JUNE 3rd ELECTIONS
The upcoming elections on June 3rd provide us with the opportunity to elect two eminently qualified Latina MABA members to the Los Angeles County Superior Court bench. Longtime MABA members Superior Court Commissioner Patricia Nieto and Deputy DA Serena Murillo are running for offices 95 and 69, respectively. With all the talk about the need for diversity on the bench, we now have the opportunity to put our money where our mouth is.
As Judge Millie Escobedo can tell you, and who by the way was the first Latina to be elected to a Los Angles County wide position, judicial campaigns can be very, very, costly. The sample ballot statement alone for this election costs $83,000.00! Add to that routine campaign costs in addition to the costs in getting on slate mailers and you’re talking about having to raise a quarter of a million dollars to put on a decent campaign.
PATRICIA NIETO FOR JUDGE
Patricia Nieto, or Patti as her friends call her, has garnered an impressive list of supporters which include Mayor Villaraigosa, City Controller Laura Chick, DA Steve Cooley, Sheriff Baca, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and too numerous to mention judges. Patti has been a MABA member since her USC law school days in the late 70’s and has served on its Board. Currently a Commissioner assigned to Family Law, she has always been involved with local community and civic efforts and was a City commissioner with the Pueblo Historical Monument Authority. Patti was rated “Well Qualified” by the County Bar.
SERENA MURILLO FOR JUDGE
Serena Murillo, although a criminal prosecutor, has earned the support, respect and admiration of criminal defense lawyers for her reputation as being honest, intelligent and fair. A former JNE Commissioner, Serena has long advocated for the inclusion of people of color and women to the bench. In addition to her boss Steve Cooley, she is endorsed by Michael Judge, LA County’s Chief Public Defender. All who know her strongly believe she will be an asset to the bench.
CYNTHIA LOO FOR JUDGE
Patricia and Serena each received the MABA Board’s endorsement as well as another MABA member, Cynthia Loo, who’s running for Office No. 82. Cynthia is active with the Multi-Cultural Bar Association and has been involved with advocating for diversity in the Bar and the bench for many years. She currently sits as a referee in the Juvenile Court and is endorsed by scores of judges in addition to the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
VOTE FOR JIM BIANCO-SUPPORT THE SUPERIOR COURT SIX
We also need to make certain that Commissioner Jim Bianco is successful in beating his opponent in the race for Office No. 125. His opponent is involved with the write-in effort challenging six sitting Latino judges who face reaffirmation to the bench. The six judges, Juan Carlos Dominguez, Hector M. Guzman, Daniel S. Lopez, Daniel P. Ramirez, Jose Sandoval, and Michael Villalobos were targeted solely on the basis of their race. It is what it is, an effort by bigots to get rid of Latino judges. MABA’s Board unanimously voted to endorse Jim Bianco for judge and we urge our membership to support the targeted judges.
Electing judges who look like the litigants who appear before them and who possess the judicial temperament and fairness required of a judge is crucial in a democratic society.
Let’s dig a little deeper in our pockets and help these fine candidates get elected.
MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS FOR SUPERVISOR
Aside from the judicial races there are other very important races to be mindful of. MABA endorsed Mark Ridley-Thomas for the LA County Board of Supervisors, District 2. The State legislator and longtime civil rights activist is the leader this District needs. Mark has fought passionately for quality of life issues for his constituents such as the right to a living wage and decent health care. A former Los Angeles City Councilman and former head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Mark has also strived to create racial harmony in our communities. The racial tension between Blacks and Latinos in that County District he seeks to represent desperately needs someone like Mark to build bridges between Black and Brown residents.
NO ON 98
The Howard Jarvis Tax group’s sinister anti-rent control ballot measure, Proposition 98, was given a resounding thumb’s down vote by our Board. Deemed a wolf in sheep’s clothing by a broad coalition of civic and business groups, Prop 98, if passed, would wreak havoc not only on tenants but upon the ability of governments to regulate safety measures imposed upon landowners. Simply put, vote NO on 98.
OTHER ENDORSEMENTS
Other MABA Board endorsements include:
Lori-Ann Jones for Superior Court Office No. 84; Michael O’Gara for Superior Court Office No. 94; Jared Moses for Superior Court Office No. 119; Michael Jesic for Superior Court Office No. 154; Russ Warner for Congress; Lloyd Levine for State Senate; Rod Wright for State Senate; Bob Blumenfield for State Assembly; John Perez for State Assembly; Diane Martinez for State Assembly; Tonia Reyes Uranga for State Assembly; Steve Cooley for District Attorney; Gavin Hachiya Wasserman for Torrance City Council; Brad Sherman for Congress; Howard Berman for Congress; Adam Schiff for Congress; Henry Waxman for Congress; Xavier Becerra for Congress; Hilda Solis for Congress; Diane Watson for Congress; Lucille Roybal-Allard for Congress; Maxine Waters for Congress; Jane Harman for Congress; Laura Richardson for Congress; Grace Napolitano for Congress; Linda Sanchez for Congress; Joe Baca for Congress; Loretta Sanchez for Congress; Carol Liu for State Senate; Alan Lowenthal for State Senate; Pedro Nava for State Assembly; Felipe Fuentes for State Assembly; Julia for State Assembly; Mike Feuer for State Assembly; Paul Krekorian for State Assembly; Anthony Portantino for State Assembly; Kevin De Leon for State Assembly; Karen Bass for State Assembly; Mike Davis for State Assembly; Mike Eng for State Assembly; Hector De La Torre for State Assembly; Curren D. Price for State Assembly; Ted Lieu for State Assembly; Warren Furutani for State Assembly; Tony Mendoza for State Assembly; Ed Hernandez for State Assembly; Charles Calderon for State Assembly.
