Brooklyn Judicial Races: The County Decides
Members of the Brooklyn County Democratic Organization met last night to discuss a number of judicial races coming up in that borough.
Corruption -- or the suspicion of corruption -- was a constant subtext in Brooklyn judicial politics for some time. It's what brought down former county Democratic leader Clarence Norman as well as a couple of judges.
But one thing hasn't changed, despite everything: it's still much better in these races to have the county's support than not.
According to one person who was at the meeting, here are the list of judicial candidates who will be running with Democratic establishment support:
In four county-wide civil court races, the party is endorsing incumbent Debra Silber for re-election; Fred Arriaga, who is the counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz; and Carolyn Wade and Robin Shears, who are both law clerks to current Brooklyn Supreme Court judges.
In three local judicial races, the county endorsed Dawn Jiminez for the district covering Williamsburg; Cathy Levine for the district covering Flatbush and Charles Finklestein for the area covering Borough Park and Flatbush.
There will be another meeting in about two weeks to consider an endorsement for a Surrogate's Court race. Running for that seat are: Bob Miller, a local attorney, current Supreme Court Judge Diana Johnson (who lost a race by 102 votes last time to Margaritz Lopez Torres), Leo Beitner, counsel to the surrogate's office in Brooklyn and Civil Court Judge Bernard Graham.
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 46.6
- 44.2
- Obama +2.4
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 55.8
- 35.8
- +20.0
- McCain
- 54.8
- 36.6
- +18.2
You missed on of the discussions at last night meeting about the Cathy Levine race in the 6th. The fact is she got less then a third of the district leaders support. Leaders were upset that she was running in a district that is over 70% minority. Remember the 6th district has 3 judges if Levine wins all three will be white?
Another thing you missed that this was Vito's first meeting full of discension and disagreements. Can Mr. slick be losing his touch?
And speaking about Vito why is he not requiring a screen panel to review candidates for the Surrogate Court opening?
Can it be that there is a long standing tradition not to back a candidate for Surrogate who is not already a judge and the candidate Vito is supporting is not a judge?
VITO SHOULD RESIGN AS COUNTY LEADER