VOLUME 84 NO 10 DECEMBER 201 0THE FLORIDA

ADVANCING THE COMPETENCE AND PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY OF LAWYERS

BOOKS

The 57 Club My Four Decades in Florida Politics By Frederick B Karl Reviewed by Jessica Zimmer

Frederick Karl s odyssey through Floridas political landscape explains how legislators worked to modernize the states legal and legislative sysshytems in the mid-twentieth century The title refers to the group of state legislators all white men who were elected to the Florida House of Repshyresentatives in 1957 Karl in turn an attorney state representative and Florida Supreme Court justice exshyplains that complex instruments and legislation such as turnpike bonds and workers compensation were created to serve a state that was becoming more heavily populated and economishycally powerful

Karls book is divided into four sections the people the issues the campaigns and the operators Karl weaves humorous stories and personshyal anecdotes about votersjournalists and politicians into every section The most valuable portions ofthe book ilshylustrate where public opinion stood in the mid-twentieth century These porshytions show how much work it took to change the tide Karl shows that racial discrimination was an extremely conshytroversial issue In 1957 segregationshyists put their full support behind the Last Resort Bill This bill would have shut down public facilities such as schools if integration was made law The bill passed both houses The bill was vetoed by former Governor LeRoy Collins Only with a great effort was the legislature able to rally the votes needed to sustain the veto

Karl reveals why it was necessary to reform Article V the judicial article

of the state constitution Before the reform in 1968 a variety of specialty courts were presided over by men who often did not have legal trainshying Karl tells of presenting a case before a justice of the peace in his hometown Daytona Beach The jusshytice explained to a dumbfounded Karl that he couldnt let me win because a northerner was suing a local man

and he had to look out for the local person Karl says this same man was rumored to let his dog decide cases and apply the Georgia code to impose a sentence

In the same light-hearted vein Karl explains the rise of the Southern Regional Education Board how a two-party system was introduced to Florida and the first sunshine laws These accounts constitute a short refresher course in Florida constishytutional law Karl keeps the lessons lively by exposing the personal flaws of offending representatives and tellshying the truth about Tallahassee instishytutions He writes of the Old Capitol building One day my son Jim who was in middle school at the time came for a visit and fell through one ofthe rotten areas of the floor down into the office below Fortunately only his pride was hurt

One of the most important purposes of Karls book is to outline a code of ethics for politicians lobbyists and judges He invites those who value

the work he and his colleagues have done to continue the traditions of the 57 club In his conclusion Karl offers that one can disagree with others - even those in control- and ifdone honorably can continue to have their respect

Published by the University Press of Florida the 400-page book retails for $40 and is available in some bookshystores and all major online retailers

Jessica Zimmer is a member or The Florida 8G

How Florida Happened The Political Education of Buddy MacKay By Buddy MacKay Reviewed by David N Torre

Former New York Governor Mario Cuomo once said that a politician campaigns in poetry but governs in prose Prime examples of both are abundant in former Florida Governor Buddy MacKays recently published autobiography However this political tome has a unique flavor that only a

Bar members can submit book reviews of approximately 500 words for

publication The reviews should be related to law but may be practical

esoteric entertaining or fiction Reviews should include the number of pages the publisher and cost

Book reviews may be e-mailed to ajonesflabarorg

THE FLORIDA BAR JOURNAUDECEMBER 2010 59

BOOKS

The 57 Club My Four Decades in Florida Politics By Frederick B Karl Reviewed by Jessica Zimmer

Frederick Karl s odyssey through Floridas political landscape explains how legislators worked to modernize the states legal and legislative sysshytems in the mid-twentieth century The title refers to the group of state legislators all white men who were elected to the Florida House of Repshyresentatives in 1957 Karl in turn an attorney state representative and Florida Supreme Court justice exshyplains that complex instruments and legislation such as turnpike bonds and workers compensation were created to serve a state that was becoming more heavily populated and economishycally powerful

Karls book is divided into four sections the people the issues the campaigns and the operators Karl weaves humorous stories and personshyal anecdotes about votersjournalists and politicians into every section The most valuable portions ofthe book ilshylustrate where public opinion stood in the mid-twentieth century These porshytions show how much work it took to change the tide Karl shows that racial discrimination was an extremely conshytroversial issue In 1957 segregationshyists put their full support behind the Last Resort Bill This bill would have shut down public facilities such as schools if integration was made law The bill passed both houses The bill was vetoed by former Governor LeRoy Collins Only with a great effort was the legislature able to rally the votes needed to sustain the veto

Karl reveals why it was necessary to reform Article V the judicial article

of the state constitution Before the reform in 1968 a variety of specialty courts were presided over by men who often did not have legal trainshying Karl tells of presenting a case before a justice of the peace in his hometown Daytona Beach The jusshytice explained to a dumbfounded Karl that he couldnt let me win because a northerner was suing a local man

and he had to look out for the local person Karl says this same man was rumored to let his dog decide cases and apply the Georgia code to impose a sentence

In the same light-hearted vein Karl explains the rise of the Southern Regional Education Board how a two-party system was introduced to Florida and the first sunshine laws These accounts constitute a short refresher course in Florida constishytutional law Karl keeps the lessons lively by exposing the personal flaws of offending representatives and tellshying the truth about Tallahassee instishytutions He writes of the Old Capitol building One day my son Jim who was in middle school at the time came for a visit and fell through one ofthe rotten areas of the floor down into the office below Fortunately only his pride was hurt

One of the most important purposes of Karls book is to outline a code of ethics for politicians lobbyists and judges He invites those who value

the work he and his colleagues have done to continue the traditions of the 57 club In his conclusion Karl offers that one can disagree with others - even those in control- and ifdone honorably can continue to have their respect

