Article about the judges that are on our ballot:
http://news.wjct.org/post/northeast-florida-voters-asked-whether-retain-judges
I decided NO to retain Judge Alan Lawson based on quote from this 2009 ARTICLE :
“The Governor is considering four nominees. Though we have more to learn about these nominees, we do know that Florida Right to Life, Florida Family Action, the National Rifle Association and the ultra right-wing American Family Association have begun to rally around the anti-choice Judge Alan Lawson.
Quotes from this article ARTICLE about Judge Lawson:
Religious conservatives and the National Rifle Association are backing 5th District Appeals Court Judge C. Alan Lawson ….. The Florida Family Policy Council, a conservative religious organization, sent members an e-mail headlined, “Gay activists and Planned Parenthood publicly oppose Judge Alan Lawson
….Equality Florida sounded its own warning to its members: “The ultra right-wing American Family Association has begun to rally around Judge Alan Lawson … flooding the Governor’s office with calls, faxes, and e-mails. We cannot let the American Family Association decide the make-up of the Florida Supreme Court!”
I decided NO to retain Judge Allen Winsor based on quote from this ARTICLE:
“Mr. Winsor is a young, conservative ideologue who has attempted to restrict voting rights, LGBT equality, reproductive freedom, environmental protection, criminal defendants’ rights and gun safety,” the letter said. “He does not possess the neutrality and fair-mindedness necessary to serve in a lifetime position as a federal judge.”
We also should vote NO on Judge Allen Winsor to send a message to Bill Nelson that we support his decision to vote NO on Trump’s nomination of Winsor to a Federal District Court. Details found HERE.
I decided to vote NO to retain Kemmerly Thomas based on this quote from this ARTICLE
A statewide gun control advocacy group is criticizing a decision by two judges to buy tickets to a fundraiser for a group affiliated with the National Rifle Association. The Times/Herald reported that judges Clay Roberts and Kemmerly Thomas of the First District Court of Appeal confirmed they bought tables at the Sept. 15 event, a dinner and auction organized by “Friends of the NRA” that benefited the NRA Foundation, a public charity.
If you find it bizarre that the NRA Foundation is called a charity (as I did), here is a quote from this ARTICLE : NRA Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization “designed to promote firearms ….”
Part of me wants to vote NO on any judge associated with the Federalist Society since the news has been very enlightening about Garsuch and Kavanaugh’s association with the Federalist Society and what that will mean to the country. This is a quote from this ARTICLE
Judge Harvey Jay and Judge Stephanie W. Ray were both appointed to the First District Court of Appeal by Governor Rick Scott. Six of the judges Scott has named to appellate courts since taking office either list themselves as members of the Federalist Society or have been on the agenda to appear before one of the first two annual conferences of the Florida chapters of the society. Dorothy Easley, a past chair of the Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar, said most judges at the appellate courts appear to be making decisions based on the law, not the governor who appoints them.
https://ballotpedia.org/Bradford_Thomas says that Judge Brad Thomas was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush.
Unite Us Do Not Divide Us 