped on us throughout the day whenever a breeze came through. Our spirits were not damp, however, because the crowd increased throughout the day with people eager to see the exhibits, hear the performers, and talk politics. Now that my petitions are done, I don't need anything but conversation from passing voters. I have found that folks are very interested in our criminal justice system and eager to learn about how we can make justice work better.

Yesterday I attended the jail summit meeting that involved nearly every municipal or county official from Sarasota, North Port, Venice and Longboat Key. The criminal justice commission is proposing a Community Corrections Center be built to alleviate jail overcrowding. This center would focus more on rehabilitation and reintegration into the community for nonviolent offenders. The cost and location of this new facility remain undetermined. Perhaps later I will try and flesh out the issues surrounding this proposal in more detail. Meanwhile, I have my own campaign to attend to. I will address the Sarasota County Veteran's Commission this Thursday, April 24th, at 1:00 p.m., and you can watch my presentation live on Comcast channel 19 if you live in Sarasota.

Public Defenders Help Protect Us All

2008-04-15T06:49:00.001-07:00

Last week I was busy giving talks throughout the area. I spoke at my fundraiser on Bird Key, at a televised "debate" with one of my opponents, Ron Filipkowski, at a candidates forum sponsored by the Democratic Executive Committee, to a Rotary club at El Conquistador in south-west Manatee county, to the North River Democratic Club in Parrish, and to a hundred or so people at the Sarasota Democratic Club. What am I usually talking about?

I typically begin by telling the story of Clarence Gideon, as most people are unaware that the right to court appointed counsel in criminal cases is of relatively recent vintage. (To watch me tell this story, go to my main web-page at www.Adam4pd.info ) It is important to remember that our country was founded on the principle that individual rights must always be respected by the government. But it is one thing to have these rights and an entirely different matter to give these rights meaning. If you are charged with a crime, the charging document reads “The State of Florida” versus YOU and that is exactly what it feels like. The government has essentially unlimited investigative resources that it can marshal to build its case, but the individual citizen may have no resources at all. This is where the Public Defender comes in.

The supreme job of the Public Defender is to stand up for the individual client, to represent their interests, and to let others do the judging. The Public Defender must above all be client centered and be willing to stand next to the individual that the rest of the world has already condemned. For if you do not, if the Public Defender judges his or her client, if the Public Defender marches in lockstep with the government, then this is how wrongful convictions happen and this is how the liberties and freedoms of us all are eroded.

In the past decade, we have all become aware of the problem of wrongful convictions. We have seen one big case after another where people have been convicted of the most serious crimes imaginable in our society and served years in prison, only to have it later discovered that they were innocent all along. We feel for the individual and the lost time that can never be given back to them, but these stories also shake our confidence in our very system of justice. For do we truly protect public safety when we have a rush to judgment that results in a wrongful conviction and means that the real perpetrator is never apprehended? Of course not, which is why we as citizens should always be skeptical, and maintain the attitude of “prove it.”

Perhaps the finest quote ever about Public Defenders came from Judge Gersten in a Florida case from 1991. He said:

"Public Defenders stand alone, armed only with their wits, training and dedication. Inspired by their client's hope, faith and trust, they are the warriors and valkyries of those desperately in need of a champion. Public Defenders, by protecting the downtrodden and the poor, shield against the infringement of our protections, and in reality, protect us all."

Feed the Frog!

2008-04-08T06:49:00.000-07:00

The toughest part of a political campaign is fundraising. I think most people, including myself, are reluctant to ask others for money. But my race for Public Defender covers three large counties that have a combined total of over 450,000 voters. We haven't had a Public Defender election in this circuit since 1976 and therefore many people are not aware that they will be voting for this office. And while I have worked hard over the past twenty-three years to earn a solid reputation for vigorous and professional work, we have a host of new residents who have never heard of me or the job. If want to be elected, I am going to have raise a significant amount of money just to address basic voter education about this race.

A few weeks ago, Ambassador Leidel held a small fundraiser for me at the Landings. His delightful wife Bev brought out a wire frog with a gaping mouth to be used to collect contributions. At the end of the evening, Bev presented Regina and I with the frog to use for future events. This past weekend, Bob and Suzanne Atwell hosted a fundraiser for me at their lovely home on Bird Key. It had been a wet weekend in Sarasota and there was an 80% chance of rain for Sunday. The reception was scheduled from 5-7 and I must confess that I said a little prayer that the rain would hold off until 7:30. Fortunately, whatever the reason, the deluge waited until after most of the guests had come and gone. I am delighted to report that it was a huge success. Over one hundred people turned out for shrimp, cheese, drinks and to hear me speak. As you can see from the above picture, the frog was filled to capacity. Thank you to everyone who made the event a success, including the Atwells, my host committee, the Sarasota Democratic Party, and to my guests. If you would like to help "feed the frog," please visit my main web-page at www.Adam4pd.info, as I am now set up to take online contributions.

I have been speaking a lot lately and I have a major address at the Sarasota Democratic Club on Saturday, April 12. Each time I get the opportunity to talk, I learn something from the experience. I have been speaking about the Consitution, the relationship between the citizen and their government, the history of the Public Defender's Office, our local criminal justice system, and the success of the Drug Court program. I am trying to engage my audience to enter into a conversation about criminal justice so that together we can decide our priorities. I have been receiving excellent and thoughtful questions from people that cause me to constantly seek out additional knowledge so as to be better prepared to answer. I believe that campaigning should be a dynamic experience where I learn as much about the community as they learn about me. So if you see me out on the trail, do not hesitate to let me know what is on your mind. Of if you belong to a club or church or neighborhood association that would like to know more about criminal justice, please get in touch with me with an e-mail to Adam@Adam4pd.info and I will be happy to come visit.

Four thousand, six hundred and fifty two

2008-04-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

That was the number of signed petitions that I needed from the citizens of DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties in order to qualify for the ballot. The deadline was yesterday, March 31, 2008, and it looks like we made it with room to spare. Let me tell you, this was not an easy process to complete. For starters, these petitions are a little complicated and require a date, an address and a date of birth or voter registration number in order to be validated. Some people are a little leery of signing, and others have illegible handwriting. The Supervisor of Elections in each county has to validate each petition and will quite properly disqualify those not up to par.

Regina and I started collecting petitions in October. Our first big event was “E-Fest” where we collected almost 150 during the afternoon. We continued our work until January, when we realized that despite our efforts we were not quite half way home, and that time was running out. Fortunately, there are a lot of wonderful people and clubs throughout our tri-county area. On January 29, the day of the primary election, there were folks at almost every precinct in the region collecting petitions. The Democratic Clubs in Venice, North Port, Sarasota and Anna Maria Island went to work. The Manatee and Sarasota Democratic Executive Committees encouraged their members to help. And people used the power of the Internet to encourage others to download, sign my petition and send them to me. Pretty soon it was like Christmas at my home as my mailbox filled up with envelopes from voters I have not yet met. I would like to thank every single citizen who signed, and would like to especially thank all the volunteers who made this possible. Thanks to your efforts this will save my campaign a filing fee of over nine thousand dollars.

We had an excellent week in addition to the petitions. Perhaps our favorite event was attending the Parrish Heritage day parade. A small rural community in northeast Manatee County, Parrish finds itself increasingly surrounded by development. Along the parade route were small signs that read “Save Parrish.” People were very friendly and in a good mood as we watched the Lakewood Ranch Marching band, a contingent from the Southeast Guide Dogs, and a bevy of golf carts, firefighters and children with beads.

