Eric Bast: Angela Corey must be defeated

[Metro Jacksonville]

Eric Bast: Angela Corey must be defeated





Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2016-aug-eric-bast-angela-corey-must-be-defeated

[clarionbell]

Eric....

Seems your wonkishness has gotten in the way of clear-headedness...

The website The TrueMelissaNelson.com points to a very different person than you support. 

I cannot understand how the protege of what has to be one of the worst State Attorneys in Florida (LIBERAL, Democrat Harry Shorestein, his office's ranking at the bottom in the State when his was State Attorney) would even remotely be considered to be conservative.  Sorry, getting the NRA's endorsement because of her father does not make her a conservative in the fullest definition of the word...particularly since she has received hush-hush support from advocacy groups withing the Liberal/'Progressive' communities.  This can best be seen by the likes of the Big Money Players that funded her PAC....First Coast Values....there's an antonym for you, First Coast Values....kind of like The Affordable Health Care Act....neither affordable or health care!  What was the murder rate, the violent crime rate, the juvenile crime rate like under Harry.....REALLY!!! 

You gloss over the very real issue of this PAC contributing $693,000 to get Melissa elected....let me say that again...$693,000...your policy wonkishness should be considered either outright ignorance or something more convicting. TO THIS DAY, First Coast Values is the single largest financial resource for her campaign...despite hundreds of individual donors....GO TO THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE AND DO THE RESEARCH.....

IN THE TOTAL OF 17 INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS TO FIRST COAST VALUES, THERE ARE 5 PEOPLE/CONTRIBUTORS WHO HAVE LAID DOWN NEARLY $500,000 TO TAKE OUT ANGELA COREY....$500,000 FROM 5 PEOPLE...AND YOU SET THAT ASIDE...SHAME ON YOU!!

If you bother to check out Angela Corey's funding...over 87% of her resources have come from individuals.  The law limits those donations to $1000.  ANGELA COREY COULD NEVER BE BOUGHT AND SHE CAN'T BE BOUGHT NOW!

The problem, Eric, is that you have lost a historical perspective....of what a failed State Attorney really looks like...hence your support of Mrs. Nelson.

Her management abilities are simply non-existant....
How many people did she actually manage when she worked in the office...5? 
What demonstrated skills does she have to manage the great number of attorneys, let alone the budget, let alone the support personel?
We have already learned first hand, the painful way, what it is to elect someone who lacks the basic skills, the basic judgement and has a dark funding source...Baraq Obama...to office.  I am reminded of the definition of insanity....doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome....insanity....now that would describe choosing to vote for Melissa Nelson.

Now, as to Angela Corey....you really need to open your eyes....first to her accomplishment of repairing the damage that was done by Melissa's mentor Harry Shorestein.  That there was a changing of the guard after her election was only proper...since the failures of the team in place brought the results that won Angela her position as State Attorney.  In public debates, she has pointed to her being first seat in over 60 trials....Melissa in only two.  Of note that NO ONE is bothering to address are the two debacles down south that Melissa and Harry were reprimanded for....again, go to THETRUEMELISSANELSON.COM.

And don't get me started on public debates....if Melissa can't arrive on time to debate, how will she be able to manage the time pressures of the office she covets.  As to answering questions....non-answers filled with venom and spite. Watch the Channel 4 debate to see for yourself...how will she manage people with that personality?  As to her non-answers, no facts...just broad generalizations filled with platitudes.  If you really watch that debate or any of the three I personally attended, you would realize Melissa Nelson has no business being State Attorey.

As to your claim of 'pitbull prosecutor'...

You refuse to acknowledge all of the pre-trial diversion programs she has implemented, most particularly for youth. I personally know someone who works as a liason between Duval County and her office who has shared the effectiveness of these programs.

But most importantly....you overlook the role of the State Attorney....to be the voice for the victims.  And that she has done very well.  And she will be excoriated for it....particularly by the liberal media in this town, the ignorant and uninformed voter base who refuses to seek out the facts for themselves and rely on the liberal media, and those who would pursue a more amenable profile in the office...defense lawyers.  Everyone has rights....defendants.....and victims.....and Angela Corey knows that!

