Robin Ficker

Robin Ficker
House of Delegates, 1979-82
Residence	Boyds, Maryland
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Baltimore School of Law
Occupation	Attorney, real estate broker
Known for	Political activism, sports heckling
Political party	Republican
Children	Desiree Ficker, Rob Ficker, Flynn Ficker

Robin Ficker (born April 5, 1943) is an American attorney, real estate broker, political activist, and sports heckler who lives in Boyds, Maryland.

Education and professional career

Ficker attended the United States Military Academy for five semesters. He received a B.S. in electrical and mechanical engineering from Case Institute of Technology.^[1] Ficker attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School, receiving his JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Ficker also received an M.A. in public administration from American University in 1969.^[1]

Ficker won two landmark injunctions preventing the state of Maryland from denying access to serious traffic and criminal court records. In 1992 U.S. District Court Judge Nickerson granted Ficker an injunction against provisions of the Maryland Public Information Act that denied access to police reports, criminal charging documents, and traffic citations in the Maryland Automated Traffic System. A 2003 Attorneys General opinion said the 1992 "Ficker order is still in effect and enforceable."^[2] In 1997, in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Ficker successfully challenged the constitutionality of a Maryland law forbidding lawyers from targeted direct-mail solicitation of criminal and traffic defendants within thirty days of arrest.^[3]

He has been a member of the Maryland Bar since 1973.^[4] His first case went to the Supreme Court of the United States seeking to end the National Football League's blackout of sold out home football games.^[5] After allegations of misconduct by the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland Ficker’s law license was suspended on June 7, 2007, then reinstated on December 8, 2008, by the Maryland Court of Appeals.^[6] Ficker became a real estate broker with his own company, Robin Realty, in 2008.^[7]

Political career

Ficker has run for various state and local offices since the 1970s. In 1972, he ran for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in Maryland's 8th congressional district, blanketing Montgomery County with "Our Friend Ficker" campaign signs on utility poles, trees and traffic lights, which resulted in county officials seeking an injunction to stop the placement of these signs on public property.^[8][9][10] He lost the Democratic race to Joseph G. Anastasi, who lost to incumbent Republican Gilbert Gude. He was elected in 1978 to the Maryland House of Delegates as a Republican, representing Montgomery County from 1979 to 1983.

He ran for U.S. Senate in 2000.^[11] Ficker ran for Montgomery County Executive in 2006 receiving 28,063 votes, more than any other independent candidate in county history, with under 10% of the vote.^[12] In 2009, Ficker moved from his primary residence in Boyds to his childhood home in Colesville to run for County Council in District 4 where he won a three-way Republican primary with 58% of the vote.^[13] He lost to Democrat Nancy Navarro 61% to 35%.^[14]

In November 2010, running as a Republican for Montgomery County Council District 2, Ficker received the highest percentage of the vote of any Republican candidate for local or state office but lost to State Delegate Craig L. Rice (D-Dist. 15), of Germantown 59% to 40%.^[15]

Ficker was a candidate in the 2012 Republican primary for the newly-redistricted Maryland's 6th congressional district seat held by 10-term incumbent Roscoe Bartlett,^[16] finishing sixth in an eight-candidate field.^[17]

Ballot initiatives and legal challenges

Since 1974, Ficker has become known for promoting a series of ballot initiatives. The issues range from term limits, curbing tax increases, to limiting budget waste and duplication.^[18] He collected as many as 15,000 signatures for each of 20 initiatives, that together received 2 million votes.^[19] A county initiative he proposed for the November 2008 ballot received 194,151 votes, prevailing by about 5,000 votes.^[20] The measure requires the nine-member Montgomery County Council to vote unanimously to raise property tax revenue above the local limit.^[21] The victory earned him the Libertarian Party's Free Market Hero of the week award.^[22]

In October 2009, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Ficker convinced parks officials in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties to rescind enforcement of a rule requiring a permit before a person could carry signs or solicit signatures in county parks.^[23]

Sports heckler

Although he last attended an NBA game in April 1998,^[24] Ficker is known for his "passionate" support of the NBA's Washington Bullets. For many years, he heckled the opposing team at the games.^[25] Ficker had seats at USAir Arena immediately behind the visiting bench. When the team moved to the MCI Center, they took the opportunity to reseat Ficker well away from the court. He gave up his seats in response.^[26] (Note: This website has a photo of Ficker heckling Michael Jordan.)

Though many players from opposing teams were aware of Ficker,^[27] Phoenix Suns star Charles Barkley in particular thought so much of him that he flew him out to Phoenix during the 1993 NBA Finals. Barkley bought Ficker a ticket directly behind the bench of the visiting Chicago Bulls with the intent that Ficker's taunts would distract the Bulls players. Ficker did not last the first quarter before being removed by America West Arena security.^[28]

In 2004 Ficker was a guest on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann in which he discussed his heckling and the often acrimonious fan vs. player interactions that would result.^[29]

The University of Maryland wrestling team had Ficker’s support in 2010^[30] with his letter to the Washington Post criticizing the lack of coverage for the Terrapin team,^[31] and his attendance at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship in Omaha, Nebraska.^[32]

Family

Ficker has a daughter and two sons. Ficker's daughter, Desiree Ficker, is a top female professional triathlete, finishing second at the 2006 Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.^[33] Ficker's 20-year marriage to the late Dr. Frances Annette Ficker ended in divorce.^[34]

See also

• Maryland County Executive Election, 2006

References