Hector Flores (former hot shot federal PD, and now in private practice, and the husband of blog favourite Judge Mary Barzee to boot) now takes over as President for the next year.
Awards were given. Speeches were made. It's a good organization and if you haven't joined (and aren't a prosecutor) you should.
We would have been there, except we were drinking some exceptional Kentucky Burbon.
Jack Kemp, Republican luminary, who was notable for his embracing supply side economics and for promoting the Republican Party (as the Party of Lincoln he liked to say) to embrace minorities, has passed away. Sad to note that at this point, both of Mr. Kemp's major causes have not been successful.
The Republican party is disintegrating. It has imploded upon itself in a orgy of hate and bitterness. Arlen Spector was one of the last gentlemen senators who came from a time when working with politicians across the aisle was not cause or being thrown out of your party. About the only one left is John McCain, and when he goes, the party will be a marginalized group of religious conservatives.
Plus, right now they are just having a run of extraordinary bad luck. It was the Republicans who screamed and yelled a few weeks ago until Obama removed 850 from the stimulus package that was designated for enhancing the response to a Flu Pandemic. Ouch.
See you in court tomorrow, and please wash your hands first.
When Ronald Reagan became President and set up the Republican "big tent," he said that there were 3 basic principles of the Republican Party:
ReplyDelete1. Lower taxes and government spending.
2. Less government intrusion.
3. Pro-growth economic policies.
He also said that on other issues, including social issues, Republicans could--and should--disagree "as Republicans."
The GOP since then has demolished much of the big tent. Is has essentially become a congealed mess of social conservatives, extremely conservative evangelical Christians and bitter white Southerners, some (but by no means all) of whom are racist. While Reagan, Kemp, Goldwater and others espoused a more libertarian version of Republicanism, the current crop of Republicans doesn't know the definition of privacy.
The Democratic Party underwent a steep decline of its own from about 1965 until about 1990, interrupted only by Watergate and its subsequent fallout. Then Bill Clinton and others stepped in and moved to party to the center. Since 1990 the Democrats have, on the whole, done much better than their Republican counterparts on a national level (the 1994 elections notwithstanding). Until the GOP finds a way to open back up to the middle, they are destined to be a minority party. While I am not ready to declare them terminally ill, another shellacking in 2010 (which could well occur--there are at least five GOP-held Senate seats the Dems have a good chance of taking) could cause me to change my mind.
How you remember Jack Kemp says a lot about your priorities in life and your age. I will always remember him foremost as the quarterback of the Buffalo Bills in the mid to late 1960's. He was the QB in OJ Simpson's first NFL game. And here is a trivia question. The Bills started 2 rookie running backs in that game. The other was Bill Enyart, a fullback drafted from Oregon. Back to Kemp. He epitomized a certain type of player who came of age in the 1950's, struggled mightily, was cut and cut again, but through sheer will and moderate talent, succeeded. Think Len Dawson, Billy Kilmer, and Daryle Lamonica. Unitas also fit the mold but took off on pure talent that no one else saw. Kemp started the player's union in the AFL. His political career was an asterisk to me. Maybe I am naive and dumb, but the AFL represented a certain wild west quality that made my childhood that much more enjoyable. RIP #15.
ReplyDeleteJudge Barzee should have a special plea colloquy because she is married to a defense attorney. She should make special points to note how he was a PD/
ReplyDeleterick freedman absolutely sucks, and to the end he was a self promoter, using FACDL for his own soapbox, both because he needs one, and because he needs one.
ReplyDeletegood riddance.
How you remember Jack Kemp says a lot about your priorities in life and your age. I will always remember him foremost as the quarterback of the Buffalo Bills in the mid to late 1960's
ReplyDelete"Merger Hell, We're the AFL!"
ReplyDeleteRIP Jack Kemp
THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
ReplyDeleteFlorida Legislature ...Final Week
Your elected leaders are busy in Tallahassee this week, running on overtime, and trying to pass a budget by the end of the week.
Three new laws that we can expect to see on the books:
SB 2276 - Collection of DNA
The new law will permit the collection of a DNA sample from just about everyone. If you have been sentenced to any jail time anywhere in the state, whether you are a juvenile or an adult, they get you.
If you are convicted of a felony (withholds count as a conviction) they get your DNA.
If you are convicted of certain misdemeanors, they get you.
If you are arrested for ANY felony or attempted felony, they get you.
SB 624
Law Enforcement & Correction Officers ...
They are now entitled to review witness statements by other officers and other existing evidence BEFORE they are interrogated. Also, their attorney must be provided with the documents and recordings of an investigation before any investigatory interview of the client LEO or CO.
SB 344
Safety Belt violations will become a primary offence.
Cap Out ....
I was at the banquet. It was very boring and very few people showed up. Even most judges failed to appear and they get a free ticket!
ReplyDeleteJudge Hoeveler gave a nice speech. He is loved by all. It is sad to see him in a wheelchair.
Bennett gave a speech that insulted Kathy Rundle and he kept saying things that made it sound as if he is still the public defendner. He is all pissed off about the lack of funding for PDs. Not a good speech at all.