So, at the end of the day....the Chartrands, the Rummels, the Weavers, (all a matter of public record courtesy of the Supervisor of Elections btw) etc, etc, etc may see their money payoff dividends in getting Melissa Nelson elected...but Jacksonville will be the worse off for it and you will rue the day....mark my words.

[clarionbell]

That's the thing about the word assume......
we don't to go about making such-n-such of each other.

No, I am not with any campaign.
I am not getting paid by anybody. 
I do not lay claim to the lofty status of policy wonk heralded by Mr. Bast....
I am only a concerned citizen who understands what the true responsibility of citizenship is....
to learn all the facts, make an informed decision, and participate in this great democracy that so many have shed the blood for and it truly the shining light on the hill.

[JHAT76]

That's the thing about the word assume......
we don't to go about making such-n-such of each other.

No, I am not with any campaign.
I am not getting paid by anybody. 
I do not lay claim to the lofty status of policy wonk heralded by Mr. Bast....
I am only a concerned citizen who understands what the true responsibility of citizenship is....
to learn all the facts, make an informed decision, and participate in this great democracy that so many have shed the blood for and it truly the shining light on the hill.

Well your sentiments do you credit.  Welcome to the forums.

I supported Angela Corey when she first ran.  Im a little repelled at the child prosecutions and the national media that she has earned for herself.

Do you support this kind of thing?

It appears Clarion is the author of this blog: http://www.crossoverjacksonville.org/blog/, which appears to be strongly opposed to HRO and LGBT issues.  Just FYI.

[clarionbell]

My comments in my original posting reflect Angela Corey's support....87% of her financial support comes from individuals, whose maximum donation is $1000.

Nelson got her start with nearly $300,000 in PAC money from First Coast Values before she even started campaigning....a matter of record. 

Angela is supported by a PAC .... which generated a small fraction of the monies that First Coast Values put together.

Besides the overwhelming dollars in Nelson's PAC, no one person gave as much as $100,000 as is the instance three times over for Melissa Nelson.  The sheer magnitude of these monetary investments should cause reasonable people to be greatly concerned.

Bast makes another specious point...about the Primary excluding blacks.....we can agree that blacks are overwhelmingly Democrat. And yet it was the Democratic Party that foisted this primary system on Florida. Where was a viable Democratic candidate?  The fault is not that of Angela Corey or the Republican Party....it lies at the feet of the Democratic Party.  Does one want to have their cake and eat it as well?? 

The reality is that the Democratic Party has sold out the African American demographic.  One can argue that the Republican Party of today (not as it was originally set down and functioned...responsible for the necessary votes to get the Voting Rights Act as well as other civil rights legislation during the 1960's) has come pretty close to doing the same thing.  The one aspect of the Republican Party that is it's strenght, but also a hardship, is the continued open airing of differing opinions...something long gone from the Democratic Party that walks in lock-step since the advent of the Clinton dynasty.

All to which I say . . . . . . . E Pluribus Unum!

[tufsu1]

Bast makes another specious point...about the Primary excluding blacks.....we can agree that blacks are overwhelmingly Democrat. And yet it was the Democratic Party that foisted this primary system on Florida. Where was a viable Democratic candidate?  The fault is not that of Angela Corey or the Republican Party....it lies at the feet of the Democratic Party.  Does one want to have their cake and eat it as well?? 

If the Democratic Party chooses not to run a candidate in a given race, the race should be open to all voters.  Angela Corey assured that would not happen by finding someone to stand in as a write-in candidate, thus denying a large segment of Duval County (and smaller segments in Clay & Nassau) voters an opportunity to elect THEIR state attorney

[icarus]

My comments in my original posting reflect Angela Corey's support....87% of her financial support comes from individuals, whose maximum donation is $1000.

Nelson got her start with nearly $300,000 in PAC money from First Coast Values before she even started campaigning....a matter of record. 

Angela is supported by a PAC .... which generated a small fraction of the monies that First Coast Values put together.

