City talks about the selection of the Public Defender
Here is City’s take on the Public Defender Selection:
The meeting, last week, of the County Leg Public Safety Committee, apparently got ugly. The Audience refused to leave, the Republicans tried to take the meeting behind closed doors, the Democrats got disgusted and left.
- Although of mixed race, the audience at the meeting was predominately African-American.
- The Public Safety Committee is led by a white Republican majority, all representing suburban districts. There are two African-Americans on the panel: Democrats Willie Lightfoot and Calvin Lee Jr. Both represent city districts.
- The next public defender will be in charge of an office that defends the poorest among us, many of them members of a minority group.
- A major criticism of the public defender search is there isn’t enough minority representation.
So, City asks: Is this about race?
“Nobody wants to be viewed as throwing the race card. Nobody wants to be looked at as being a radical,” Lightfoot says. “No one, especially leaders of the black community, wants to be looked at as, every time we get in a jam, we want to throw out the racial card. In 2008, should we really have to do that?”
Of course, we shouldn’t have to do that, but this is Monroe County, where the majority in the legislature are old, fat, white, Suburban Republicans. Are their constituents affected by the goings on at the Public Defender’s office? If at all, rarely. So, what is their motivation for the Public Defender selection? Have they forgotten about their reponsibility to all the citizens of Monroe County, and not just those who look like them? If it’s more than political payback, then somebody clue me in.
Great post!
And great of the City to cover this issue so well.
Thanks Exile!
One thing I disagree with - the claim that residents of the suburbs aren’t affected by the issues surrounding the Public Defender’s Office. We’re all affected by the goings on at the Public Defender’s Office. The assurance that qualified attorneys will challenge police overstepping, judges who may not want to follow the rules, or prosecutors who may not realistically assess cases protects all of us. A Public Defender’s Office often sets the standard for adherence to constitutional and criminal laws. And the effort of our community in ensuring that we care for the poor, even the poor facing prosecution, ensures that we are abiding by constitutional and moral guidelines which we, as a community, must protect, both to guard the foundation of our government and to teach our children to care for others.
I totally agree with your take. I doubt that the Republicans in the Leg give it a second thought, though.
The latest news on this is now Wayne Zyra is inviting the Bar Assoc to participate in the interviews… but only to make a selection from existing three pre-selected candidates. Here’s the D&C Story.
So now they are saying “see, we’re including you in the process” — You just have to pick one of our guys…