City Newspaper Archives - 3/2008
POLITICS: Reaching out in defender debate
Published by Jeremy Moule on Mar 11, 2008
Will an olive branch be enough to settle an ongoing dispute over the way the County Legislature selected the new public defender? A coalition of community and religious leaders hopes so. | The coalition, which fought for a nonpartisan screening panel for defender candidates but were thwarted by the Lej's Republican majority, wants to meet with legislators, and on Tuesday planned to extend literal olive branches to them. | On Saturday, March 8, coalition leaders had hoped to bring 1,000 people out to a mass gathering on the public-defender issue. Attendance was only about one-fifth of that, however, raising the possibility that it may be difficult to sustain long-term support. Coalition leaders said getting 200 people to show up during a snow and ice storm "says a lot about the concern people have for the issue," said Ray Scott. | Newly appointed Public Defender Tim Donaher is staying out of the debate. He's focusing on building public support. "I'd like to convince you that I care deeply about the Monroe County Public Defender's Office and the work that we do," Donaher said during a public forum last week.
