Esenberg Shows Public Defenders Some Love

Since talk radio is so disproportionately dominated by the rabid right wing, I find myself listening to one of the few alternatives available. One station that I enjoy is Milwaukee’€™s WMCS 1290 AM. The station has a very strong African American audience, but has been doing a great job of broadening their audience in recent years. One of my favorite shows on WMCS is the Eric Von Show. I particularly like the diverse range of issues, the conversational style and the active engagement of the listening audience. As I turned on the program yesterday, you can imagine my disappointment to hear Federalist Society disciple and WMC shill Rick Esenberg. He has so many outlets to promote his ideology, why invade my only refuge?

Although I was disappointed to hear Esenberg speculate on the Democratic primary, I did learn something interesting from him. Toward the end of the program he made a brief comment saying that public defenders don’€™t get paid enough and he thinks that they should get more for their work. Having worked for many attorneys representing poor folks, I whole heartedly agree with that sentiment. However, I thought it odd that Esenberg would think so highly of public defenders that he would suggest a raise for them. After all, many of his ideological friends on the right have done nothing but denigrate Justice Louis Butler for his many years of service as a public defender.

Which is it Rick? Do you believe that being a public defender is an honorable way to practice law? Do you think that public defenders are somehow inferior or morally suspect like many of your friends on the right? If you don’€™t agree with that sentiment, then what have you done to correct it?