I also enjoyed my visit to the Spring Festival at Palmer Ranch to benefit the Child Protection Center. A large crowd enjoyed bands, vendors and classic cars on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. On Sunday we attended the annual concert “Give Hunger the Blues” on Hillview Street behind Sarasota Memorial. Then it was off to the opening ceremony for the “Embracing Our Differences” at Island Park. Large posters contain colorful artwork and meaningful quotations, most of which have been provided by area students. Let me also thank the great students at the beautiful Venice campus of Manatee Community College who turned out for my lectures there last week, the people of North Port who turned out for the “meet and greet” Saturday night, and the Longboat Key Democratic Club for the fun party on Sunday.

One of my major fundraisers for this campaign will be held this Sunday, April 6 on Bird Key. If you would like to attend, or make a contribution, please check out my newly revamped webpage at www.Adam4pd.info. I have added a lot of photos, video and an events page so that you can keep up with my activities. Drop me a line at Adam@Adam4pd.info if you would like further information.

A Fair Experience

2008-03-25T13:14:00.001-07:00

I spent much of last week at the Sarasota County Fair. The Democratic Party had rented a booth and staffed it with volunteers. Candidates were encouraged to put in some hours, meet voters, and get petitions signed. After a rainy start on March 14, the weather improved and attendance picked up throughout the week. Hundreds of voters stopped by the booth to visit. Some had witty comments, others had good questions, and most signed petitions and took literature. This is a great example of democracy in action. Citizens are free to engaged their elected representatives or those who hope to govern.

The Fair is also a good reminder of Sarasota's agricultural heritage. Throughout the week I would take breaks and wander through the various exhibits. The hardest working people there were the young members of the 4H or the FFA, and their parents. There were displays to set up, hogs to bathe, cattle to feed, and rabbits, roosters and gerbils to tend. We sometimes forget that big stretches of the county remain working farms. The fair is a helpful reminder of all the contributions these folks make to our community.

In addition to the fair, I had a great time at the Anna Maria Island Democratic Club celebration on St. Patrick's Day. The club was celebrating their 20th anniversary and some of the founders were around to enjoy the festivities. I just returned from addressing the Arcadia Rotary Club. I would like to thank all the members of the service organizations for the courtesies they have extended to me throughout the campaign. Tonight I am off to a New College Alumni networking event. On Wednesday I will be at MCC in Venice before heading to the Florida Association of Women Lawyers judicial reception. On Thursday I might see you at the Sarasota County Bar Association luncheon. And on Saturday I will begin the day at the Parrish Heritage parade before stopping by the Spring Festival at Palmer Ranch on my way to a meet and greet at Heron's Creek in North Port. Maybe I will see you Sunday at "Give Hunger the Blues" on Hillview, "Embracing our Differences" at Island Park, or the Longboat Key Art Center on Sunday evening.

Clarence Gideon and the Public Defender's Office

2008-03-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

I have filmed a series of videos to enhance my campaign for Public Defender. In the first video I tell the story of Clarence Gideon whom we consider to be the father of the public defender's office. The video is about two minutes long, should be considered a paid political advertisement approved by my campaign, and can be viewed below:

Adam Tebrugge Democratic Candidate for Public Defender, 12th Circuit DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties

An Eventful Week

2008-03-17T09:14:00.001-07:00

You might think that during my first full week of "retirement" that I would find five minutes to unpack some boxes, but you would be wrong. I am not complaining, however, because it was a great week's worth of campaigning and events. On Monday I was a guest on Cliff Roles' radio program. My friend, Professor Brooke Butler, was supposed to join in over the phone, but a series of errors limited her appearance to the final few minutes. You might be able to listen to the program at this link http://www.cliffroles.com/Adam%20Tebrugge,%20Brooke%20Butler.mp3 (cut and paste into your browser window).

Carl Hiaasen came to town on Wednesday to deliver a talk on civility to a crowd of around 400 people packed into the Chelsea Center in Sarasota. If you are not familiar with Hiaasen, he writes a serious newspaper column for the Miami Herald, and satirical novels about the desecration of the State of Florida. He kept the lunch crowd enthralled with one over the top story after another about crooked politicians, greedy lunatics, and burglar eating alligators. Half the audience was laughing so hard they could barely eat, while the other half looked like they lost their appetite.

I had an enjoyable dinner with the members of the Venice-Englewood Bar Association on Thursday evening as we listened to Judges Whatley and Casanueva from the Second District Court of Appeal tell us about the latest developments. The Sarasota County Fair opened on Friday, and I had signed up to work the Democratic booth, figuring there would be a big crowd. Alas it was a rainy evening and a crowd of politicians huddled and talked together because there were no fairgoers to greet.

On Saturday morning I was welcomed by members of the Lido Beach Neighborhood Association and was able to get about 40 petitions signed. Saturday afternoon was the annual meeting of the Sarasota chapter of the ACLU. Then it was off to Lakewood Ranch for the first big event of the Adam Tebrugge campaign. The Stonewall Democrats and the Sarasota-Manatee Young Democrats had arranged a showing of the film "Deadline" at the lovely and new Lakewood Ranch cinema. A group of about 60 people gathered to watch this powerful film about the death penalty in Illinois and Governor Ryan's commutation of sentence for all death row inmates. Afterwards we enjoyed a relaxed reception that had been expertly catered by Katrenia DuBose (Call her at 941 376 6060). It was a fun evening that helped create some excitement about my campaign and we also raised a bit of money.

On Sunday evening Ambassador Don Leidel, his wonderful wife Bev, and delightful daughter Katy, hosted a reception for me at The Landings. About 25 of their friends turned out to hear me speak and support the campaign. The Leidels were absolutely gracious hosts and put out a lavish spread of delicacies for our enjoyment. Regina and I could not have asked for a better evening. The picture above shows me with the Leidels in their lovely apartment at the end of the evening.

Maybe this week I will see you a the Sarasota County Fair or I might even sneak out to a Spring Training game.

Allow Me To Say Thank You (AMTSTY):

2008-03-09T15:40:00.001-07:00

AMTSTY to my legal assistant, Linda. Linda took care of me for many years. She is the heart of the Public Defender’s Office. She is a problem-solver, she is patient, she is compassionate, she gets things done. Much of my success has been because of Linda’s efforts. When I resigned, she insisted on putting together a “retirement” party. She organized the event, sent out all the invitations, provided a cake, and probably had something to do with the very nice plaque I received. Linda you are the best and you always will be.

AMTSTY to the hundred or so coworkers, lawyers, judges, friends and family, who showed up for the party Friday evening, ignoring the wind and thunderstorms in order to help me celebrate.

AMTSTY to Elliott Metcalfe, who hired me out of law school, stayed loyal to me throughout the years, entrusted me with the biggest cases, and said some nice things about me last Friday.

AMTSTY to the North Port Democratic Club, and the Sarasota Democratic Club, who have worked tirelessly all weekend collecting petitions for my campaign so that I can be on the ballot this November.

AMTSTY to the voters I met at the North Port business expo, the Hispanic festival in downtown Sarasota, and the festival of Jewish foods, who took the time to chat with me, sign my petition, and offer their encouragement.

Candidates, A Caucus, A Common Cause

2008-03-03T04:38:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned, the best thing about campaigning is attending the events, meeting new people and learning of wonderful projects taking place in the community. Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of attending the Rotary banquet in Arcadia, where the work of three key religious figures in the community was honored. On Wednesday I was given the privilege of introducing Federal District Judge James Whittemore at the Manatee County Bar. I then traveled to the Beach Bistro to hear Bob Edgar, the new national director of Common Cause, speak on their attempts to minimize the influence of money on the political process. That evening, the Booker High School Gospel choir kicked off an entertaining and education program celebrating Black History month at the U.S.F. Sarasota/Manatee campus.

