Info on this Book is on my web page at the bottom.
Posted on 07/31/2005 3:38:47 AM PDT by amdgmary
TALLAHASSEE - It was one of the shortest speeches of Charlie Crist's career, but as a campaign for governor unfolds, it may prove to be one of the most memorable.
Two weeks ago, the Republican attorney general and candidate for governor gave a late-night speech to a roomful of lawyers in Miami where he referred to the judges in the Terri Schiavo case as "heroes."
Crist insists he wasn't endorsing court rulings that prevented the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube from being reconnected, but critics view it differently. And by appearing to break his silence in the Schiavo case, Crist has sharpened the contrast between himself and Republican rival Tom Gallagher, who has said he favored government action to "prevent Terri's starvation."
At the dinner in Miami, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge George Greer and U.S. District Judge James Whittemore of Tampa were honored as jurists of the year by the Florida chapter of ABOTA, the American Board of Trial Advocates. The group champions judicial independence and its members are lawyers who represent both plaintiffs and defendants.
Greer is the judge who ordered Schiavo's feeding tube removed, rejecting a subpoena from Congress and pleas from Gov. Jeb Bush, and Whittemore also denied emergency requests to reinsert the tube in the weeks before Schiavo died March 31. Both men's decisions were later upheld by higher courts, and both were praised and vilified by opposing sides of the emotionally charged end-of-life case.
Crist said he was "proud" of both judges.
"You are heroes to all of us, and your defense of the judiciary and what is right is beyond admirable," Crist was quoted in the Daily Business Review, a Miami newspaper that provided the only news account of the July 15 event at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
In an interview, Crist did not dispute the quotations. Nor did he offer a view of whether he agreed with their decisions. Rather, he said, he praised them for fulfilling their constitutional duty to provide checks and balances against the other two branches of government.
"I try to say nice things about judges. I'm sure I was complimentary," said Crist, who as the state's chief legal officer often speaks at bar-related events. "I didn't talk about any specific case. ... It's important that those checks and balances exist. Our system of government needs to have that."
Crist's comments have resonated far beyond the Biltmore.
"Judge Greer is a poster child for everything that's wrong with the judiciary," said Gary Cass, executive director of the Center for Reclaiming America, a grass roots Christian political group in Fort Lauderdale that lists "sanctity of life" as one of its priorities and plans to form a political action committee.
"For Charlie Crist to hold that up as an example of good judicial practice concerns me," Cass said. "I think it was a mistake for Charlie to say that. I don't know how anybody can be happy about a woman being deprived food and water."
Rep. Dennis Baxley, the Republican from Ocala who sponsored legislation last spring to force the tube to be reconnected, said Crist's speech was revealing.
"I think it is one of those very important moments for us to know where he (Crist) stands," Baxley said. "I truly believe there's a lot of people out there who were sensitive to this case who are going to find those comments, and that association, very instructive. I'm understanding where people line up on this."
Baxley said that while Crist was "conspicuously absent" from the Schiavo debate in the Legislature, Gallagher sent Baxley a personal letter of support last spring. While activists in the Schiavo debate take aim at Crist, his Republican rival Gallagher is not.
"Tom's made his position very clear in the past. There's really no comment we're going to make on that," said David Johnson, a Gallagher adviser.
Polls show a majority of Americans agreed with the judges' decisions to order the removal of Schiavo's tube, as her husband, Michael, said she wanted. By a greater margin, polls show people were opposed to Congress' intervention in the case.
But to those who view the long-running Schiavo saga as a test case of support for the sanctity of life - like abortion - Greer and Whittemore are "judicial activists" who starved a woman to death.
Many of those people can vote in the Republican primary for governor in September 2006. Crist's stand on the Schiavo case could prove to be an asset if he wins the GOP nomination and faces a Democrat. But one Republican strategist said the damage has been done.
"Schiavo killed the Republicans. They've lost the women's vote," said Matt Towery, an ex-Republican legislator who now runs an Atlanta media and polling firm. "It's one of those turning points that you just can't get away from."
I don't care much about fishing, dollink, and I STILL refuse to visit Pinellas County.
I started to say, "... wouldn't be caught dead in Pinellas County" but the trouble is, to get caught dead in Pinellas County, all you have to do is show up and bring your bank book.