Besides the overwhelming dollars in Nelson's PAC, no one person gave as much as $100,000 as is the instance three times over for Melissa Nelson.  The sheer magnitude of these monetary investments should cause reasonable people to be greatly concerned.

Bast makes another specious point...about the Primary excluding blacks.....we can agree that blacks are overwhelmingly Democrat. And yet it was the Democratic Party that foisted this primary system on Florida. Where was a viable Democratic candidate?  The fault is not that of Angela Corey or the Republican Party....it lies at the feet of the Democratic Party.  Does one want to have their cake and eat it as well?? 

The reality is that the Democratic Party has sold out the African American demographic.  One can argue that the Republican Party of today (not as it was originally set down and functioned...responsible for the necessary votes to get the Voting Rights Act as well as other civil rights legislation during the 1960's) has come pretty close to doing the same thing.  The one aspect of the Republican Party that is it's strenght, but also a hardship, is the continued open airing of differing opinions...something long gone from the Democratic Party that walks in lock-step since the advent of the Clinton dynasty.

All to which I say . . . . . . . E Pluribus Unum!

Sorry, I cant really follow the reasoning here.

A few wealthy public minded citizens back Nelson, so she is bad(?), and 'the blacks' can just suck it because they are Democrats? Because Clinton dynasty?

Are you sure this is about the State's Attorney race?

Actually, Stephen if you follow his logic and compare it to that of Angela Corey in her most recent political arguments it actually makes sense and even more so that he is a Corey supporter.

Which I might add is why she is performing so poorly in the polls.

[clarionbell]

Very interesting these comments.....

First...as to the limited number of people putting up massive amounts to fund a particular candidate.....can't really help you if you don't see the threat of that....kind of like third world politics.

Second, regarding the matter of Unitary Elections....the issue of race (both ethnic and political) was brought up by Bast.  To ignore political reality is to ignore reality...particularly with respect to his hypocrisy....The rules were set by the Democratic Party when they controlled the legislature 17 years ago. The demographic reality is clear.  So, now that the rules don't work your way, you want to change them.....duhhhhhhh!!! Sounds like alot of stuph that passes for science/research these days....change the data to fit the hypothesis.  What you are advocating is tyranny...plain and simple.

Finally, I look forward to engaging in genuine debate about policy and current issues.  As so often is the case, when one cannot stand on facts and truth, one attacks the personality of the individual.....my positions have nothing to do with liking someone....what they have to do with is the constructiveness or destructiveness, or the building up or the tearing down of the essential values that have made this country the place where people will risk their lives to come to.

ttfn

[bast553]

Clarionbell,

Thanks for the feedback. It appears that you are a Corey supporter, but I state explicitly that nothing in the article I wrote should be construed as an endorsement of either Nelson or White. In fact, I remain unimpressed by both.

This election should be a referendum on Corey as much as it is a referendum on the alternatives. The first step one should take when determining for whom to vote is to evaluate the incumbent. Many times, incumbent office holders are capable and qualified to continue in service. I feel strongly that this is not the case for Angela Corey, for the reasons I laid out (and, frankly, others).

I am wary of large donors in this campaign (as I am in all campaigns). I mention that fact when I discuss Nelson in my conclusion. Terms like "liberal" do not do much to persuade me, as I care not whether the candidate is a liberal or a conservative or whatever, but whether they can manage prosecutions judiciously and effectively. In the case of Angela Corey, I feel she is no longer able to do so.

I am not in favor of a partisan election for State Attorney, but that is what we have. In a normal campaign with an effective, restrained, focused prosecutor, I would write an opinion piece lambasting Nelson. She has her own set of shortcomings, of course.

The argument that Melissa Nelson is not a suitable replacement is not well-suited for the Corey campaign in my opinion. Angela Corey should not be making the argument that Nelson is not a viable alternative, because that implies (I presume not purposefully) that there isn't an argument to be made for retaining Corey.

[clarionbell]

The election is plainly and simply a decision as to who is best fit to be the State Attorney, not a referendum on Angela Corey.  We must be careful not to shape things in to what we would like rather than what they in fact are.

