Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiAugust 26, 2016

On Friday morning, 4th Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk made a curious decision: to send what appears to be a campaign email from his City of Jacksonville email account. Shirk wasn’t messaging in his own campaign, in which he is down by 22 points to Charles Cofer, according to the most recent poll of the race. Rather, he is […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 17, 2016

Earlier in July, 4th Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk raised eyebrows with a tweet about President Barack Obama that many found inflammatory. “Obama has deep ties to Islam,” Shirk tweeted. “Is this why he refuses to call Radical Islam what it actually is??” FloridaPolitics.com reached out to Shirk, and he doubled down on his position on Friday, […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 6, 2016

When Jacksonville City Councilman Aaron Bowman endorsed the re-election bid of 4th Circuit State Attorney Angela Corey Tuesday, he cited Corey’s commitment to Veterans Court. “Veterans Treatment Court is designed to help veterans who have been honorably discharged, but who are charged with nonviolent felonies or misdemeanors, oftentimes stemming from substance abuse or mental health issues,” said the […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 8, 2016

The Florida Commission on Ethics this month determined “probable cause” in three incidents related to 4th Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk, whose hiring of three women from a now-defunct bar called “Whiskey River,” and subsequent entertaining of the women in his office, were matters of media interest a couple of years back. Two other incidents, meanwhile, didn’t meet […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 7, 2016

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In May, former Duval County chief judge Charles Cofer began spending in earnest in his GOP primary bid to unseat 4th Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk. The 4th Circuit encompasses Duval, Clay, and Nassau counties. Cofer raised just over $11,000 in May, including two key max contributions: one from Gate Petroleum, the company of former Jacksonville Mayor John […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 25, 2016

One might think, given the fact that 4th Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk and State Attorney Angela Corey are in competitive GOP primaries, they might debate their opponents. While there’s still plenty of time for that to happen, it’s not happening Wednesday afternoon. The embattled incumbents, each facing challenges from members of their own party, will instead debate each other. […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 4, 2016

The 4th circuit Public Defender race will have a closed primary between GOP incumbent Matt Shirk and challenger Charles Cofer, as write-in candidate Roland Falcon entered the contest Wednesday. If Shirk and Cofer had remained the only two on the ballot, all voters could have cast their ballots and the race would have been decided by the Aug. 30 primary. Falcon, a […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 5, 2016

In a letter Tuesday, 4th Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk took issue with State Attorney Angela Corey regarding the latter’s “defiant stance as it relates to referrals of veterans into the Duval County Veterans Court.” This is, Shirk wrote, something of a historical controversy. “In 2011, the Public Defender’s Office proposed the establishment of a Veterans Court. […]

Melissa RossJanuary 7, 2016

Humbled, contrite, and saying he’s found Jesus, 4th Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk is forging ahead with a campaign for a third term, despite a grand jury urging him to quit after scandal plagued his tenure in office. “I have a good record to stand on and intend to make that known to the public,” […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 18, 2015

[Updated with comment from Matt Shirk‘s office] The question on the minds of Jacksonville political watchers: will Matt Shirk run for re-election as the 4th Circuit Public Defender? Though Shirk has yet to file for the office, Sam Shiver of the Public Defender’s office confirmed to FloridaPolitics.com on Friday that Shirk is in fact running. […]

Tag: 4th Circuit Public Defender
A nice warm evening in Tallahassee on a very busy street while taking this shot.

Did Matt Shirk send a campaign email from his government account?

Matt Shirk: Barack Obama is ‘comfortable’ with deaths from terrorism

Matt Shirk blasts Angela Corey on Veterans Court advocacy claims

Matt Shirk takes hits from state Ethics Commission

4th Circuit Public Defender candidate Charles Cofer spends big in May

Matt Shirk, Angela Corey to debate Wednesday … will the right questions be asked?

Write-in candidate Roland Falcon enters 4th circuit Public Defender race

Matt Shirk, Angela Corey in war of words regarding Duval Veterans Court

Matt Shirk seeks 3rd term: “I’ve owned up to my mistakes … moving forward”

Confirmed: Matt Shirk is running for re-election