Info on this Book is on my web page at the bottom.
And, when in Florida, never say "I'm speechless".
The euthanazi's tried to replicate what Doc Mengela did in Germany by having a sick exhibit of corpses from China. The Bodies in the exhibit aren't cooperating if they are melting. The euthanazi's and the death care system doesn't win them all.
They're trying to use the excuse that it's educational. Wasn't that Mengele's excuse?
403. Ba da bing.
Tourists aren't going to Aruba and Jamaica due to violence against women. Eventually, they are going to avoid Pinellas County, Florida too.
I am and let everybody I know in on it..including Jeb.
thanks FV, i really appreciate any prayer for him. Honestly, I pray that God will take him quickly just to spare him the pain he will have to endure till he dies. My mother said he was in better spirits this afternoon and actually got up out of bed to eat and do a few simple things. But no doubt he is so much pain and in the end of days for himself. I will keep you and everyone posted.
"I've been on my feet all afternoon and I'M READY TO COLLAPSE."
"I took one look at you, that's all I meant to do, and then MY HEART STOOD STILL."
"My throat is so sore I CAN HARDLY SWALLOW."
"My heart beats so that I CAN HARDLY SPEAK, when we're out together dancing cheek to cheek."
"California grows so much produce, you'd think you're IN A PACIFIC VEGETABLE STATE."
"I used to work in a television store but I HATE TO LIVE WITH ALL THOSE TUBES."
"I'm going to have surgery tomorrow, and until then, the doctor says DON'T GIVE ME ANY WATER OR FOOD."
Coming Soon!
READ
Over 400 pages
Trafford Publishing: Our Fight4Terri
http://www.trafford.com/4dcgi/robots/05-1041.html
The first expose and sourcebook on the Terri Schindler-Schiavo case! Discover the true facts behind the most significant legal battle over constitutional rights of the disabled in history. Read the actual documents. Discover the dangers all Americans face with Terri's death!
Fight4Terri @aol.com
Theresa Marie Schindler
December 3, 1963 ~ March 31, 2005
Light a candle For Terri at her online Memorial Website
Memory-of.com - Memorial website in memory of Theresa Schindler (1963-2005)
http://theresa-schindler.memory-of.com/about.aspx
Visit: www.fight4terri.blogspot.com
Cheryl Ford, RN (Fight4Terri@aol.com) is not affiliated with any other group and works to protect the rights of the disabled community.
The first two malpractice suits were both fraudulent. Sooner or later the facts and the law are going to catch up with Michael. But that's the way it is with criminals. When they get away with their crimes, they get overconfident and make some thoughtless mistake.
I can see it happening, perhaps soon.
Hospice paid approx. $138,000 for PROTECTION from the jack booted thugs and now he's suing Hospice? I'd say that Hospice has grounds for a counter-claim. Maybe they'll wise up some time and get back to their original mission statement which was sound.
Are we certain that HINO is suing Hospice? I haven't seen anything from the press about it.
"I am and let everybody I know in on it..including Jeb." Thanks for keeping Jeb's phone lines hopping. They are starting to refer people to the RNC and that's a good call to make too.
I bet that Jeb's Governor's line is getting tired of hearing from Terri's supporters. Too bad. This was on their watch and they let it happen.
Does my censored comment ring true today? I think it is the Terri War, a cultural war and a war fueled by HINO and the ilk who take him as a client and the judges who are getting a little something under the table.
FV, Insight is a fairly significant magazine put out by Washington Times, which is established as a balance to the liberal Washington Post. So that might give this hospice suit some credibility.
I am not surprised. When as T'wit says, evil people get away with their crimes they see themselves as untouchable, above reach, and they lose perspective, ready to attack anything.
8mm
His last suit imo, will be in fed bankruptcy court in Tampa. But, the good news is that if you live in Florida like O.J. Simpson does, you don't lose your home in bankruptcy.
It was kind of revealing to be interviewed, to say the truth and then see the interviewer's eyes glaze over, and turn away, looking for a more agreeable source.
It happened to me and I watched it happening to friends. Plenty of interviews done there wound up scrapped. Every once in awhile, some of it would get out, abridged.
8mm
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