One cannot separate the source of support from the recipient of that support for the obvious reason. Money is not given by people, whether they have a great deal or a mere pittance, because of differences of opinion/desired outcomes. Indeed, campaign contributions are intended to support that candidate who best represents one's values. To understand the financial backing is to understand the candidate.  This becomes even more important when dealing with a position of great power and consequence that is the State Attorney.  Hence, the clearly demonstrated agendas of campaign contributors is a reasonable point of reference.

With respect to Angela Corey's campaign...one can clearly see two major messages that address your comments.

First, the reason for retaining her as State Attorney is based on her demonstrated track record (not contested by either Nelson or White) of significant improvement made in the operation and fulfillment of mission regarding the State Attorney office.  Ranked near the bottom when she was swept into victory, it now stands in the top 5.  That is a clear demonstration of effective management that is deserving of re-election.

Second, the matter of Nelson's capacities is this respect are greatly in question, having no comparable organizational experience. On that measure alone, Wes White has Melissa Nelson beat but he doesn't even come up to Angela Corey's level.

Plain and simple, Melissa Nelson is, at best a novice.  The consequences of her impending failures that would come is she were elected should not be placed on a over-burdened justice system that is facing greater challenges than ever before in the history of Jacksonville.

As to your suggestion of the race being non-partisan, I would agree. I would take it one step further....with respect to campaign financing....limit contributions to $1,000 per household/address.  We need to get the Big Money out of this race and have it be as non-political as possible.

[tufsu1]

To ignore political reality is to ignore reality...particularly with respect to his hypocrisy....The rules were set by the Democratic Party when they controlled the legislature 17 years ago. The demographic reality is clear.  So, now that the rules don't work your way, you want to change them.....duhhhhhhh!!!

Just because it was done by the party in power in the past doesn't make it right.  Get over yourself!

As to a policy debate, fine.  I'm not sure why it is a good thing for anyone tpo be touting their zealous support of the death penalty.  For someone who seems to be pretty religious (I see Ms. Corey across the street from my home at church regularly), I am confused by her pride in seeking the death penalty so often.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

http://www.newyorknews7.com/us/state-attorney-angela-corey-calls-new-harvard-study-about-death-sentencing-unfair-and-untrue-h165624.html

...They (Bernie de la Rionda and Mark Caliel) and Corey also said that they believe it's honoring to the many black victims of murder to seek death in those cases.

Kind of seems a bit disingenuous compared to her sentiment in Bast's article:

It is a constitutional duty to consult with the victim, but the victim does not tell the state attorney what sentence should be imposed in any case. We give their feelings great weight, and we have done that with the very vocal Darlene Farah, who appears to be more interested in publicity than actually grieving for her daughter.

If you overcharge (high percentile)and under-represent (also high percentile) with an assumed wink-wink, nod-not agreement with the PD Office you're bound to be disliked.

I have a general dislike of Corey based on everything read and seen, but I think we could get as much accomplished by voting in a PD that she wouldn't enjoy such a apparent stronghold over.  Corey may be conniving and terse and a pain in the ass, but coupled with Shirk, who is a complete waste of oxygen at his position,makes for a really shitty combination.

Link to the study:
http://fairpunishment.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/FPP-TooBroken.pdf

[clarionbell]

This has been an enlightening experience.

If we are to talk about success, the success of Angela Corey is unquestioned. She took a bottom-dwelling SA office and lifted it up through a great deal of hard work.  It was a bottom-dwelling SA office because of the mis-management of her predecessor, Harry Shorestein. None of that is addressed by any comments here.  The media did not report that.

Melissa Nelson has virtually no organizational or management experience to tackle this job (maybe she will seek out her prior employer for 'guidance' or are we doing the 'hopey changey thing' here as well?).  Yet the media did not address Nelson's lack of experience in any way.

The First Coast Values PAC funded her race, both through the principals' private donations and through monetary investments in the PAC exceeding $600,000. In an interesting twist, the PAC's spokesman was the same as Nelson's campaign spokesman....so much for being independent. Advert's were run attacking Corey for being a millionaire (only just over the mark and not rolling in dough as one is led to believe)....yet Nelson is also a millionaire....by only thousands of dollars difference.  Yet the media did not report that.

