MEDIA 2/21
Chief Judge Farina (DBR) Stanton Kaplan
DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW:
"Chief judge’s e-mail suggests future furloughs"
http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/news.html?news_id=47247
"Miami-Dade court employees got chilling news this week when they discovered they may be forced to take as many as 11 weeks off without pay by July...
Reached late Wednesday, Chief Broward Circuit Judge Victor Tobin said the same furlough scenario could play out in all circuits across the state, and it would take years to recover from the “catastrophic” consequences.
The only court employees immune from furloughs would be judges. But their judicial assistants and other courthouse employees who draw their checks from the state would lose pay...
The cuts would not directly affect the clerk’s offices because the agencies are self-financing.
“We’re on a different financing system than the courts are, though the poor economy is affecting us in a lot of ways, not at a point where have to lay anybody off,” said Howard Forman, the Broward clerk of the courts."
FARINA'S EMAIL:
http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/images/news_photos/47247/Farinas_email.pdf
HERALD:
FUNDING:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/425527.html
SENTINEL:
KAPLAN APPOINTS TONY LOE TO INVESTIGATE PROBATION ARREST/TRANSPORT FAILURES:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbtransport0221sbfeb21,0,3889958.story
"Judge Kaplan has had a standing order for about the last 20 years that people under his supervision who test positive for drugs are to be taken into custody immediately," Loe said. "The No. 1 concern is for the community. It concerns him that people who are on probation or house arrest and are abusing drugs are remaining on the streets."
Loe said Kaplan renewed his instructions in June 2003 and was surprised when state officials, in a Jan. 28 memo, informed him they could no longer comply with his order.
In that memo, Thomas D. Sharrard, district administrator for the Department of Corrections, wrote: "As probation officers we are not trained, staffed, nor funded to transport our own arrests at this time. We will continue to work diligently to resolve this issue, but at this time we have no other resolution except to release these offenders until an arrest warrant can be processed."
ATTY: Objection! Uh, judge, how about a ruling.
JUDGE: Oh, one moment please.
(WHISPERS INTO THE PHONE)
I can give you 20 minutes on July 7th. Ok? Don't forget to notice the State.
(HANGS UP)
Can you repeat the question?
GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
gggggggggggggggolden urine.
Vatltox Positive.
How about Drug Testing all the Judges and all other court employees regularly!
Only if Help Myself Howard gets tested.
Dropped it right between his legs.
Just say Loe.
There should be drug testing for judges. Korda proved drugs infect every part of society. By the way, why didn't Korda ever disclose his dealer?
February 21, 2008
The Honorable Michael B. Mukasey
Attorney General of the United States
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530
Re: Criminal Conspiracy in Florida to Deprive a Citizen of Federal Civil Rights
Dear Attorney General Mukasey:
On February 19, 2008, the Florida Supreme Court and its Justices committed certain criminal acts by threatening me with retribution in retaliation for my seeking relief in that court, which I have every right to do not only as a resident of Florida but also as a member of The Florida Bar in continuous good standing for 31 years.
These criminal threats by these government officials under color of state law constitute not only extortion and racketeering, but they are in furtherance of a related conspiracy to criminally distribute pornography to children in violation of state and federal laws.
At the middle of this conspiracy is a Miami lawyer by the name of Benedict P. Kuehne, who has this month been indicted by the United States Justice Department for allegedly laundering Medellin cocaine cartel money. I have met with your Department’s officials in the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section about Kuehne. They and you need to know that I now have evidence that Mr. Kuehne has also bribed a judge whom the Florida Supreme Court, in turn, is protecting.
This same particular state judge is now under a cloud in that Miami-Dade Chief Judge Joseph Farina has asked the Attorney General of Florida to investigate the filing of a clearly forged State Loyalty Oath in her name and on her behalf.
Additionally, a Florida Bar Governor has, on behalf of The Florida Bar and the Florida Supreme Court, sought to punish me in retaliation for my filing a federal civil rights action to try to seek redress for these illegal activities. To threaten a litigant with harm simply because he filed a federal civil rights lawsuit constitutes yet another criminal act of obstruction of justice.
I am calling now, and urgently so, upon the United States Justice Department, particularly in light of the fact that Ben Kuehne is in the middle of all this, to direct the Federal Bureau of Investigation to commence a full and fair criminal investigation of this criminal conspiracy by certain Florida state officials to extort not just me and others but also to engage in racketeering and other related criminal acts, including obstruction of justice.
By copy of this letter, I am informing the Florida Supreme Court Justices that any further criminal actions taken by them against me will be construed as compounding and, exacerbating the criminal activities in which they have already engaged in violation of federal law.
Please advise me as to what the Justice Department is going to do in these regards...
Ha Ha!
Who pays Tony Loe?
Now JA's can not answer the phone from home.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
THE FLORIDA BAR,
Complainant,
v. Case Numbers SC 07 - 80 and 07- 354
JOHN B. THOMPSON,
Respondent.
RESPONDENT’S FURTHER RESPONSE TO SUPREME COURT’S
FEBRUARY 19 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE
Comes now respondent John B. Thompson (Thompson) and provides this court with an additional response, with more responses to follow, to its improper show cause order of February 19, 2008, stating:
One week prior to the entry of this court’s February show cause order the court was made aware that Thompson had blown the whistle on this court to the Inspector General as to six Supreme Court Justices’ failure to comply with Florida Statute 876.05, which mandates that all state judges must execute, have notarized, and file State Loyalty Oaths. Failure to do so voids all orders they have entered and mandates their removal from the bench.
