The Florida Bar has taken the rotten tomato they were using for a ball in Brenda v. Blog, and gone home. Via letter dated August 25th to Forman, the case was formally closed some 667 days after the Bar received the initial complaint, following a no probable cause finding by Grievance Committee 17(c) on August 3rd. The controversial proceedings were carried through up to and including the Bar’s closure letter, which contained face-saving, false assertions. The Sun Sentinel’s Rafael Olmeda broke the full story earlier this morning.
Along the way, Brenda and her team at the Bar not only invigorated JAABLOG’s flagging interest in regular blogging, they also provided an abject lesson in the Streisand effect. If clerk’s employees, bailiffs, and other courthouse personnel outside of the blog’s traditional audience of lawyers, judges, media, and the JQC weren’t reading and commenting here before Brenda v. Blog, they are now.
As previously stated, our disappointment lies not with Brenda, of whom this type of conduct is to be expected. Our anger is with the disciplinary arm of the Bar, which by its actions has not only encouraged this type of awful behavior in Brenda and others like her, but has, most egregiously, stained the reputation of the Supreme Court, of which the Bar is an arm. The honorable men and women of Florida’s highest court deserve better, and the Bar should be held accountable.
Our deepest thanks to pro bono warriors Adriana Alcalde, Geoff Cohen, and John Howes, for seeing us through the most recent, and likely not the last, Bar assault on the Broward courthouse blog. Whether or not they agree with all or any of the things JAABLOG is, these honorable lawyers would walk the ends of the Earth to defend the Constitution of the greatest nation in the history of the world, upholding the solemn oaths they swore. They join Ed Hoeg, Russell Cormican, Jr., Norm Kent and Michael Klasfeld before them in their tireless, gratis efforts on behalf of JAABLOG, protecting free speech and true professionalism. We are truly indebted.
Now, without further ado, it’s time to add Brenda’s name to the JAABLOG Hall of Fame, namely the full & complete list of all those who have pursued or been the focus of baseless formal complaints to the Bar against the only unfettered, 1st Amendment defending courthouse blog on the planet:
Brenda Forman – who was found to have acted in bad faith in circuit court proceedings, defined by Black’s Law Dictionary as “dishonesty of belief, purpose, or motive” …
Matt Destry – who quit the bench under a cloud of serious JQC accusations …
Bobby Diaz – who was suspended and fined by the JQC for ethical violations in 2005 …
Marni Bryson – who is currently embroiled in a lawsuit involving accusations of marital infidelity and nude photographic texts of the judicial body …
Charles Morehead (RIP) – who violated Grievance Committee confidentiality ethics rules during l’affaire Scheinberg …
Jack Thompson – who was an attorney at the time of his complaints, and is now disbarred … *
(*It must be noted Jack became a very good friend to JAABLOG shortly after his complaints closed, and remains so to this day … )
In closing, our thanks to you, dear readers. Your support throughout the years has been astounding, and won’t be forgotten. The tips, comments, and readership do more to hold our elected officials accountable than any official agency, and with your continued support, JAABLOG will never be silenced by the type of harassment and extra-legal maneuvers the Bar resorted to in Brenda v. Blog. On that you have our solemn word …
THANKS FOR PLAYING!
The Florida Bar Zone (May ’19)
CHANGE.ORG Petition – Justice for Ruby Green
COMING SOON– The return of Ilona Holmes’ Blue Light Special?
