Public defender meeting news round-up
Here is how our local news is covering the the Public Defender selection meeting I’ll add more of my observations at my next opportunity -
Meanwhile -
The Democrat and Chronicle (today) and the D&C from yesterday
WHAM13 Gantt arrest and Quatro interview
Related posts:
After watching Channel 10’s broadcast, I called the station to report my outrage (and I suggest everyone else do the same).
As of 6:18 PM, the news room reported that the 3 men are still in custody, and that the requests for additional information from 10NBC have been denied.
I asked them if that didn’t strike them as odd. He told me that it’s not unusual to not get info right away on arrests - but I reminded him that Gantt is an elected official.
If I can know the intimate details of Anna Nicole’s death in minutes, what is the county hiding on this.
I suggested next time they take 2 cameras. One to film the arrest, and one to film the Rethuglicans while the event was going down.
I am ashamed of this community…
It is good to see by the interview that DQ is slimeing into the old BS shoes nicely.
Oh yes. I remember the day he was chosen very well:
http://img701.mytextgraphics.com/photolava/2008/02/10/quattro3-49groem8s.jpeg
I kind of wish it was the guy in the bandanna.
I like the ambitious guy in the tie myself
I heard firsthand from some of the folks who were at the meeting, and the arrest development is actually a major missed opportunity for the community. There were a substantial number of people willing to be arrested in addition to the three who eventually were, including a number of extremely well-known public figures. I was told that “if Bishop Clark had been able to come, he would have been willing to be arrested; that’s his position on this.” I’m told there were so many they would have needed at least one bus to take them to the jail. Think of what a story that would have made on the news, and what an impact it could/would have had.
Contrast this possibility with what actually happened, where the most well-known of the three is David Gannt, a politician’s politician with a penchant for confrontational publicity, and who in this context can be marginalized by the media in a sharpton-like way. Two kooks and a big kook — the big one a political grandstander too. How marginal (racialized) can it get?
In contrast, a mass arrest that included a large number of public figures of all stripes, faiths, colors, etc. — say, 30 (a busload) or more — would have made a DRAMATICALLY different story, and changed the dynamics of the issue totally. It would have been game-changing. Instead, we have little more than a circus side-show.
I suggest that the negotiation (or whatever it was) that produced the three arrest-ees, and these particular ones, was in fact a lost opportunity, if not a blow, ultimately, to our chances for a non-partisan public defender. It was also an enormous failure of leadership.
Well- to each his own - I suggest you revisit your argument. Sure there were a bunch of folks “willing” to be arrested.
I’m not sure who the “number of extremely well-known public figures” were in the crowd you are referring to. I mean Bishop Clarke wasn’t there - so could have, would have doesn’t get it done. Do you have names?
A blow to the Public Defender process? Revisit your argument.
The GOP majority in the Monroe County Legislature has enough votes to basically do what they want to do. 3 arrests or 30 arrests I don’t think will make a difference. If additional folks were arrested they would have been labeled as followers of Gantt.
Given the GOP are hell bent on ensuring the old process is not followed and they have the votes - this is simply a result of retaining a GOP majority last November.
The difference is as bold as the nose on your face is in your own words. Gantt is a leader willing to do what it takes for the people he represents, up to and including arrest to point out the illegalities of the Brooks administration.
Brooks and the lockstep legislature are willing to do what it takes to make sure they leave out the people they represent, up to and including arresting any and all of them to continue the illegal manuevers of the Brooks administration.
Gee Davey, which do you prefer? And would you like seconds?
I stand by my argument. 3 arrests or 30, it’s a very big difference. 30 is an entirely different kind of media spectacle, and a very different kind of story.
I don’t have a list of 30 names, and one isn’t necessary for the argument. Offhand, I know that Sr. Beth LaValley and Rev. Richard Meyers were among the “present and willing,” both public figures with very high integrity, and by no means “Followers of Gantt.” There were others.
Admittedly, the Rep’s have just enough votes to do whatever they want — if they can maintain absolute lock-step unity. Only one defection was necessary to change the game here.
Allowing the conflict to be framed even in a momentary way as Gantt v. County Leg. was an unfortunate development. The night’s events were a missed opportunity.