BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
Although not campaigning for a political position, all four judicial candidates attended last week’s political forum at the Bradford County Fairgrounds.
These candidates are on the ballot to be the next circuit judge for the Eighth Judicial Circuit.
Sean Brewer is a 24-year prosecutor married to a school teacher and father to three boys in high school and college. Brewer said that gave him the opportunity to serve the community as a coach to around 125 different youth sports teams.
In his career, he has specialized in prosecuting crimes against women and children, and has tried murder cases as well. His trial experience is the number one reason why he is ready to serve as circuit judge, he said. His connection with the community and its families is another.
AuBroncee Martin and his wife also have three sons from college age down to middle school. He has served as an assistant public defender for 24 years. He is a certified family and county court mediator and was an adjunct law professor at the University of Florida. He has served as president of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association and as board president of Big Brothers, Big Sisters in Alachua County.
From that experience, he said he has learned that life meaning does not come from how much money or popularity your work brings you.
“It comes to the knowledge that you can get up every morning, and know that you helped somebody, and that you did the right thing,” Martin said. That is what should drive a judge, he added.
Nathan Skop began by touting his endorsement by former Congressman Ted Yoho, whose values he said he shares. He said he is the only candidate with quasi judicial experience serving the entire state. He was appointed by the governor to serve as a commissioner on the court of the Public Service Commission, whose decisions are appealed directly to the Florida Supreme Court. So, he hasn’t just tried cases, he has adjudicated them, he said.
In law school, Skop performed an externship in the criminal division of the circuit court under Judge Robert P. Cates. Skop entered law school at the age of 37. His first career was in business and engineering. He has built space station batteries and nuclear submarines. Then after obtaining his MBA, he worked for Boeing and built airplanes as a propulsion engineer. From there, he went to FPL to work in renewable energy before taking on law school. With this experience, Skop said he is the most well-rounded candidate.
He also feels the most persecuted. In spite of being involved in a nonpartisan race, he said he is the only candidate whose signs are being vandalized.
“Why? Ask yourself. They put Hitler on my sign the other day. That’s just unprecedented for a judicial candidate,” he said.
Dan Weisman said his first career was in the Army. As a platoon leader, when soldiers were tired and needed direction and motivation, he would take map and talk to them about how far they had come and where they were going. He said he was going to do the same for the audience, declaring they were not electing an appellate or Supreme Court judge. Whoever wins will not be making decisions that impact nationwide laws. They will be trying cases in criminal, civil or family court.
“You want to put someone on the bench who has substantial trial experience, who’s been on both sides of the aisle and is going to know how to do it right,” Weisman said.
As for his experience, he said he was a gang prosecutor for the Attorney General’s Office and was named Gang Prosecutor of the Year. In private practice, he has worked on defense and said he knows what it’s like to defend an innocent man.
“You want someone up on the bench with experience on both sides of the aisle so that we can all get a fair result,” he said.
Because they are to remain nonpartisan, judicial candidates had to answer carefully when asked about their judicial philosophy. Brewer said judges should interpret the law and avoid being activists. Martin said foremost it is to treat people with dignity, to listen, and to be fair and impartial.
Skop said the circuit needs fair and impartial judges, but he also spoke about his values, which he said include “God, country, Constitution, Second Amendment rights and good Christian family values.” He said he is the only candidate with rural values and accused Sheriff Gordon Smith, who has endorsed Brewer, of trying to “fool people.”
Weisman said he maintains his philosophy from the military and his days as a prosecutor: You have to do what makes sense with what is in front of you.
“If it’s right there in front of you in black and white,” he said, “you do what the law says.”
The forum was sponsored by the Republican Party of Bradford County, held at the Bradford Fairgrounds, hosted by Richard Solze and broadcast on WEAG 106.3.
Voter registration and information
There will be a great community gathering with refreshments provided on Thursday, Aug. 11, at 6 p.m. at Greater Allen Chapel, 746 Pine St. in Starke. Bring someone who needs to register to vote or needs encouragement to vote.
This is a nonpartisan event to encourage exercising the right to vote, and all are welcome to attend. For further information, call 352-283-5536.
