Andrew Thomas is no more

In the first two months of 2012, one quarter of a million people in Maricopa County, Arizona that were forever changed in a horrific way by Andrew Thomas, will hopefully get some long awaited justice. If the Arizona Republic runs the headline "Andrew Thomas, former Maricopa County Attorney, has been disbarred from practicing law" there will be fireworks that night. People will weep in relief. A smidgen of faith that there is some justice in America's legal system will return and hopefully Arizona's new Attorney General, Tom Horne, will have some indictments waiting to keep the ball of a return to "doing the right thing" rolling in Arizona.

Some people like to credit me as the first person to speak out against Thomas. Certainly, I was the first person to write a book about him [and Joe Arpaio] that wasn't written by them. One thing I do know is that I worked for several years for this day. And, as one of the thousands of county residents who Andrew Thomas victimized for his own political gain, I eagerly await the upcoming Arizona Bar decision to put an end to his legal career.

I've spent the last 4 years trying to recover my career. I haven't been able to put the 20 years of college and $50k of student loans behind me and move on. My task completed (removing Andrew Thomas from politics and seeing him disbarred), I have been a man without a cause as it were. But, I'm returning to renew my fight on a grander scale. So, while I've said goodbye to Fat Bellied Laughing Buddha Publishing, I've also decided to launch Freedom Road Publishing as its successor. I chose a new company name because the new company has a different purpose. It will be to give a voice to writers like myself--unpublished, talented people with a voice and something to say. I don't want that tainted by Maricopa County politics the way that FBLB became, so I've put on a new suit of clothes.

Starting anew doesn't mean I'm forgetting all my hard fought friends, or the fights they continue to fight for their loved ones still in prison. It doesn't mean that my empathy for the millions of Americans whom employers refuse to hire carte blanche due to a felony has gone. Far from it, Americans need to take their country back and I want to be part of that movement! Since I have to always remain vigilant of rogue cops and rogue prosecutors, I'm going to keep doing what works for me--using a pen and paper (metaphorically) in print and on the Internet.

One goal completed, I have hope and a plan for new roads to travel. Roads that lead to a return to freedom in America. That's why I call them Freedom Roads and I'll be looking for writers who have a voice to help me.

By the way, I've found a local attorney who stays up on this case. His name is Joshua Davidson. He's one of the younger new breed of attorneys that seems dissatisfied with the status quo in Maricopa County and that means that if you need an attorney, you will get a committed one in him. His website is http://www.jdavidsonlaw.com/. And, I follow his blog as one way to keep abreast of the return of justice to Maricopa County. You will find it here:http://arizonadefenselawblog.com . I went through three attorneys with my case, so I've learned to recognize separate the wheat from the chaff as they say. If you need an attorney, I recommend giving Josh a call.

Blessing to all and Happy Holidays!