Saturday was the Democratic caucus to select our local delegates to the national convention. Hundreds of committed voters made the journey to Lakewood Ranch to cast their ballots. Inside the hall candidates passed out cookies and conversation, trying to woo any uncommitted voters. No money involved, just pure democracy in action. On Sunday night the Sarasota Democratic party held our Kennedy-King banquet which is the major fundraiser of the year. Almost three hundred people were in attendance to hear Florida' Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink speak. She gave a delightful and inspiring talk with lots of local references about the resurgence of the local party. At the end of the evening, all the candidates gathered on stage for the photograph that you see above. From left to right you see Barry Sullivan who is our candidate for Supervisor of Elections, Curt Lavarello our Sheriff's candidate, CFO Alex Sink, myself, Representative Keith Fitzgerald, County Commission candidate Jono Miller, Congressional candidate Christine Jennings, Charter Review Board candidate Ray Porter, and candidate for State House of Representatives District 55, Charles McKenzie.

Monday was an exciting yet melancholy day, my final day of employment as an Assistant Public Defender. I packed up the remnants of my office, said goodbye to a few close friends, and feeling a bit numb, I carried my last box to the car. Fortunately I had the Planned Parenthood banquet to attend which distracted me from my emotions as we enjoyed a very funny performance by the satirical musical group, the Capital Steps. It looks like I will be even busier now that I am "retired." This morning I was a guest on the radio program, "It's Your Gavel," attended a networking lunch in Bradenton, and have a board meeting and two election day parties to attend tonight. Hopefully I will see you at my big party on Friday, March 7 at Freds' on Osprey, beginning at 5:30.

First Appearance on the Scales of Justice

2008-02-25T03:03:00.000-08:00

Well I just got off the scales and I have lost five pounds. Campaigning involves the proper balance between banquets, exercise and energy. I experienced all of the above this past week.

When I last wrote, I had just left a luncheon with Jim Davis, a recent candidate for Governor of the State of Florida. I left Anna Maria Island in the far north-western portion of the circuit, stopped briefly at home to post on this blog, then headed one hour south to North Port to speak to the Democratic club there. North Port is a place where the voters are energized and ready to turn out and be heard this fall. I plan on spending a lot of time there.

A lot of people don't realize that the Public Defender's Office shows up for Court 365 days a year in Manatee and Sarasota County. After a person is arrested, they have a hearing called "First Appearances" within 24 hours. At this hearing, the Judge decides if the person can be released, has to be supervised, should have to post bond, or should be held in jail. I did First Appearances on Tuesday, partly to remind myself how much reform needs to take place in these hearings. Today the Sarasota Herald Tribune ran an important article about how scarce jail resources are being used to incarcerate the homeless. The article may be found by cutting and pasting the following link into your browser: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080225/NEWS/802250460

On Wednesday, I attended the ceremony put on by the Wilson-Wood and Community Foundations to honor the unsung heroes of our area. This was an inspirational evening because these folks demonstrated how much positive impact an individual can have upon others. Lunch on Thursday was spent at Tiger Bay watching a debate between the candidates for Supervisor of Elections, probably one of the hottest races in the area this year.

The Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce celebrated their first anniversary with a lovely banquet at the newly opened Arosa restaurant on First Street. Things ran a little slow but the food was worth the wait. We had to duck out before the speeches, however, because we were due in Venice early the next morning to participate in a walkathon to benefit the United Way of South Sarasota County. In the picture above you can see Regina, my legal assistant Linda, and myself, as we set out on our four-mile walk. Our little team raised $300 to benefit the local charities supported by the United Way.

Following the walk, I had to make a mad dash up to Tampa to be interviewed by the West Central Florida Federation of Labor. Then it was back home to get cleaned up in time for a meet and greet between Democratic candidates and voters in my local precinct. There was just enough time to walk the dog before we headed to the Hyatt for the annual banquet to benefit the Westcoast Center for Human Development School. Bishop Henry Porter was in rare form, singing and dancing with the Love Campaign. If you don't know about and support Westcoast--you should. On Sunday I joined the Reverend James Golden and his congregation at Ward Temple AME for a celebration of Black History month. Is it any wonder that I was too tired to make it to the Rubonia Mardis Gras?

I just walked back from the League of Women Voter's lunch at the library presentation on global warming. Maybe this week I will see you at the Rotary banquet in Arcadia, the Manatee County Bar Association lunch, or the Kennedy-King dinner on Sunday evening. Hopefully those banquets and pounds will continue melting away!

The Sarasota Public Defender’s Office

2008-02-19T06:33:00.000-08:00

What follows is an article that Elliott Metcalfe and I collaborated on for publication by the Sarasota County Bar Association in the late 1990's.

"Equal justice under the law" is the maxim that guides the attorneys of the Public Defender’s Office of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit. Until the early 1960’s, indigent persons charged with non-capital crimes had no recognized right to a court-appointed attorney. The United States Supreme Court changed that in 1963 in the case of Gideon v. Wainwright. Gideon, a Florida inmate, successfully argued that his conviction was constitutionally infirm because he was not given an attorney at trial.

As a result of the Gideon decision, the State of Florida quickly established the first state-wide public defender system. Governor Ferris Bryant appointed Walter Talley to be the first public defender of the twelfth judicial circuit. At that time the Twelfth Circuit was comprised of Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties as well as Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Glades and Hendry.

The public defender position was initially considered to be “part-time.” Joanne Miller, who has worked here since the beginning, recalls that “we were flooded with mail from every jail in the circuit and didn’t know where to begin.” Jim Gardner was elected as the second public defender and took office in 1972. Elliott Metcalfe, who had worked for both Talley and Gardner, was elected as the third public defender in 1976 and continues to serve in that position today.

The “part-time” public defender position has now grown into four offices, eighty employees, forty attorneys and an extensive law library. The budget for the office has increased from a few thousand dollars initially to a current expenditure of 4.2 million dollars. (Note: the budget and the size of the staff are now considerably larger) The office is now responsible for the defense of all indigent persons who are threatened with a loss of liberty. This includes felony offenses, misdemeanors, juveniles and those facing commitment to a mental hospital. The office has also assisted in providing CLE training for local attorneys with the assistance of the Sarasota County Bar Association and the local chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Attorneys from the office have frequently been on the cutting edge of criminal law developments. Elliott Metcalfe personally argued some of Florida’s first capital cases after the death penalty was reinstated in 1973. Other note-worthy battles have included the fight against the “DUI bumper-sticker.” Presently, one of our felony attorneys may have a hundred or more active cases at one time. It is our goal to provide high quality legal services to every client that the Court appoints us to represent.

An Honorable Man

2008-02-18T12:24:00.000-08:00

Jim Davis spoke at the Anna Maria Democratic Club today. This was one of his first public appearances since losing the Florida Governor's race in 2006. Now working as an attorney with the law firm of Holland and Knight, Jim has recently turned 50, and has just returned from the Middle East. He has not endorsed any of the Democratic candidates for President but seemed satisfied that either Obama or Clinton would represent a major improvement for the country.

Davis served as a Congressman from Tampa for a decade, and has a keen grasp of substantive policy issues. He used his talk to stress the necessity of energy independence for this country. He believes that a new administration will help reclaim the respect American once received from the other nations of the world. Jim also addressed the issue of health care. During his campaign for Governor, Davis had encountered children in Florida who needed dentures because of having no access to dentists.
He argued that improving this access was an imperative for us all.