The food was OK but, not good for $100.00 a pop.
Just once, would they get a good PA system for that damn banquet?
Good point: Drinks were free.
My second banquet and for what its worth, last year the sound system was much better.
ReplyDeleteHector Flores ran the entire banquet and was the MC I guess you could call it. He introduced all of the important guests. Then Rick Freedman got up and spent his whol time up there thanking all of the chairpersons and handing out some awards.
Great job by Hoeveler who gave an inspiring speech. Then they gave awards to the attorneys doing the Liberty City case and then an Award to Brummer.
From what I've heard and seen over the last year or two, FACDL seems to do a great job on behalf of their attorneys. Very impressed.
Oh yeah, open bar was nice too.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ReplyDelete2:38 -- The rest of us just could not stand the idea of listening to Rick ("Note the new suite number") Freedman for one more second. Not even free drinks make him tolerable. We'll all be back next year to celebrate with Hector Barzee Flores, a genuinely decent guy, who will put FACDL-Miami ahead of himself.
ReplyDeleteHow is it that these cops can get that law and we can't even get them to videotape a confession in a homicide case
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely ridiculous
THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
ReplyDeleteNo more dilly dallying, it's official, if you want to be the nexty US Attorney, US Marshall, or US District Court Judge, its time to get your application done.
Senator Nelson & Senator Martinez have issued the request for applications for the following:
U.S. District Judge, Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Judge, Middle District of Florida
U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal, Northern District of Florida
U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal, Middle District of Florida
U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal, Southern District of Florida
Now we will see who's in and who's just been talking!
Cap Out ....
rick - even with your 7.9 billion dollar slip and fall fees, you lack grace. right to the end you were a self promoter, using the organization for your own gain, talking endlessly about what "I" did and how hard "I worked." judge hoeveler - a class act and gracious man with accomplishments you could only dream about, presented a stark contrast to your self promotion when he thenaked the organization and its members for our work and what we stand for.
ReplyDeletebut you just dont get it. you really harmed the standing, spirit and mission of facdl, and left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
you really seem like a used car salesman.
Low down on the Banquet. Gracious was Hector Flores, a super star lawyer with a gorgeous wife (who swore him in as president), he will lead FACDL-Miami back to the elite status we had pre-Rick. I am quite sure Hector will not stand for fixing the board and stuffing ballots. Rick's speech was just plain rude, I mean, come on, stop talking, let it be Hector's moment! Judge Hoeveler was by far the highlight of the evening. We were all honored by his presence. Brummer, offended every Judge in the room...ouch, next time maybe FACDL leadership should check the speeches. The food was much better this year, but I think we are already to move on from the Mariott. Where were all our 75+ free members that are the new voting majority essentially rigging the elections? Oh yeah, they didn't bother to come, and weren't they were offered free tickets? Remember young ones, that the private practitioners made this organization successful, took it out of the red, and into the inner circles of DCBA and CABA. All and All a good evening, less Judges yes, but it isn't an election year. Who wants to take bets on what photos get commented on this year?
ReplyDeleteThe judges are sick of us, that's why they don't come...can you blame them! I'm skipping next year no matter who gets what award.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous (the Rick basher is the same guy jealous of Rick's PI fees). Go do something (and no, I'm not Rick) Rick thanked ad naseum every single person who worked for FACDL Miami this year (you weren't mentioned as you do nothing, ever.) You don't like Rick, we get it, now go figure out how you are going to pay your rent and shut up.
ReplyDeleteBENNETT will always think (act) like he's the PD. He will be 93 and still think (ack) like he's the PD. Some people just won't go away!
ReplyDeleteRick, Rick, Rick. What were you thinking? Insulting these poor, pathetic, cynical, bitter, ungrateful and (of course) anonymous souls by busting your butt and actually reporting on the organization's successes.
ReplyDeleteFor future reference, they'll appreciate you more if you do nothing, don't bother to keep them informed, give short speeches kissing their butts and thank them for their wonderful non-work. You needn't even bother keeping them updated (they'll just say you're bragging).
But that's just them. The rest of us appreciate everything you've done. I for one LIKE the updates because I can't keep up with everything myself.
Thanks for a great year. Don't let the bastards get you down.
BTDT
PS---the one thing they're right about is that you don't have to defend yourself. You've done a fine a job.
Just to set the record straight, almost all of FACDL Miami have great respect for Rick.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be one person out there that is angry at him.
everyone - EVERYONE - knows rick is a joke. He cemented that with his pathetic rant about his high ambulance chaser fees. so rick, stop writing as if you are someone else supporting you. you lose. clown. no one respects you.
ReplyDelete8:12, you, YOU are a joke. Just come out so we can all laugh at your jealous broke self
ReplyDeleteRick, funny you would utilize the phrase "come out."
ReplyDeleteI'm just sayin'
Could someone please provide link to FACDL banquet photos? Thanks
ReplyDeletelike you did last year, rick?
ReplyDeleteGO BACK TO BROWARD