Published by the University Press of Florida the 400-page book retails for $40 and is available in some bookshystores and all major online retailers

Jessica Zimmer is a member or The Florida 8G

How Florida Happened The Political Education of Buddy MacKay By Buddy MacKay Reviewed by David N Torre

Former New York Governor Mario Cuomo once said that a politician campaigns in poetry but governs in prose Prime examples of both are abundant in former Florida Governor Buddy MacKays recently published autobiography However this political tome has a unique flavor that only a

Bar members can submit book reviews of approximately 500 words for

publication The reviews should be related to law but may be practical

esoteric entertaining or fiction Reviews should include the number of pages the publisher and cost

Book reviews may be e-mailed to ajonesflabarorg

THE FLORIDA BAR JOURNAUDECEMBER 2010 59

career in Florida could provide MacKay begins his story with exshy

pected facts and figures regarding his family and its roots in Central Florida MacKay a Florida attorney also discusses the outset of his politishycal career Yet what makes the book interesting is the recurring theme of change

The reader is treated to details and insights from what is rapidly becomshying a bygone era in Florida politics From run-ins with entrenched Panshyhandle political interests during his time in the Florida Legislature to conflict faced while trying to kill the Cross Florida Barge Canal as a memshyber of Congress MacKays stories are a treat for those interested in learning how dramatically a p6liticallandscape can change during the course of one politicians career

Another valuable nugget of Florida politics encapsulated within the pages ofMacKays book are the descriptions struggles and triumphs of many of Floridas most celebrated elected leadshyers of the past 50 years

This loose affiliation of elected ofshyficials is comprised of LeRoy Collins Reuben Askew Bob Graham Jon Mills and Sandy DAlemberte among many others To describe this group as simply Florida Democrats leaves something to be desired Perhaps Key lime liberals or some other such term should be used to more fully deshyscribe how this group both influenced and was influenced by the Sunshine State

However MacKayS relationship with former Governor Lawton Chiles truly dominates the prose ofthe book MacKay describes Chiles as an imshyprobable combination of King Arthur and Don Quixote This description of Chiles is apt Recognizable yet aloof a scholarly biography of the late govshyernor is clearly needed To his credit MacKay easily accepts that his role during their political run was more Sancho Panza than Lancelot MacKay quotes Sancho Panza from Man ofLa Mancha when asked why he continshyues to follow Quixote on his eccentric crusades Panzas response I like him I really like him That sentishyment describes the feelings MacKay expresses toward Chiles throughout

the book The book however is not lacking in

listing the accomplishments of its aushythor Stories from the campaign trail are supplemented by prose describing the inner workings of government on the state and federal levels The book treats policy wonks to an in-depth discussion on tax policy insurance reform comprehensive land planning HRS reform tobacco litigation and the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)

Throughout the book the reader is reminded that the buck stops with MacKay himself Moreover the book does not spin or abridge his political failures and defeats Success is attribshyuted to team work luck and support of family and friends Defeats are evenly apportioned between MacKays poor judgment or poor strategy or both Furthermore one is left with the notion that in success and defeat candidates are often no match for the capricious winds of political change

David N Torre is a Florida Bar member

Betrayal By Tony Capria Reviewed by Annie Butterworth Jones

In his book Betrayal former shershyiffs deputy Anthony Capria recalls the years spent fighting for justice against the state government system in New York Injured while serving as a prison guard Capria spent over 10 years ofhis life seeking compensashytion for his injury In the meantime both his professional and personal life came crashing down around him

Prior to his life-changing injury Capria had exposed corruption and safety issues in the state prison system He reported his findings to local media an action that garnered negative attention from his superiors at the prison where he worked In his desire to be a good cop Capria made plenty of enemies who eventually fulshyfilled their promises to make Caprias life miserable

When Capria suffered a serious back injury in December of 1985 his superiors - unhappy with the way Capria had reported prison corruption to the media - worked diligently to ensure he received no compensation In addition these individuals fought

for Caprias forced retirement a battle they eventually won

In the years that followed Capria sought help from attorneys to take his case Betrayal focuses not only on Caprias battle with higher-ups in the prison system but it also details Caprias search for legal representashytion and his quest for a return to normalcy The true account delivers no shortage of details and provides readers with an inside look into selfshyrepresentation

Betrayal is available for $995 from wwwtonycapriacom

Annie Butterworth Jones is an associshyate editor far The Florida Bar News and Journal

The Find By Marilyn Jax Road to Omalos By Marilyn Jax Reviewed by Daniel J Spiegel

It all begins on a scorching Miami day when a skeleton is unexpectedly discovered at the bottom of a suspishycious environmental dig site and from there the reader is pulled into a spellbinding unforgettable tale as the author Marilyn Jax weaves a powerful and suspenseful story in this cannot put down mystery The Find After reading this novel I waited impatiently for the authors next This summer her second in the series was released Road to Omalos takes the reader on a new investigation that begins with an explosion of a plastics factory in Miami and quickly takes the two main characters to the mystical Greek island of Crete This intrigushying novel raises the thorny issue of vigilante justice Both of these mysteries are gripping tales that leave you begging for more

Lawyers judges police prosecushytors defense attorneys and anyone connected with law enforcement will be enthralled by these well-crafted mysteries as the sleuths take on what appears to be unsolvable cases DNA and other new detective techniques are applied in a believable and skillful manner in order to aid Claire Caswell and Gaston (Guy) Lombard in bringshying the perpetrators to justice

Highly acclaimed six-time national

60 THE FLORIDA BAR JOURNAUDECEMBER 2010