The large audience at the Beach House greeted Jim warmly and was left inspired by his thought. Jim Davis was an honorable representative of the people of Florida. When asked about his plans for the future, he would look no further than getting lunch for his son Peter who accompanied him. I will remain hopeful that we have not seen the last of Jim in the governmental arena. He would make a fine candidate for Florida Democrats to run against Mel Martinez.

Trolling for Votes

2008-02-17T14:50:00.001-08:00

I spent most of the weekend at the wonderful Fish Festival in historic Cortez, Florida. Cortez is just about the last remnant of old Florida that can be fund on the southwest coast. Lovely and functional homes are found on the tree lined streets that lead to the docks. As you enter the festival you are greeted with a line of vendors selling every variety of seafood. As you make your way down the crowded street you come across the artists and the stage area where people ate while they listened to bluegrass. A little farther down was a petting zoo that contained quite the menagerie including a large tortoise. And next to the injured birds of prey, the Manatee County Democratic party had a booth.

Quite a few people dropped by to visit us at the booth. I collected over 150 petitions over the course of two days. There is a lot of excitement over the Democratic presidential candidates, but there is no consensus yet. Both Obama and Clinton had a lot of supporters, and we quickly ran out of buttons and bumper-stickers. The snow birds down from Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin were delighted with the weather and eager to talk politics, but couldn't help me with the petitions. I met voters from every corner of Manatee County, as well as quite a few from Sarasota. It was great to discuss criminal justice with people, and hear everyone's concerns and suggestions for improvement.

It had already been a busy week, beginning last Sunday when I attended a reunion of local New College alumni. Monday morning was the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce kickoff breakfast with more then 400 people in attendance. On Tuesday evening I went to the Bayou Oaks neighborhood association and met the 50 or 60 folks who had turned out on a rainy night.
Wednesday morning was the Sarasota County Civic League meeting in the morning, and the Democratic Executive Committee meeting and candidate forum that lasted until 9:30 in the evening. On Valentine's Day Regina and I were delighted to see The Limelighters in concert in a benefit for WSLR community radio, the Suncoast partnership to End Homelessness, and Family Promise. Finally, on Friday, I attended a talk about HISA, a Jewish organization that assists immigrants and refugees throughout the world. It was an excellent presentation by Mark Hetfield and I learned more about the situation in Darfur.

I hope to see you this week, as I visit the Democratic Clubs in Anna Maria and North Port, attend the Puerto Rican banquet Friday night, the United Way walkathon in Venice Saturday morning, and the Westcoast showcase and banquet on Saturday night.

The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee

2008-02-10T06:43:00.000-08:00

I have a long history with the University of South Florida. Growing up in Tampa, I remember being driven onto the campus as it took shape not far from Busch Gardens. My mother worked there for many years as an academic advisor and occasional teacher and when she retired a tree was planted to honor "Mother USF." During her tenure, she alerted me to an obscure branch campus of the University in Sarasota that had taken over a struggling liberal arts school called "New College." The diploma that I just took down from my office wall confirms that I graduated from New College of the University of South Florida.

I must admit that back in the day the younger New College students were not always polite to the commuter students who attended U.S.F and shared our campus. On the other hand, the administration in Tampa never knew quite what to make of the intelligent yet erratic students who populated the Pei dorms in Sarasota. A few years ago, New College finally became independent again, and U.S.F. constructed a new campus on the grounds of the Crosley estate. Many fine people were upset with this choice of a location that abuts a residential area and resulted in the development of one of the last semi-wild areas along the bay-front. Now that the campus is complete, and has been open for two years, the contribution of U.S.F. to Sarasota and Bradenton is becoming clear. I had the pleasure of teaching there in the fall of 2006, and this past week had four contacts with the campus, the students and the faculty.

The Academy for Lifelong Learning has found a home on the new campus. On Monday I had the pleasure of lecturing to a group of twenty-five students of the silver haired variety. We covered the intersection of mental health and the law and I found myself peppered with questions over the course of the lively 90 minutes I spent with the class. Wednesday night I gave a talk on the death penalty at the Friends Meeting House. Prior to my talk, Professor Brooke Butler and a group of her research assistants asked me to join them at Carrabbas for dinner. They then surprised me by turning the dinner into a "retirement" party for me, shown in the photo at the top of this page with Dr. Butler in the bottom center of the picture.

Another important development at the U.S.F. Sarasota/Bradenton campus is the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership. A wise decision was made to hire David Klement, longtime editor at the Bradenton Herald, to head and develop the Institute. Klement hit the ground running, using his influence and connections to bring in Senator Bob Graham a few weeks ago, and partnering with the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice on their civility initiative. On Thursday night they presented a campaign school that was attended by 120 political hopefuls. We received presentations from the Supervisors of Elections, political consultants, and representatives of the print, mail, and television industries. Interestingly, much of what we heard on Thursday evening was called into question during a talk by Yale political scientist Gregory Huber on Friday afternoon. Entitled "A Skeptics Guide to Election Media Coverage," Huber argued that political science involves more than a close reading of newspapers. His thesis was that we should be skeptical of cause and effect analysis unless other contributing causes can be conclusively ruled out. And despite the political consultants, influence of money, and negative advertising, the most effective way to persuade a voter is good old face to face contact between the candidate and the voter.

Along those lines, I will be in DeSoto County Monday evening for the Democratice Executive Committee meeting, at the Sarasota County Civic League on Wednesday morning, attending the NAACP breakfast in Manatee County on Saturday, and soliciting petitions at the Cortez Fish Festival next weekend. Hopefully I will see you soon!

Pulling Diplomas off the Wall

2008-02-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

I started at the Sarasota Public Defender’s Office on December 28, 1984. I had just turned 23 on December 7, than graduated from F.SU. Law on December 18. Due to my previous experience as a certified legal intern, there was already a crowd of clients waiting for me when I walked in the door, I walked over to Court with them trailing behind me, and found Judge Becky Titus on the bench. “Go easy on me Judge,” I said, “it’s my first day.” “Well it’s my first day too,” she replied, “let’s get to work.”

Back then we occupied a one story building right on Main Street and still practiced in what is now known as the historic courthouse. I had an office right off the reception area with a big glass window that allowed me to see the comings and goings of everyone on the street. Later that first week, a client vomited on my desk, and then passed out on the floor, and I never did quite get the odor out of there. I slept in my AMC Pacer the first two nights until Cyndi Berry found out and insisted that I stay with her until I found a place of my own.

That place turned out to be Halton Court, just one block north of the office, which was good because the Pacer soon stopped running. I could walk home for lunch, and soon my apartment became the unofficial after work stopover. Jon Weifenbach, Katie Kirwin and my future wife to be, Regina, would drink Busch beer because it was permanently on sale for $1.99 a six-pack. On May 22, 1985, during a long day in Court, I went back to the apartment during a break to find my notice from the Florida Bar that I could be sworn in as an attorney. I raced back to Court and had Judge Titus do the honors before we moved on to the next case.

We had one more move at the office before finally relocating to our new building. Weiffenbach and I had to share an office that had apparently been a restroom in a previous incarnation and still had plumbing fixtures coming out of the walls. Regina was in a back closet that was truly only big enough for two people at a time to enter. Either Jon or I would have to leave when the other had a client appointment, and Regina would kick us both out when she needed to do depositions. But our physical closeness built a strong sense of camaraderie and dedication to the cause.

In 1988, we moved onto the 5th floor of the Criminal Justice building on Ringling, where we remain to this day. My office had a panoramic view of north Sarasota, and from the other side of the building we could see a portion of the field at Payne Park where the Chicago White Sox were still playing. I remember the hallways and offices being thick with cigarette smoke, my friend David Blount would sometimes have two or three Marlboro 100s going at once. When the County announced that nobody was allowed to smoke in the building I thought Blount was going to quit.

