Tracey Brooks recently sent out a series of mailers saying that Phil Steck defended “illegal arms dealers” and questioned whether he would stand up to the NRA. In fact, Steck has repeatedly called for uniform national gun laws in the United States and has stated he would fight for that in Congress.
The Steck campaign responded today with this statement:
“As a lifelong and progressive Democrat, Mr. Steck certainly believes in the constitutional right to counsel. Apparently, Ms. Brooks would side with Republicans who have sought for decades to undermine that right. Her commitment to the Constitution is obviously shallow and political.
As an attorney practicing in Federal Court, and as a former prosecutor with knowledge of the criminal law, Phil Steck has accepted cases for indigent defendants assigned to him by Federal judges. The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution requires the Federal Court to provide an attorney to defendants who lack the resources to hire one. Mr. Steck assisted the Court in fulfilling its Constitutional duty by accepting these assignments.
Beyond showing no respect for the Constitution, Ms. Brooks has her facts wrong. Mr. Steck did not represent any of the three defendants cited by Ms. Brooks, who in fact were represented by other attorneys. In one of the cases cited by Ms. Brooks, Mr. Steck represented a co-defendant who actually cooperated with the Government and received a lesser sentence due to his cooperation on the Government’s initiative. There is no basis in fact for her charge that Mr. Steck worked to have dangerous criminals released.”