The media also did not report on the judicial reprimands of Nelson while in the employ of Harry Shorestein.

Oh, and one other thing, the media isn't reporting on the fact that the other mass media outlet in town canceled their live debate after watching Nelson melt down during the Channel 4 live debate (poles after the fact support my statement).  btw...I had witnessed this crash & burn three times before.

All these misdeeds and mis-information are not responded to in this forum.  First Coast Values and the media are to thank for the election of Melissa Nelson. 

Money talks and influences.

Hence, I return to my comment now that Melissa Nelson has been voted in as SA:

You will rue the day of her election.

over and ouuuuuuut!

[spuwho]

Note to Angela Corey campaign:

Can you take down your signs please?  You seem to be the only one left.

[Tacachale]

Certainly some interesting comments. I'll try to give some more measured responses.

This has been an enlightening experience.

If we are to talk about success, the success of Angela Corey is unquestioned. She took a bottom-dwelling SA office and lifted it up through a great deal of hard work.  It was a bottom-dwelling SA office because of the mis-management of her predecessor, Harry Shorestein. None of that is addressed by any comments here.  The media did not report that.

It's definitely true that whatever her faults, Angela Corey had strengths in the office as well (virtually anyone does), and these were never reported by the media. It's also true that she was a better State Attorney than her predecessor. However, this race wasn't between Corey and Shorstein, it was between Corey and Nelson.

Melissa Nelson has virtually no organizational or management experience to tackle this job (maybe she will seek out her prior employer for 'guidance' or are we doing the 'hopey changey thing' here as well?).  Yet the media did not address Nelson's lack of experience in any way.

It's true that Nelson has little management experience. Perhaps the media paid this fact too little attention, though it was almost always mentioned in the Times-Union stories about the race.

The First Coast Values PAC funded her race, both through the principals' private donations and through monetary investments in the PAC exceeding $600,000. In an interesting twist, the PAC's spokesman was the same as Nelson's campaign spokesman....so much for being independent. Advert's were run attacking Corey for being a millionaire (only just over the mark and not rolling in dough as one is led to believe)....yet Nelson is also a millionaire....by only thousands of dollars difference.  Yet the media did not report that.

Nelson's spokesman was Brian Hughes from Go Meteoric. Was he also the spokesman for First Coast Values?

As to the ads, Corey's ads were more negative than Nelson's. The media didn't really get into any of the ads. I don't actually remember seeing any of them.

The media also did not report on the judicial reprimands of Nelson while in the employ of Harry Shorestein.

The media didn't report on a lot of things. Is this even accurate?

Oh, and one other thing, the media isn't reporting on the fact that the other mass media outlet in town canceled their live debate after watching Nelson melt down during the Channel 4 live debate (poles after the fact support my statement).  btw...I had witnessed this crash & burn three times before.

I don't know what to make of this comment.

All these misdeeds and mis-information are not responded to in this forum.  First Coast Values and the media are to thank for the election of Melissa Nelson. 

The media gave Corey hard treatment largely because she had a very bad relationship with them. She didn't give them anything positive to report. They gave Nelson soft treatment because there's less to say about her in general, and because she (and her team) are better at responding to the press. My biggest fear about Nelson is that she'll take the wrong lesson from Corey and put too much focus on her media profile and public image. Those are not good traits for a state attorney to have.

That said, it's definitely true that Nelson's well run campaign contributed to her victory, as did the more positive media coverage (and public opinion) of her versus her opponent. In what democratic election has this ever been different?

Money talks and influences.

Yeah, and water's wet.

Hence, I return to my comment now that Melissa Nelson has been voted in as SA:

You will rue the day of her election.

over and ouuuuuuut!

I find it doubtful that people will really "rue the day" that Nelson was elected. I think many will be disappointed that things won't change as much as they're hoping; Corey wasn't the demon that got built up in people's heads, and Nelson isn't some liberal reformer, and never claimed to be.