This week I started sorting 20 years worth of case law, newspaper clippings and old photographs in preparation for my departure in early March. Memories of old clients, trials, and co-counsels have been overwhelming me all week. Fortunately I have been staying busy, giving talks to the Sunrise Rotary Club and the downtown Kiwanis on Friday. Maybe this week you will come here me speak about the death penalty on Wednesday night at the Sarasota Friends Meetinghouse, or I’ll see you at the U.S.F. campaign school on Thursday.

Democracy in Action -- North Port, Florida

2008-01-29T18:17:00.000-08:00

I spent the entire day Tuesday, January 29, outside of the George Mullins Community Center in North Port Florida. That is where the registered voters of precincts 106, 122 and 146 vote. Because of the huge turnout of early voters, we didn't really expect a busy day. That couldn't have been more wrong.
I arrived shortly after 7 am and it was cold and dark. Nevertheless, the parking lot was full and a mass of voters was already inside. The sun came up and the day grew warm, windy and bright. The voters never stopped arriving. It was really impressive to see the young first time voters, the police officers, the firefighters, the construction workers, the delivery truck drivers, the elderly and the infirm, make their way inside to vote. There were times when the line of cars stretched back out onto the road and backed up traffic on US 41. Whenever I went inside to use the restroom, I saw exhausted poll workers patiently greeting each new voter.
I was there with members of the North Port Democratic Club, including Tom Jones, Kathy Williamson, and Jen Cohen, to collect signatures on petitions for all of our local candidates. As I have mentioned before, these petitions take a minute or two to fill out, and we were collecting for six candidates, including myself. Of course not everyone could take the time to stop, nor was everyone interested. But my primary sentiment at the end of the day is profound gratitude to all of the people who did take the time to stop, talk and sign. I haven't counted all of the petitions yet, but I'll bet I collected over two hundred. So to everyone in North Port tonight I say: Congratulations on turning out to vote, and Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Marching, Speaking and Voting for Justice

2008-01-28T12:10:00.000-08:00

Martin Luther King week activities continued in Sarasota on Sunday, January 20th, with a march from city hall, down Orange Avenue, and ending in the park named for the civil rights leader. The local media had not publicized this parade, and so there were several hundred participants but only a handful of spectators. In the photograph above I am clad in my new campaign tee-shirt and accompanied by Representative Keith Fitzgerald and the President of the Sarasota Democratic Club, Pat Liebert. The local Democratic candidates then went to the beautiful Siesta Key home of Peggy Strml for a meet and greet. A large crowd turned out to hear Christine Jennings, Barry Sullivan, Curt Lavarello and Jono Miller speak. Photos of this event may be seen at: http://sarasotadems.org/galleries/mng-jan08/

Monday, January 21, was my busiest day yet. Regina and I began at the annual breakfast held at the Newtown Estates Community Center. A large crowd was treated to an excellent breakfast, music, awards and speeches. It was quite a drive from Newtown to the Beachhouse Restaurant where I attended the meeting of the Anna Maria Island Democratic Club in order to hear Dr. Susan McManus. I then headed to Lincoln Park in Palmetto to take place in some of the festivities there. Next up was an appearance at the Manatee County fair where I worked the Democratic booth for a while, and made the acquaintance of a variety of fair goers and workers. Then back to Sarasota to finish up with music and barbecue in the park, while I continued to gather petition signatures.

As you can imagine, I was a little tired on Tuesday. But I made it to Nokomis where their lively Civic Association has quarterly meetings. On Wednesday night I attended a discussion on religion and politics at the Unitarian Church. Thursday saw the return of Senator Bob Graham as he addressed the Sarasota County Bar Association on the subject of judicial independence. We also celebrated Regina's birthday with a lovely meal at Derek's in the Rosemary District.

There was a court appearance on my schedule Friday morning that I managed to wrap up in time to head to Venice for a meeting of the newly formed South County Tiger Bay. Representatives from Venice, North Port, Sarasota County and the regional water agencies tried to reassure the audience that there is no serious water problem in the area. Many people had a rather skeptical reaction. Later Friday, Dr. Bernice King gave an inspirational speech to about 350 people gathered to support the Newtown Front Porch Revitalization Campaign. The banquet, at the Hyatt, featured easily the best meal I have yet had at a function like this. It was also nice to see some old friends honored, like Wade McVay from the Sarasota Police Department.

My big event Saturday was a speech at the Venice Democratic Club. Around 80 people turned out to hear me discuss the history of the public defender's office, the local criminal justice system, and my campaign. I was really overwhelmed by the level of attention and interest this talk generated, as we continued a lively discussion well into the afternoon. On Sunday, January 27, I participated in the forum put on by the Coalition on Inclusion and Diversity. The small group workshop I attended help open my eyes to some of the challenges faced by disabled citizens. Regina and I finished this busy week by heading to Rhea Chiles gallery on Anna Maria to see the beautiful new show by Jean Blackburn, and support the friends of Myakka River.

Don't forget to vote tomorrow. Even if you are not a registered Democrat or Republican, there is still an important and misguided constitutional amendment to vote against. Supervisors of Elections throughout the State of Florida are reporting a strong turnout already, thanks to early voting. I will be outside the precincts located at the Mullins Center in North Port if you want to stop by and say hello. I have given notice to my office that I will be leaving on March 3 so I can campaign full time.

Celebrating the legacy of Dr. King

2008-01-20T10:15:00.001-08:00

You may recall that in the 1980’s, there was controversy over whether to have a holiday honoring the late Martin Luther King, Jr. In retrospect it is even tougher to understand the debate. In Manatee and Sarasota counties, the celebration of the birth, life and works of Dr. King has evolved into one of the most successful annual examples of unity that we experience in this area.
A favorite event of mine is the Palmetto Youth Center banquet that took place on Friday, January 18. This dinner inside the gymnasium allows several hundred people to join together to celebrate the good works of people who strive to create a true sense of community. Each year we also get to hear local students deliver their winning speeches on topics related to the life of the civil rights icon. The question posed this year was “Has the Dream Been Realized.” The audience fell quiet as we listened to the litany of progress accomplished and gains yet to be made.
On Saturday I was privileged to participate in one of the largest parades south of the Skyway Bridge. Hundreds of parade participants entertained thousands of spectators who lined the streets of Palmetto. I walked with the Manatee Democratic Executive Committee float, handing out small American flags, while the Reverend Charles McKenzie urged everyone to register and vote. Bands, politicians and floats proceeded at a brisk pace and I found myself running to keep up with the crew.
I couldn’t stay for the talent show at the Youth Center because it was time to go to candidate training in Sarasota. Running a campaign involves planning, fundraising and budgeting, all the while making sure you do not run afoul of the myriad of election laws. I had hoped to return to Manatee County to campaign at the Fair but I grew discouraged when the severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued. So instead I attended the unity service at St. Martha’s Catholic church in downtown Sarasota. I was raised in the Roman Catholic faith, served as an alter boy for many years, and attended Catholic boarding school in Colorado from the 9th through the 12th grades. One thing I had never seen before was an African American Baptist gospel choir perform at a Mass. The talented singers from the True Vine Baptist Church in Sarasota had the full congregation clapping, swaying and singing along.
It is hard to believe the weekend isn’t even half over. I am off to march in the Sarasota parade this chilly Sunday afternoon as we proceed from city hall to the MLK Park. On Monday Regina and I will attend the annual King day breakfast in Sarasota. From there I will head back to Lincoln Park in Palmetto, before finishing the day in Sarasota at the park. And this Friday night, which is also Regina’s birthday, we will be honored to hear Dr. Kings daughter, the Reverend Bernice King, at the Front Porch banquet. I thank everyone who has come together in the spirit of unity and justice to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy.