This failure must indeed result in a quo warranto action against these Justices, and Thompson has initiated that process. It is no coincidence that this court, after receiving filings from Thompson for more than two years as to The Florida Bar’s illegal acts, has now, all of a sudden, entered its bizarre show cause order because Thompson has now inconvenienced the Justices themselves by pointing out to the Inspector General that they have violated the law. Proof of this violation is found in the copies of these Justices’ state Loyalty Oaths Thompson has which they all executed, in a panic, when they were found to have ignored this important law for years. The newly executed oaths are an irrefutable admission of guilt. So, the court has reasoned, “Let’s shoot the messenger.” The show cause order has not arisen because of misconduct by Thompson but rather from illegal acts by the Justices. Thompson has caught them with their robes down.
The very day that this court entered its show cause order it entered a related order noting Thompson’s quo warranto efforts stemming from their violation of the law. Bingo.
Thus, what this court is now doing to deny Thompson due process, including even denying him his absolute right to represent himself herein, is in retaliation for Thompson’s whistle blowing that has shown that six Florida Supreme Court Justices can’t even comply with a simply Loyalty Oath Law.
There are no coincidences, and this court, by its vindictive, retaliatory act against Thompson for his whistle blowing, has not only violated Florida’s Anti-SLAPP Statute 768.295, but it has also federal criminal statutes in their effort to infringe upon his federal civil rights. Power corrupts, and this foolish show cause order is the proof.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this has been provided this February 21, 2008, to Bar staff counsel Sheila Tuma, to Kenneth Marvin, Director of Lawyer Regulati
One judge should not be permanent assigned to any particular courtroom anyway. Institute Judicial Rotation and make this into a real Judicial Circuit instead of allowing judges to establish a tyranny in one division for to long. They might learn something in the process. Bring Broward up to the speed of other circuits.
Dude.
Time to really call it quits Judge Kaplan this time. This development with Tony Loe is of no surprise to anyone that knows the players. Tell me, Judge Kaplan, are you going to issue an order directing payment for services rendered concerning Mr. Loe as well? Nothing like a Broward Judge still trying to through a bone to somebody that just went out into private practice from the SA's Office. Political patronage runs deep in the Broward Judiciary. Sounds like a lesson time in economics for Stanton Kaplan and his political crony. When is Kaplan retiring anyway?
Judge Kaplan is a man of impeccable character and a model for jurists. One may not agree with his ideology, but to get respect, you have to give respect. If this was brought to his attention years ago, the situation would never have arisen. If something was untoward about his methodology (having a Rule on an agency or the appt. of Loe) it is not mentioned in JAAB's piece and would certainly have been written about.
Please.
Dude.
Untoward about his methodology? That stands out as exactly what Kaplan and Loe have in common.
Why should they comply with his order?
Anonymous wrote:
Finkelstein and Republican Christians wrote:
Howard Finkelstein in an office-wide meeting last Friday said the reason for the budget cuts was Republican Christians. Many of us are Christians and Republicans. We were offended by his insult which was worse than the comments by judges. Howard made a big deal out of having Brian Reidy apologize in front of us and humiliating him and what you did Howard was so much worse. Howard, it is ok for you to insult Christians? It is ok for you to insult Republicans? You claim to care about African Americans but most African Americans are Christian. You think that there is a bunch of Christians against our office and our clients. The whole office is talking about what you said. You should resign like you asked the judges to resign. You are a bigot. You have no right to make fun of our religion. You have done this for years in private to us and now you did it in public.
You also insulted us when you say we can wear jeans on Friday since our workloads are going way up with no raises or bonuses. Do you think we are stupid?
To 6:03:
Because he is a judge and there is an order?
Its legality can be challenged in a court of law. Or we have the alternative raised by your post -- anarchy.
I'll bet Kaplan couldn't be reached for comment.
Which law states judges are legally bound to be reached for comment ex parte over a pending case? Isn't the law in fact the opposite?
Does Separation of Powers Doctrine play? Don't think so.
Hey 12:29 - I am an APD and I haven't missed an office meeting in a while & I really think you are taking Howard's words out of context. Perhaps you have an agenda or perhaps you are not really an APD but heard a rumor and are trying to perpetuate it.
Your blod entry seems to be an exact copy of one several weeks ago. The word "Christian" never came out of Howard's mouth at last Friday's meeting.
At an earlier meeting, he did comment on how the republican controlled legislature was cutting his budget. I am one of those Christians and I heard nothing that offended me at any meeting. Are you sure you were at that meeting. Perhaps you heard it from a disgruntled employee.
While we are on the subject of budget cuts, it was many months ago that Howard told all of us that budget cuts were coming and that he was doing everything within his power to avoid requiring people to take days off without pay. While Howard was permitting attorneys and staff to leave without filling their positions, it seems court administration ignored those warnings and continued to fill vacant positions.
Howard announced at the last meeting that due to his actions during the past many months, there will be NO furloughs. We may have to work a little harder with higher caseloads and we may not be getting a raise anytime soon, but we all have jobs. If you are an APD and don't like it, you can leave and take your chances in private practice.
I feel sorry for those JA's who thought everything was OK to find out that they must now probably take a bunch of furlough days without pay.
As far as the jeans on Friday, it sounded like it was designed more for the secretaries and support staff, even though it would apply to attorneys who don't need to be in court.