Letter to the Editor: Deceptive campaign advertising by "GoodJudges"

To the Editor:

The King County District Court has locations all over King County, and our 25 judges are elected from five different electoral districts throughout the county.

This year there is a contested election for a vacant seat on the Shoreline District Court bench, and I, as well as most of the judges in our court, have endorsed Joe Campagna for election to that position.

None of the judges of the King County District Court have endorsed Campagna’s opponent, Les Ponomarchuk.

I am writing to you because of my concern regarding the deceptive campaign advertising by the political action committee Citizens for Judicial Excellence but calling themselves GoodJudges in their campaign ads this year.

This name is being used by this PAC to create an image of legitimacy. In their well-financed advertising, they have appropriated the names and images of judges who did not ask for their endorsement – and in fact, don’t want the endorsement due to ethical concerns of judicial independence.

I am one of twenty-one King County judges signing a statement disavowing and condemning the actions of this PAC.

Voters in the Shoreline District are receiving another campaign mailer from this group this week.

This week Shoreline Judge Marcine Anderson, who is unopposed on the ballot, is being featured, as an “Experienced Team” along Les Ponomarchuk this despite the fact the PAC knows Judge Anderson has endorsed Joe Campagna as her next bench mate.

Further she did not request the endorsement of this group and has not authorized the use of her name and image. In fact, she has endorsed Joe Campagna.

I would urge the voters to disregard any campaign advertising received from either “GoodJudges” or “Citizens for Judicial Excellence.” Don’t mistake this group for “VotingforJudges.org”. Votingforjudges.org is the award winning group providing unbiased information regarding all judicial candidates in King County.

Judge Donna Tucker
King County District Court