A Graham of Civility

2008-01-12T04:57:00.001-08:00

In the Spring of 1981, I was a nineteen year old student at New College when I was selected to be part of the Governor's internship program created by Bob Graham. I spent that semester in his press and speech-writing office where I worked under the direction of Jill Chamberlain, a member of New College's charter class of graduates. As part of my internship I was allowed to sit in on morning staff meetings with Governor Graham and to help write ceremonial speeches that he delivered around the state. This experience was a highlight of my college career. I felt like I gained a practical understanding of state government, and that I also did a lot of growing up during that time in Tallahassee. As a direct consequence I decided to enroll in the Florida State University College of Law. This led directly to my return to Sarasota in 1984 as an assistant public defender.
Governor Graham went on to serve three terms in the United States Senate where he distinguished himself with his understanding of issues related to foreign affairs and intelligence. He coauthored an influential book in 2004 titled: "Intelligence Matters, the CIA, the FBI, Saudi Arabia and the Failure of America's War on Terror." Now 71 years old, Graham spoke at the Sarasota/Manatee campus of the University of South Florida on Friday, January 11. He was there as part of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice's initiative called "Civility Matters." He continues to display youthful facial features under a well kept mane of white hair, and was accompanied by his charming wife Adele who was called upon to help keep him in line on several occasions.
The primary message he now wished to convey is the debilitating effects of "hostile, predatory, pervasive partisanship. According to Graham, the great issues of our time are not being addressed because of failures of the political parties, the media, and "passive citizens." Graham wants to emphasize civic education in our schools in order to engage future voters with their community and their country. He suggests that presidential debates should focus on one issue at a time with the candidates being questioned by leading experts in the field so that they do not resort to "bumper sticker answers." And he agreed with Representative Keith Fitzgerald that nonpartisan redistricting of legislative districts could force politicians to address the needs of all of their constituents.
In addition to reconnecting with Senator Graham, I had a busy week in the courtroom and the community. I am busy litigating an important case in Sarasota that has many issues of interest and is requiring a lot of work from all sides. I was invited by Mark Johnson to address the Sarasota Sertoma club about issues surrounding our local criminal justice system. I found the club to be a wonderful mix of engaged people who are dedicated to staying informed and to serving others. I continue to speak out against the death penalty and had a large audience turn out to hear me on Wednesday evening in downtown Venice. And I attended meetings of the Suncoast Partnership to end Homelessness, the Sarasota County Bar Association, Sarasota Democratic Club, and addressed the voters of precinct 14 in Sarasota. Hopefully I'll see you this week at one of the many celebrations of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Peace of the New Year

2008-01-05T06:55:00.000-08:00

New Year’s day is also World Peace Day, and I attended the services at the beautiful St. Boniface Church on Siesta Key to commemorate the event. Sarasota has a vibrant peace and social justice community and there was a large and enthusiastic turnout. One message that is emphasized can be summed up in the words of the song: “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” That is, in order to effectuate change, we must be that change ourselves. We must practice peaceful behaviors in our day-to-day lives, in our workplace, and in our relationships. Together we can than transform our local community and ultimately our national and global communities as well.
Less peaceful, but a whole lot of fun, was the New Year’s Eve celebration in downtown Sarasota. The street parties of the past few years have done more to bring the community together than almost anything I can think of. People of all ages, colors and styles of dress, came together to enjoy music, fellowship and abundant beverages. Despite the intoxicants, we witnessed few anti-social behaviors. Instead, we joined in the dancing led by the band “My Friend Scott” who rocked the south end of Lemon Avenue. I give great credit to the organizers and sincerely hope that a way can be found to continue these parties in the years to come.
And what would New Year’s in Florida be without black-eyed peas? My mother always served these for good luck, and we have continued that tradition over the years. I have found that if you want good peas for the New Year, that it is a three-day process. Begin your soak on December 30th. Start your cooking on the morning of the 31st by bringing them close to a boil before reducing to a simmer. By that evening the peas will be edible, but simmer them all that night if you dare. On New Year’s Day they will be tender and flavorful, particularly with some chopped yellow onion and hot sauce.
I hope that my black-eyed peas will bring me some luck on the campaign trail in 2008. One way or another, I know this is going to be a big year for myself, and for all the candidates for public office. Campaigning was a little light over the holidays, but I am ready to shake off the cold I am presently suffering from, and start back up again next week. I still need to collect a couple of thousand petitions in order to qualify for the ballot. If you are willing, and a registered voter in Sarasota, Manatee or DeSoto counties, go to my web-site at www.adam4pd.info and click the “how you can help” link, and print one of my petitions, fill it out, and send it on to me. I really appreciate all of the support and encouragement that I have been receiving, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Tis the Season for Political Parties

2007-12-18T02:25:00.000-08:00

In the State of Florida, there are some elected positions that should probably be nonpartisan. Supervisor of Elections, State Attorney and Public Defender are examples of jobs where we want the most qualified candidate, not necessarily someone with a particular ideology. That being said, I really want to express my appreciation to the Democratic Clubs of Sarasota and Manatee counties. I ran for Circuit Court Judge in 2002, which is strictly nonpartisan. There were times when Regina and I felt very alone during that campaign. We had to do everything ourselves, whether it was send out invitations, host meet and greets, or buy the food and drink for a party. Things are different this time around.
The Democratic Club of Sarasota hosted its monthly meeting on December 8. Journalist Jim McCartney spoke to over one hundred people about his career covering various presidents. On Tuesday, December 11, I was given the opportunity to address the Longboat Key Democratic Club, where I shared the podium with Congressional candidate Christine Jennings and the editor of the Sarasota Herald Tribune's opinion page, Tom Tryon. Thursday found Regina and I at Sunset Towers in the heart of Precinct One, for a lovely party hosted by Jan Holmes, Dwight Hoover, and Marcella and Art Levin. From there we headed over to O’Malley’s for party hosted by the Sarasota/Manatee Young Democrats.
On Friday evening I made my way through a deluge to get to the North Port Democratic Club holiday dinner held at the Family Table restaurant. Saturday I headed south again to join the Englewood Democratic Club's holiday luncheon. I bought raffle tickets, as is customary, and was then asked to draw the winning ticket. Did you ever get that feeling that you were going to win the prize right before your number is called? That happened to me and there might be better election strategies than choosing your own raffle ticket in a contested drawing. I ended the week at a lovely potluck dinner hosted by the Venice Area Democratic Club inside the community center of Venetian falls. Thanks again to all the hard working members of these clubs who put on such wonderful affairs.
I must also thank the Lakewood Ranch Business Association who welcomed me to their Main Street festival; Conexion Latina where I made many new friends (and won the door-prize, a great barbecue kit); the Manatee County Bar Association whose Holiday party featured great food, drink, and a lot of old friends, and the hospitality of Captain Wayne Genther where I finished Saturday with the great crew from WSLR. I would like to wish you and your family a safe and joyful end of the year.

