When it comes to picking judges I have an admittedly dogmatic approach. Unlike most other political races a judicial race shouldn't be about popularity, political connections, how big your family is, or the phony made up phrase "judicial experience". I can assure you, most of the time Circuit Court judges are engaged in mundane, repetitive recitations of constitutional rights to criminal defendants and the busy work of scheduling hearings and trials that everybody knows will never take place. But every so often an issue arises which touches upon the God given rights we all have to life and liberty and property. Every so often in the midst of an otherwise mundane day on the bench an insightful judge will discern that what he/she is about to do will have a great impact. In my way of thinking this requires a special kind of person.
Courts are the last refuge for liberty. Courts are a sanctuary for freedom. Our founders were brilliant. They determined and memorialized in our Constitution that no law can ever be enforced, no life ever taken, no liberty deprived no property redistributed unless a jury of people from the very community where the controversy is being debated says so. There is really no power in our nation greater than that held in the hands of jurors on any given day, and presiding over those proceedings, providing adequate protection for those jurors to exercise that power and giving them a clear path to do it, is a trial judge.
So, when I talk about the importance of selecting judges, I hope you understand where I am coming from.
Kenton County:
Judge Marty Sheehan is retiring. His seat will be filled by either Bob Winter, Kathy Lape, Kate Molloy, Jason Hiltz or Jim Redwine. While you can only vote for one of them, the top two vote getters will run again in November.
All judicial candidates must be lawyers. All must have at least 5 years experience. All must take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. That's all the law requires other than residency.
But for me the choice requires a closer examination. It's not about electing prosecutors, which is where Redwine and Hiltz get their experience.
It's not about electing people solely because of party affiliation or their name or their political philosophy, things that might to most observers be what the others seem to have going for them.
It's about electing judges who know how and what they do will affect real people, in their real lives. It's about life experience, not judicial experience, prosecutorial experience or trial experience. Judges need to be fair and that requires a special kindness, a special combination of temperament, empathy and most importantly of all, a dedication to not let cynicism or court house politics seduce you away from keeping your eye on the Constitution.
I know each of the candidate. Some I've known longer than others, some on different levels than others and yet I think I have looked into their hearts to see what kind of judge they will be. And after all of this there is one clear choice. Kathy Lape.
She is not a court house crony. She isn't jaded by years in the trenches advocating one side of the debate. She hasn't developed the jaded views that regulars in many legal circles have that causes them to treat other people's most serious matters in a cavalier manner. She is a real person, her husband a caring physician and her family upbringing instilled in her a sense of community that she has never left behind.
It would be an honor, to call her "your honor" and a great leap forward for the people of Kenton County to replace on very good judge with one destined to be even better. Kathy Lape should be your choice.
Boone County:
Tony Frohlic is retiring and Rick Brueggemann, Marcia Thomas, Ed Drennan and Howard Tankersley are on the ballot. One stands out heads and shoulders above the rest. Rick Brueggemann.
Rick is such a great choice that I am hard pressed to say enough good things about him. In few other races have I ever seen a candidate who I would trust with the Constitution as much as I would Rick. I doubt there will be a single day in his entire service on the bench where upholding his oath will not be the most important goal he strives for.
I have no doubt that his love of and dedication to his family, and his faith, will inspire each and every one of his decisions.
I am uplifted by the chance to have a judge on the bench who truly pulled himself up from a disadvantaged beginning to attend law school, become a lawyer and to have stood firm in defense of the Constitution time and time again. His ability to have empathy for the real people over whose lives and liberties his job will call upon him to adjudicate is the kind of special quality which must be advanced.
I will admit that Rick and I have not always seen eye to eye on all issues. I will also admit that on a political scorecard some would suggest that I shouldn't do anything to help a guy who helped my opponents. But once again, these choices are too important for petty political paybacks. The choice of the next judge in Boone County is too important to too many people for me to refuse to stand up and say that Rick Brueggemann is a man of character, poise, grace, faith, intellect, compassion and principle who is clearly the best choice in this field.
I could not more enthusiastically endorse him.
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