Corrupt Public Defender Selection Process
The right to a competent legal defense, without regard to income or social status, is a core progressive value. As you probably know, Monroe County is in the midst of selecting a new public defender. This community must ensure a qualified, competent defender is chosen. Today’s news that the Monroe County Bar Association is pulling out of the selection process should be an alarm bell for anyone that believes in core progressive principles. What’s more, we’ve discovered some questionable donations made to Legislature President Wayne Zyra.Â
As of right now, in 2009 there will be 15 County Legislature seats up for election. Of those, 7 seats are held by Democrats and 8 are held by Republicans. We’ve performed an analysis of those districts and determined 4 Republicans who may be suscepable to pressure.
Join us below the fold for all the details.
Looking back at this year’s elections, 2 Republican seats were flipped (6th and 8th). Both of those districts have less than 40% registered republicans. In the 6th district, 37% of voters are republicans, 31%Â Democrats and 24% are not registered in any party. The 8th district has 39% republicans, 28% Democrats and 26% are not registered in a party.
Therefore, we’ve concluded that if a district has less than 40% enrollment of the party holding the seat, the district may be vulnerable.
In 2009, none of the 7 districts held by democrats have less than 40% democratic enrollment. The republicans have 4 districts up in 2009 with more than 40% republican enrollment and 4 districts with less than 40% republican enrollment. These 4 districts with less than 40% republican enrollment should be targeted for the next two years.
In the 3rd LD, currently held by Mary Valerio (R), 39% of voters are Republican and 30% are Democratic, with 23% not registered in a party. With only a 9% republican registration advantage, and 23% registered as blank, this seat will be competitive.
In the 4th LD, currently held by Stephen Tucciarello (R), 37% of voters are Republican and 33% are Democratic, with 23% not registered in a party. With only a 4% republican registration advantage, and 23% registered as blank, this seat could be flipped.
In the 13th LD, currently held by Jack Driscoll (R), 37% of voters are Republican and 32% are Democratic, with 23% not registered in a party. With only a 5% republican registration advantage, and 23% registered as blank, this seat could be flipped.
In the 19th LD, currently held by Jeff McCann (R), 39% of voters are Republican and 30% are Democratic, with 23% not registered in a party. With only a 9% republican registration advantage, and 23% registered as blank, this seat will be competitive.
Every legislator should be told the public defender selection process must be merit based, not political. The panel recomending names to the Legislature should be composed of three judges, three lawyers (chosen by the bar association) and three community members. That’s the process used in 1977 and it worked well. There’s no reason to change it now, unless we want some political hack in the Public Defender’s office.
I implore all of our readers to contact their legislator, especially if you are represented by one of the four vulnerable legislator’s mentioned above (the 3rd, 4th, 13th and 19th LDs). Tell them we must use a nine member selection committee as detailed above.
You can find out who your legislator is by clicking here. Then you can either shoot them an email or give them a call by finding their contact info here.
No matter what district you live in, please contact Legislature President Wayne Zyra and tell him you don’t support his selection committee. Tell him we must have an independant committee selecting our next public defender.
Zyra can be reached by telephone at (585)-637-6585 (Home) & (585)-793-1953 or by email here.
Unforunately, Zyra may not listen to his constituents. It’s widely expected he will not seek reelection. That’s why we are very concerned with the $22,000 that was transfered from the Monroe County Republican committee to Zyra’s campaign committee in August and September 2007. He wasn’t even up for election in 2007 and he probably wont seek reelection in 2009, so why would they give him all this money?
 I doubt it was an early Christmas present.
Related posts:
- City talks about the selection of the Public Defender
- Endorsement Blowback - you get what you advocate - Ugly government via the Public Defender selection process
- Community Leaders Want Politics Out of Public Defender Selection
- Another Chance to Do the Public Defender Selection Right
- If Minarik had his way with the Public Defender selection
Great post.
I’ve long viewed the Henrietta 13th, Driscoll’s seat, to be the most likely to flip. I expect him to have a difficult race in ‘09.
I also agree that the Dem controlled seats will be pretty safe. Travis Heider in Brighton had the closest race with about 55% of the vote in 2005, but its Brighton and he’ll be the incumbent in 2009, so I’m pretty confident he can hold that seat.
Good call to keep the pressure on all 4 of these legislators. Of the 8 GOP seats up for grabs I believe 4 ran un-opposed in 2005. Hopefully that will not happen again, especially in these tightly matched races.
A bit early for the numbers.
It’s not the math, it’s the social studies.
[...] Leaders, the Monroe County Legisalture Democratic caucus with today’s announcement and the Monroe County Bar association (h/t reminder from reader Bill in the comments) Who is silent? Maggie Brooks and Mayor Duffy. Have [...]