Many Anniversaries

2007-12-09T15:05:00.001-08:00

Friday, December 7, marked the 66th anniversary of the attack upon Pearl Harbor. It was also the 46th anniversary of the day I was born in Tampa, Florida. I began the day at the League of Women Voters, Pancake and Politics, with Florida House of Representative Keith Fitzgerald, and fellow birthday boy Representative Doug Holder. It was also Sarasota County Commissioner Jon Thaxton's birthday, but he wasn't there. From there I went to Cafe Bacci to address the Association of Private Investigators. That afternoon I collected petitions at the holiday party of my friends, attorneys Darren Finebloom and David Haenel. Next I walked over to Assesment and Psychotherapy Services to attend the party of Dr. Eddy Regnier. Finally, Regina and I finished the evening at the home of Mark and Jenny Famiglio for the Florida Association of Woman Lawyers holiday party. It was truly a memorable birthday!
Saturday, December 8, Regina and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. I cooked her breakfast before hitting the Democratic Club of Sarasota luncheon, where Jim McCartney gave an entertaining and informative talk. After a quick nap, we headed out to the friends of Myakka River State Park picnic and bluegrass party, where the the above self-portrait was taken. We then headed to the Palmer building for the Cattleman Association's dinner and dance. They provided an excellent meal, friendly people, and a great dance band for us to celebrate.
Earlier in the week I taped another episode of "Law and Sarasota," attended a fund-raiser for Florida Red and Blue, went to a Democratic pot-luck dinner in Cortez, attended the breakfast for the Mental Health Community Centers, and met a bunch of nice people from Riverwalk at George Spector's building party at 1800 2nd Street. This month I also celebrate my 23rd anniversary of working for the Public Defender's Office of the 12th Judicial Circuit, which means I officially have spent half my life there. Maybe I'll see you this week at Conexion Latina, the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, or the Manatee County Bar Association party.

Cesar Chavez, at the Gateless Gate, with a Red Ribbon

2007-12-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

Prior to Thanksgiving I had an opportunity to speak at the South Venice Civic Association. That was convenient because I was headed to Venice to discuss my career with students in Jake Jacoby’s class at MCC. Regina and I then headed to Cleveland, where it was 34 degrees and sleeting upon our arrival. We had a special dinner with her parents as they celebrated their 60th anniversary. There was also time to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and to play in the snow. We returned to Tampa in time to join our children Mike and Jessie at Raymond James stadium to watch the Bucs hold on to beat the Washington Redskins.
I was fortunate to attend the Cesar Chavez Memorial dinner sponsored by the Sarasota/Manatee Farm-worker Supporters, on November 26. The Golden Apple Dinner provided excellent food and service, and my friends Jim Delgado and Luz Corcuera
were honored for their leadership in the Hispanic community. There was also a presentation of a powerful one-act play, “Earth and Dust,” written by Corinne Fleisher. I finished the evening at New College discussing my campaign with some of the students I hope to enlist as volunteers.
On Tuesday, November 27, there was an excellent presentation at the Community Foundation about improving the strategic planning process for Boards. This was put on by the Non-Profit Resource Center which continues to provide extremely valuable services to many civic and charitable organizations. For further information, visit their web-site at http://www.cfsarasota.org/NonprofitCenter/tabid/53/Default.aspx. That night I was at the Manatee County Democratic Executive Committee meeting to see first hand the leadership of C.J. Czaia, Vicki Waters and Sasha Taurke.
Wednesday found me at the Manatee County Bar Association luncheon where we heard presentations about Teen Court and the Substance Abuse Coalition. That evening was spent at the Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence (SCOPE) appreciation party at the lovely Art Center. On Thursday I attended the holiday party at Flemings sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division of the Sarasota County Bar Association. Most of the evening, however, was spent at the Rosemary District walking around, seeing the new businesses, and getting petitions signed.
After making the rounds of a few holiday parties on Friday, I went over to the Quaker meeting-house. Abbott K.C. Walpole of the Gateless Gate Zen Center in Gainesville gave a powerful talk about prison reform. I had the opportunity to work with Abbot Walpole on a case earlier this year. He uses meditation techniques to achieve stress reduction amongst inmates and staff at several prisons, including Lowell correctional facility for women. He is shown in the picture with me at the top of this blog entry.
On Saturday I began my day at the Council of City Neighborhood Associations. I then put on my red ribbon and headed over to Ringling College of Art to honor World Aids Day. Michael Kehoe had worked tirelessly with others to put together a Health and Wellness Exposition at the College and Martin Luther King park. I left in the middle of the afternoon to attend the immigration forum held at Sudakoff Center. Over a hundred people turned out to hear a very serious discussion on this hot topic, and I managed to meet and speak with a number of them. I had hoped to continue petition gathering at the Christmas paraded but found myself just too exhausted to carry on.
This week Regina and I will celebrate my 46th birthday and our 11th wedding anniversary. Maybe we will see you at the Friends of Myakka Park picnic, or at Pancakes and Politics, or one of the many parties taking place.

From Anna Maria to Arcadia, From Ellenton to Englewood

2007-11-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

I am running for Public Defender of the 12th Judicial Circuit. The 12th Circuit is all of DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota Counties. DeSoto County is approximately 640 square miles, and had an estimated population of 35,000 people in 2005. The county seat is located in Arcadia, which is the largest population center on the Eastern side of the 12th Circuit. There is a beautiful courthouse in Arcadia, and the DeSoto County jail is located nearby. The Public Defender's Office is located right in the courthouse.

Manatee County is approximately 893 square miles, and had a population of 262,000 people according to the census of 2000. Anna Maria is one of the westernmost cities of the 12th Circuit. The growing area of Ellenton is north of the Manatee River, with the lovely town of Parrish found a bit to the north and east. The Port Manatee Stockade serves as the Manatee County Jail, and a new courthouse is going up in downtown Bradenton. Presently the Public Defender's Office is located just a bit east on Manatee Avenue.

Sarasota County has 725 square miles, and an estimated population of 326,000 people according to the 2000 census. The beautiful Englewood straddles Charlotte County to the south, which is part of the 20th judicial circuit. There is a small courthouse located near Venice, but no jail or Court has been built in the fast-growing city of Northport. The main courthouse is located in downtown Sarasota, across the street from the historic courthouse, and the Sarasota County jail, which presently holds more than 1,000 inmates. The Public Defender's Office in Sarasota is located next door, on the 5th floor of the criminal justice complex, which also houses the Sheriff's Office and the State Attorney.

Public Speaking about Public Defending

2007-11-18T06:09:00.000-08:00

While it was a great week on the campaign trail, it was a bad week in the courtroom. Sunday was a busy Veteran’s Day. I started at the parade in downtown Sarasota and particularly enjoyed seeing the Booker High School ROTC contingent. From there I ventured out to Old Miacca where a fall festival was underway to benefit the historic schoolhouse. Afterwards there was a picnic at Red Rocks park featuring a speaker from “Veterans for Common Sense.” The day ended at the volunteer party for community radio station WSLR located at 96.5 on your FM dial. Gallery Billiards in Northgate hosted the affair and is a fabulous venue with a big stage, crisp sound and abundant lights. My new favorite band, the Hacienda Brothers from Tucson, Arizona, had everybody dancing within minutes.
The National Philanthropy Day luncheon on November 13 was eye-opening. Nearly 400 persons were in attendance to celebrate the good works of individuals and businesses from our area. On Wednesday I was at the Sarasota County Civic League where I heard Commissioner Nora Patterson make a compelling case against the property tax amendment we will all vote on in January. That evening I was invited to the First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota by Reverend Clayton Thomas to participate in the evening’s discussion on capital punishment. I am honored to speak at churches about my legal experiences, and I always learn as much from the audience as they do from me. On Thursday I enjoyed speaking to the members of the Southeast Manatee County Democratic Club at their lunch meeting at Peridia.
Meeting all the wonderful people of our three county judicial circuit helps me cope with days like Friday. While I knew it was likely that I would be sitting next to a young man sentenced to death, there is really nothing you can do to prepare yourself for the experience. This case in particular is a family tragedy of immense proportions and the legal system and the State of Florida failed the survivors by insisting on a death sentence. I can only take comfort in the fact that I did everything I could to prevent this from taking place.
I tried to recover my bearings by attending the Booker/Hardee playoff game Friday evening. It was a beautiful night, the food at Booker is some of the best in the area, and the Tornadoes prevailed in a tight defensive battle. On Saturday Regina and I attended E-Fest in search of signatures for our petitions so that I can qualify for the ballot. This was definitely the best E-Fest yet, held on the beautiful polo grounds of Lakewood Ranch, and with thousands of people in attendance. We tried not to be too intrusive in our signature gathering and we would like to thank everyone who was gracious enough to take a minute to speak with us. My petitions are now available online and if you are a registered voter in DeSoto, Manatee or Sarasota counties, I would be very grateful if you could download, sign and return a petition to me. My petition can be found at: http://www.sarasotadems.org/docs/adam-tebrugge.pdf
Regina and I ended another busy week in Englewood at the birthday party of our dear friend Kerry Mack. Even at a party, however, I was busy collecting petitions and hearing the concerns of citizens from south Sarasota County. With lots of family and travel plans this coming week, I will take a little break from the campaign trail. I wish you a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving.

