Picking up the Pace

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

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

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

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

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

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

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,