Once again the County Republicans are taking a perfectly legitimate and important community process and turning it on its ear! I am referring to the selection of the next Public Defender for Monroe County. This position is arguably one of the most important position in criminal justice. It is the office of the Public Defender that works tirelessly to insure that justice is served by providing a vigorous defense to those unable to afford an attorney. By accomplishing their mission, they are insuring that the constitution is up held for all of us.
The Public Defender is appointed by the Monroe County Legislature to lead this office of dedicated, overworked and underpaid attorneys. It is not an easy job to manage some 50 or so attorneys (when you need 70 or 100 to do the casework) and insure that those they serve are provided the best defense possible. It is also not an easy job when there is very little extra money given to the Public Defender’s office, less in fact than what is given to their counter parts at the District Attorney’ s Office.
So why is this becoming a political battlefield? Two words, one person — Steve Minark. Minark has made it clear he wants to control the appointment. Somehow I doubt its because he has suddenly developed a devotion to the criminal defendants of this community. Simple math — 50 + jobs for the giving out to who knows who’s brother, sister, son, daughter niece, nephew.. you get the picture.
For years the current Public Defender has served this community well without politics in the mix. Ed Nowak has been a model of integrity. He has run that office fairly and hired people based on their credentials, their commitment to justice, and their experience — not their commitment to a political boss.
With his imminent resignation the discussion regarding his replacement, and the process to replace him has begun. What appeared to be a plan modeled after the one 30 years ago where the Monroe County Bar Association (NCBA)convened a committee to make recommendations to the Legislature has quickly turned into something different. What appears to be happening is a closely controlled Republican committee with next to no racial diversity and no community input. And although the Monroe County Bar Association (MCBA) was initially on board with the process, in the midst of what it has seen happening as withdrawn its support. The MCBA has indicated it cannot participate and support the process being put into place by Legislature President Zyra. In a resolution issued today MCBA stated: “While the MCBA remains interested in collaboratively working with the Legislature and participating in a fair, non-partisan screening process, the MCBA resolution underscores that it must first be assured that the process selected, including the composition of the screening panel is diverse, impartial, able to gain the confidence of the community, and committed to making its determinations based solely on merit, as opposed to political commitments or connections.”
This position and this office are too important to be reduced to nothing more than a political dumping ground.
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It is a shame that there can be no corner of our system that will not be corrupted by politics under the Minarik machine. Its a bigger shame that so few in Monroe County will appreciate what happens because the media fails to report it. Thank you for voicing this very important issue here!
[...] at DFE, Carla Palumbo has her take on the public defender scandal in Monroe County: The Public Defender is appointed by the Monroe [...]