Eating, Meeting, And Learning On The Campaign Trail

2007-11-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

My primary approach to campaigning is to go to as many events as possible throughout the three counties. Most of these events involve food and speeches. If you have a good appetite and a good attitude than you can really enjoy the experience.
Sunday, November 4, we began the day in Tampa with the Buccaneers beating the Arizona Cardinals. We had to leave the game a few minutes early to get back in time for the Democratic banquet that evening at Michaels on East. The keynote address was given by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, a dynamo out of South Florida. Her main job was to stoke the enthusiasm of the two hundred plus local Democrats in attendance, and she did her job well.
After work on Monday I went to the Community Foundation of Sarasota to hear Jack Levine describe the “Children Are Our Future Fund.” This fund gives donors an opportunity to use their IRAs to help a variety of Sarasota county programs, and further information can be found here: http://www.cfsarasota.org/NewsEvents/FullCircle/tabid/378/Default.aspx I then went to Metro Café for a special meeting of the Stonewall Democrats to learn about the Fairness for all Florida Families coalition, and their web site is found here: http://www.fairnessforallfamilies.org/coalition.html.
Wednesday night was the annual New College clambake. Your admission gets you access to beverages, salad and chowder bar, ribs, chicken and a large main lobster. Several hundred people were gathered on a chilly but lovely night on the bay-front. It was a great chance to see old friends and make some new ones. On Thursday night I went to the Sierra Club meeting to hear a presentation about the effects of global warming upon wildlife the world over.
Friday evening was the Red-Tie gala and silent auction at Ringling College of Art to benefit World Aids Day on December 1. There will be a variety of events at the college and at nearby MLK park to commemorate the day. The gala was a fun affair with plenty of hors d’oeuvres, music and conversation. I was even given a brief opportunity to speak.
Saturday’s lunch was the Sarasota Yacht Club with the Sarasota Democratic Club to hear Howard Simon, chair of the Florida ACLU. That afternoon we attended the wedding of the Reverend Charles McKenzie and Lorna Washington at the beautiful bay-front home of Dick and Caren Lobo.
As you can see, it was a fun and educational week and I will have to walk off any extra pounds I may have acquired. Maybe this week I’ll see you at a Veteran’s Day celebration, or out at Old Miacca, or at E-Fest on Sunday.

The Petition Process

2007-11-04T05:22:00.000-08:00

There are two ways to qualify for the ballot. The first is to pay a hefty filing fee. For the Public Defender race, that fee is nearly $10,000. I prefer the petition process. This involves collecting the signatures and voter information of your fellow citizens. I need almost 5,000 petitions from registered voters in DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties in order to qualify. The petitions are due by March 31, 2008. This means we need to collect a thousand a month to be successful. I like the petition process because it gives me a chance to meet voters, explain the Public Defender's Office to them, and ask for their support.
Yesterday Regina and I went to work gathering petitions. We started at the Sarasota Reading Festival. Now we try not to be too aggressive and infringe upon anyone's day, so we mostly looked for people in line, folks sitting down, and friends. It does take a minute or two to complete the petition, and you have to supervise the process in order to ensure that it is filled out properly. Most folks are agreeable, but not all, and we try to be understanding if denied.
After three hours at the Reading Festival it was off to the Blues Festival. For a minute I thought they might not less us bring our clipboards inside but security relented. People were having a good time listening to the music and eating, so we adopted a more passive approach. As it grew dark we put away the petitions and got close to the stage so we could better see and hear the legendary Buddy Guy.
When we counted the petitions up at the end of the day, we had collected around eighty valid signatures. If you see any candidate out with his or her clipboard, please consider taking a moment to help them out. Your signature does not consitute an endorsement or a pledge to vote a certain way. Running for office is a challenge and I'm always willing to sign someone elses' petition, based on my personal knowledge of all the effort involved.

Colman McCarthy at New College

2007-11-02T03:17:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to meet with, and listen to, veteran journalist and peace activist Colman McCarthy during his two days of appearances in Sarasota and Bradenton. McCarthy is well known from his days as a columnist for the Washington Post. On Thursday, November 1, he spoke with 300 students at Booker High School before heading over to New College for an informal conversation with the students there. He then spoke with a few of us at a reception, before finally addressing over a hundred citizens at the Sainer auditorium on the New College campus.
The title of his talk Thursday evening was "How to be an Effective Peacemaker." McCarthy reflected upon his time spent covering Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu and Mother Teresa. He pointed out that a journalist typically gets the most insightful responses at the end of an interview. The common message of peacemakers, he said, was to go to where the people are in order to solve conflict. McCarthy asked the audience how many people had taken a course in school on conflict resolution or peacemaking. Only one hand went up and it was that of a former student of his. McCarthy then offered one of his best known quotations: "Unless we teach our children peace, someone else will teach them violence." In the same vein, McCarthy pointed out that "It is much easier to raise a peaceful child than to reform a violent adult."
McCarthy now teaches courses at Georgetown law school, as well as at high schools throughout the Washington D.C. area. He related stories of taking his law students to women's shelters, to illustrate his point that "laws represent the failure of love, peace is the result of love." He also described bringing in the high school custodian from El Salvador to address the students who had previously treated her as invisible. McCarthy called upon the New College students to demand Peace Studies be offered at the school. Peace studies relates not just to the military, but to our private lives as well. The talk concluded with the obviously energized audience sharing their views on how we can all work together to build a more peaceful community.

On the Campaign Trail

2007-10-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

I am now a candidate for the Office of Public Defender. Campaigning is always an interesting experience, and I thought I would document some of that in this blog. Since announcing, I have been to the Nokomis Area Civic Association to hear Chief Judge Lee Haworth, to Tiger Bay to hear Speaker of the Florida House Marco Rubio, to the North Port Chamber of Commerce Hob Nob, to the Florida Democratic Convention in Orlando, and tonight to the "Amy awards" at the Golden Apple Dinner theatre honoring Rob Lorei.
The convention was great for a novice like myself. I met some talented people, picked up some free advice, and even enjoyed the speakers. The whole political process is a bit intimidating but at the convention you are surrounded by like minded people. People even ignored the Florida-Georgia football game in order to attend training sessions.
Maybe this week I'll see you at the Colman McCarthy talk on Thursday night at New College, or the Booker-Palmetto football game Friday night, or the Sarasota Reading Festival on Saturday, or at the Sarasota Blues-Fest Saturday night.