Press Conference in front of law offices of former president of the American Academy of Trial Lawyers, the firm that gave $10K to smear Randall Terry

Contact: Michael Rose, 904-246-7337; Randall Terry for Florida State Senate Campaign Office, 904-819-9450; Randall Terry is available for comment

JACKSONVILLE, Sept. 4 /Christian Newswire/ -- Public documents and local news reporting expose trial lawyers behind smear campaign.

Press Conference Details ---

When: Monday, Sept. 4, 2 PM

Where: In front of the offices of  Coker, Myers, Schickel, Sorenson & Green, Trial Lawyers, 136 East Bay Street, Jacksonville

Why: “Sleazy trial lawyers own this seat and do not want to lose it.  Insurance rates are going through the roof.  And with every insurance premium you pay -- you are giving money to law firms -- who are now giving it to King, to ensure that they continue to economically rape the rest of us.

“The attorney who orchestrated the attack ads, Gary Farmer, was the attorney for Al Gore in 2000 who tried to force Broward County into a ‘revote.’ Gary Farmer has also endorsed Democratic Governor Candidate Rod Smith.

“We have a Democratic Operative Attorney - Gary Farmer - trying to retain his ownership of a Republican State Senate seat.  My campaign promise is to bring about real tort reform, and to fix the medical malpractice mess created by Jim King and the trial lawyers.  This one promise, which is a threat to the greed and avarice of attorneys, is to eliminate ‘percentage based contingency fees’ from attorneys to their clients.” – Randall Terry; see Who is Attacking Randall Terry?  

“These TV ads and mailing could be found to be among the most debased tactics ever used in modern American politics,” said Gary McCullough, Ponte Vedra Beach resident and long time Terry associate. “Now these ads and the group behind them have been exposed for what they are; a despicable yet transparent political power grab by gambling profiteers and trial lawyers.  Focus groups and political observers often comment on how ineffective such smear tactics and personal attacks are in swaying public opinion.  Changing minds is not what is at stake.  The goal of groups like this last-minute-concocted ‘North Florida Leadership Coalition’ is to suppress the vote.  Their strategy is to keep voters away from the polls.”

Today’s St. Augustine Record newspaper reports:

“The Leadership Coalition, disbanded Aug. 31 after a 17-day life span. It apparently only existed to buy anti-Terry ads . . . it spent nothing else.

“Most of the coalition's total contributions of $225,000 came from trial lawyers in Tallahassee and Jacksonville. It also got $10,000 from the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida and $5,000 from PPI Inc., which owns a harness racing track in Pompano Beach.”

Background: St. Augustine Record, Sept. 4, 2006, Law firms fund ads attacking Terry--Campaign targets Fla. Senate challenger

Paid for and Approved by Randall Terry, Republican, Florida Senate