P.D. a go-go

Well, apparently Broward County's p.d. problems go beyond naked dancing public defenders:

Conflict deepens between incoming and outgoing public defenders.

Some details:

- the incoming chief p.d. displays his people skills by sending an e-mail to all attorneys stating that he will "no longer use the criteria of young, good-looking, rich or trial numbers alone" in picking future staffers;

- the outgoing chief p.d. defends his political graft and patronage machine by stating that "using the office staff as volunteers and donors in campaigns (his campaigns for re-election - ed.) gives us clout in the courtroom";

- politics, old guys with ponytails, past cocaine addiction, a lawyer crashing into a patrol car, lawyers with beautiful blue eyes, secret budgets, sexual harassment allegations, rescinded raises, recriminations, and the aforesaid nude dancing;

it's all great reading, with nary a mention of how (or when) the office represents actual clients. Is it any wonder that this story comes from Florida?