A.G. Gancarski
For more than a year, the only filed candidate for public defender in Florida’s 4th Judicial Circuit was Mike Weinstein. The former Jacksonville mayoral candidate filed in March 2014, and his filing was active as late as last month.
However, his filing has been withdrawn.
Weinstein, the chief financial officer in Jacksonville for the Lenny Curry administration, clearly intends to stick around in the fourth floor of City Hall for a while longer.
The question now, of course, is one of when (not if) at this point Matt Shirk, the defender’s office incumbent, will file for re-election himself.
In December, a grand jury told Shirk to step down.
“The Grand Jury does not believe that simply waiting for the next election cycle in 2016 or allowing political processes to intervene adequately addresses the immediate needs of the community. To allow Shirk to remain in office for one more day than is absolutely necessary, exposes citizens of this community to unnecessary financial and legal risk,” read the report.
For his part, Shirk said that he wouldn’t resign, and asserted that “if the voters decide that they don’t want me as public defender any longer then they’ll speak to that.”
It will be interesting to see who, if anyone, jumps into this race to oppose Shirk. Is there an equivalent to Wes White who seeks to run for public defender?
Florida Politics readers last encountered Shirk during the June Transition Team Budget Review for the State Attorney’s Office and Public Defender.
The discussion at that point included Shirk discussing “numerous threats against our employees” during the past few years, arguing for a metal detector and enhanced security, he adds, as “reasonable and necessary to secure the building.”
“I lose sleep over somebody coming through the building,” added Shirk. Mousa responded that there is a security guard with wand, so “you’re not totally naked.”
With the lawsuit associated with Shirk’s shower scandal finally dismissed, perhaps he will make his move soon and file for re-election.
