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."
Maybe the Florida Bar and the FEC should investigate Perenich & Carroll's practice of sending legal clients SAMPLE BALLOTS.
IMO, they are lousy personal injury attorneys and left wingers to boot.
Who will he sue on Judgment Day when the result is not what he expected???
8mm
Jeb Bush would not take a phone call from Alan Keyes who went to Tallahassee and refused to meet w/Alan Keyes. But, Jeb met with Jesse Jackson and CNN reported Jackson saying "Terri's death will save many lives." I guess Jeb set Jesse straight that Terri would be martyred.
Randall Terry is not the only individual who turned critical of Bush. Jeb will never be president because he can't win Florida for his role in martying Terri by not abiding by his oath.
He deferred to a judicial despot. He visited the Extreme Makeover House while Terri was being starved to death less than ten minutes away. He shook Dolan's hand while Terri was being starved to death. The Dolan fmaily got a fancy house from ABC and best wishes from Jeb Bush but Terri was martyred. The Dolans definitely got better from Jeb Bush.
State sponsors Terri's murder and then HINO sues state providers for doing what he wanted????? Will the state settle with him with OUR MONEY so they can continue the coverups? I smell racketeering and extortion, not a lawsuit.
and former SHERIFF EVERETT RICE, MARY LABYAK, HOSPICE DIRECTOR and really creepy bioethicists and Atty Feeble and Deathknell.
That's Terri's motorcade - no ambulance, just a plain white van with PPPD who made sure that nobody saved her life or gave her an ice chip. (no water for two weeks).
Generic white van, another nice touch by the guardian of the year and Judge Greer.
Maybe we could get this case before Judge Judy this time and get a taste of truth at last.
You even did your own press release about investigating Greer, blah, blah, blah and encouraged us to do our own press release too. The press releases are out there in cyberspace. Although he had 40K petitions in hand, he didn't touch J. Greer.
The grapevine is that Terri was going to be flown out of the State of Florida and rehydrated and feeding tube restored at an undisclosed location. That rescue was spiked. Thanks for nothing, US DOJ employee Mark Raymond.
And Florida's girly-man AG CHARLIE CRIST said that he would never interfere in a "medical decision". Apparently, torture and murder is now known as a medical decision in Florida.
If they have a disclaimer, such as "paid for by Louse & Jerk Political Committee" then it is probably legal. The disclaimer is required.
Crist is no more capable of practicing medince than the rest of them. It's obvious to a six year old that's he's just trying to cover his behind. Bad men never run out of excuses and evasions for their moral cowardice.
In the swamp, scum rises to the top.
http://www.fight4terri.blogspot.com/
And, remember DCF and ACHA said there was no wrongdoing by "anyone" and Jeb said Michael was cleared by SATTY Bernie McCabe.
Well, yeah. They all followed HIS orders. Maybe he should sue himself for negligence. Folly? It's another heaping helping of BS from the litigator of the year.
It's interesting that "schiavo" means "slave" in Italian. What is he a slave to? Let's see....covering up criminal acts, litigation, and of course money.
Remember: The love of money is the root of ALL evil.
If HINO sues, who will the Judge be? They are all corrupt and will hand him taxpayer dollars which ends up paying for malpractice awards because docs lose their practice and medical costs go up, etc.
Maybe they can shuffle blindman Greer over to the civil court. It doesn't matter, I personally have seen judicial ineptitude first hand.
This really ticks me off....
Thanks for the ping, Cheryl Jr. ; ) You're doing a great job of getting the word out. Keep it up.
There have been times when I've wished for a "Judge Judy". Someone who can cut through the crap. Does such a judge exist in real life? Man, she'd shred him up one side and down the other :-D
UPDATE ON BOOK "OurFight4Terri". There's a new front and back cover. IMO the other cover was a rough draft before the final proofing. The new covers are great. I'll post them here tomorrow.
Greer is the most powerful person in the U.S., even though he's just a little swamp judge with his own goon sqad.
Charlie Crist can't practice law let alone medicine. Florida's AG is more like the Public Service Commissioner. He doesn't like phone rates to go up but the really serious issues, he's hands off.
Hi, BB. Isn't the state of Florida hilarious?
My words and cartoon of HINO.
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