It's official. Theresa Graham has elected to run against Bob Harms for the Jacksonville City Council, At-Large Group 2, seat on the primary ballot.
Bob Harms is a good and honorable man and a champion of the citizens of Jacksonville.
Theresa Graham is a close associate of Randall Terry and an unknown in Jacksonville political circles.
It will be an interesting race, one in which I believe Mr. Harms carries many advantages.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Jabour Makes It Official
Jay Jabour has decided to give up his legal battle and this evening acknowledged his removal from the Jacksonville City Council. Our laws are serious business and should be followed, especially those which govern the election of our representatives.
Voters in Jacksonville should always be represented by people of strong morals and high ethics who follow the rules. While I was personally outraged by Mr. Jabour's tactics in seeking office, I have to credit him with a graceful statement upon his removal. The citizens of Jacksonville, though, deserved better. His votes to raise our taxes and break the covenant with the people of Arlington will be the low-points. They will also be his legacy on the Council.
Jabour had no choice but to acknowledge the Court's order removing him from office. There was no further appeal route available to him.
Voters in Jacksonville should always be represented by people of strong morals and high ethics who follow the rules. While I was personally outraged by Mr. Jabour's tactics in seeking office, I have to credit him with a graceful statement upon his removal. The citizens of Jacksonville, though, deserved better. His votes to raise our taxes and break the covenant with the people of Arlington will be the low-points. They will also be his legacy on the Council.
Jabour had no choice but to acknowledge the Court's order removing him from office. There was no further appeal route available to him.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
A Face Meant For Radio
Oh yes, I have a face for radio. The format loves me.
Check it.
Let me know what I screwed up on. What should I have said? What shouldn't I have said?
Fascinating stuff!
Check it.
Let me know what I screwed up on. What should I have said? What shouldn't I have said?
Fascinating stuff!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Video Killed the Radio Star
Oh yeah, before I forget... I'll be on the radio tomorrow morning between the hours of 9AM and 10AM on Dave Siebert's call-in show on AM 1460. If you're outside the area and interested in listening, that's www.1460.us for the live stream.
Diane Melendez and I will be his guests for the hour to talk about and issues of local concern. I imagine the Harms v. Jabour decision will come http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifup. Tune in!
Diane Melendez and I will be his guests for the hour to talk about and issues of local concern. I imagine the Harms v. Jabour decision will come http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifup. Tune in!
Harms Wins! Jabour Loses! Jimmy rejoices!
The result is not what surprised me. It was the speed with which the First District Court of Appeal handed it down. Though, like I was telling some friends at dinner last night, it doesn't take long to write three words: Per Curiam Affirmed.
There is a period of 15 days in which Mr. Jabour's attorneys can request a rehearing. The entry of the Judgement will be delayed until 1) the end of the 15-day period or 2) Mr. Jabour asks for a rehearing and the Court denies the motion.
The speed with which the 1st DCA returned their ruling leads me to believe that they would immediately deny the Motion for Rehearing as that Court has shown that the law is clearly on Mr. Harms's side.
But Jimmy, what about the Florida Supreme Court?, you might be asking. The Florida Supreme Court does NOT have jurisdiction to hear this case. In order for a case to progress beyond the District Court of Appeal and to the Florida Supremes, the DCA must certify that the question is one of "great public importance" due to some conflict of law. There is no conflict of law here. The facts and the law support the trial Judge's ruling and so support the affirmation of Judge Nachman's decision at the appellate level. The case is over.
Now the fireworks begin. And I'll post more about what they will look like when I know. Props belong to Tony, who I think broke the news to most of my crew...
There is a period of 15 days in which Mr. Jabour's attorneys can request a rehearing. The entry of the Judgement will be delayed until 1) the end of the 15-day period or 2) Mr. Jabour asks for a rehearing and the Court denies the motion.
The speed with which the 1st DCA returned their ruling leads me to believe that they would immediately deny the Motion for Rehearing as that Court has shown that the law is clearly on Mr. Harms's side.
But Jimmy, what about the Florida Supreme Court?, you might be asking. The Florida Supreme Court does NOT have jurisdiction to hear this case. In order for a case to progress beyond the District Court of Appeal and to the Florida Supremes, the DCA must certify that the question is one of "great public importance" due to some conflict of law. There is no conflict of law here. The facts and the law support the trial Judge's ruling and so support the affirmation of Judge Nachman's decision at the appellate level. The case is over.
Now the fireworks begin. And I'll post more about what they will look like when I know. Props belong to Tony, who I think broke the news to most of my crew...
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Jabour and Harms at the 1st DCA
Everyone is entitled to their day in court. Today is (non)Councilman Jay Jabour's second. Today, the First District Court of Appeals will hear arguments in Harms v. Jabour. I'll be listening in live at http://www.1dca.org/video.html.
In my view, Jay has an uphill battle. The factual findings and legal conclusions made by Judge Nachman are, in my view, bullet-proof. As others have noted, the DCA could be the end of Jay's road in the event the court issues a PCA decision on behalf of Harms. This means "Per Curium, Affirmed." It also means that the case is not vested of any further appellate jurisdiction. In other words, the Florida Supreme Court wouldn't have to get involved. It will take some time for the Court to rule. Appellate Courts don't rule from the bench, though I don't expect it will take too long to write a three-word opinion.
The Court is on "coffee break" right now. I expect the Harms/Jabour throw-down to be next up... in about 10 minutes time. I'll update this post with any juicy details that emerge from the argument.
Update: No juicy details, as it were. Just a dry restatement of the arguments and record developed at the trial. Both appellate counsel were effective in their cases. However, and this is based on nothing but my sense from the Judges' questions... but I think Jabour has the advantage at this moment. The Judges seemed somewhat antagonistic to Mr. Harms's position. I'll be interested to hear what others think. And the waiting begins...
In my view, Jay has an uphill battle. The factual findings and legal conclusions made by Judge Nachman are, in my view, bullet-proof. As others have noted, the DCA could be the end of Jay's road in the event the court issues a PCA decision on behalf of Harms. This means "Per Curium, Affirmed." It also means that the case is not vested of any further appellate jurisdiction. In other words, the Florida Supreme Court wouldn't have to get involved. It will take some time for the Court to rule. Appellate Courts don't rule from the bench, though I don't expect it will take too long to write a three-word opinion.
The Court is on "coffee break" right now. I expect the Harms/Jabour throw-down to be next up... in about 10 minutes time. I'll update this post with any juicy details that emerge from the argument.
Update: No juicy details, as it were. Just a dry restatement of the arguments and record developed at the trial. Both appellate counsel were effective in their cases. However, and this is based on nothing but my sense from the Judges' questions... but I think Jabour has the advantage at this moment. The Judges seemed somewhat antagonistic to Mr. Harms's position. I'll be interested to hear what others think. And the waiting begins...
Monday, February 11, 2008
Timing the Sunrise
My friend Jim Minion has been looking at the timing of when the Times-Union broke their investigative reporting on the Sunshine ethics scandal. His basic premise is that the TU timed the release of their journalism for after the spring 2007 elections in order to assist incumbent Councilmembers in their bids for re-election. Further, that the TU went on to endorse incumbents who they had a reasonable suspicion of being law-breakers and public trust-betrayers. The TU responded and you can read all about it today at JaxOutLoud. As someone likes to say: every issue is worth getting into.
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