BLOCH BLOCKED

Queen Elizabeth famously said that 1992 was her annus horribilus.  Two of her children divorced their spouses that year; the last part of the realm in Africa abandoned the Monarchy; her daughter-in-law Diana wrote a tell all book; while tapes of the first in line to the throne- Charles- canoodling with his long time love over the phone were released. And then on November 20- the Queen's  wedding anniversary, part of her home-Windsor Castle- caught fire and was severely damaged.

For Jason Bloch 2016 will be his annus horribilus.  
He received the political opposition for his judicial seat that a long-time opponent had promised. And although scandal rocked his opponent in the form of her being caught telling people she was a prosecutor when she wasn't, and the revelation that she resigned an internship at the State Attorneys Office because the hours were too long (a problem she need not worry about once she dons a robe)- Bloch couldn't capitalize on his opponent's problems. 
 Lawyers grumbled when he solicited them for donations despite his financial disclosures revealing an almost Rumpolian level of wealth. His ill-timed, poorly planned, and horribly executed lawsuit aimed at knocking his opponent off the ballot blew up in his face, with losses in the district court and Third District Court Of Appeals generating even worse publicity. Even the revelation that her family derives a significant amount of income from motels designed to assist in extra-martial assignations didn't derail her candidacy and Judge Bloch was defeated soundly at the polls.

And now to add insult to injury; a prime example of being kicked while down- the JNC declined to forward his name to Governor Scott to fill the seat of retired Judge Stan Blake (whose retirement tour continues with a night by the Miami-Heat honoring him in November)*.

Bloch couldn't elbow one of these guys/gals out:

Jason E. Dimitris; Ayana N. Harris; Spencer Jet Multack; Victoria del Pino;  Lourdes Simon; and  Andrea Ricker Wolfson. 

Judge Bloch can take solace in this fellow, lost mostly to history, who had a long and tortured path before he was unceremoniously shot and killed.
At age 23 he lost his job and ran for election to the state legislature and lost. The next year his business failed; a year later his girlfriend died and the year after that he suffered a nervous breakdown at age 25. At age 34 he was defeated in a run for congress. Six  years later his application to be a land officer was denied.
At age 45 he ran for senate and lost and four years later his second bid for senate also ended in  defeat.

This was a simple man with a law degree who had continually been defeated in his bid for elective office. He was a pretty decent lawyer, and one of his successful bids for congress only lasted two years, when by virtue of a promise he made, he did not seek reelection.

At age 51, having lost his last two elections for the senate, Abraham Lincoln was elected the sixteenth president of the United States and went on to save the Union and become our greatest president. 

So Judge Bloch, hang in there. Being rejected by the JNC is nothing like what President Lincoln went through.  Just be wary of the play "Our American Cousin" should Judge Altfield and his troupe elect to stage a revival.

See You in Court.

*The Miami Heat is not honoring the retirement of Judge Blake, although they appear to be one of the few establishments in town where a retirement party hasn't been held recently. 

Lincoln Trivia:  What does Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas off of Key West have to do with the Lincoln Assassination?  Anyone but Judge Milton Hirsch may answer.