The California Code of Judicial
Ethics states that, “A candidate for judicial office shall not knowingly, or
with reckless disregard for the truth, misrepresent the identity,
qualifications, present position, or any other fact concerning ... his or her
opponent or other applicants.”
In a recent ad, lawyer Tim Healy
misrepresented the qualifications of Judge Hugh Swift, his opponent in the
November 4 election. He totally ignored
Judge Swift’s 13 years practicing law in San Diego County. He suggested the Judge did not have a college
education; of course Judge Swift has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University
of San Diego, and a Juris Doctorate (JD) from California Western School of Law. He also neglected to say Judge Swift is
currently a Superior Court Judge, having adjudicated thousands of cases in
Calaveras County and as Court Commissioner in Amador County. Apparently, he decided voters did not really
need to know these facts.
Healy’s comparison of qualifications lists his own
through the present date, but Judge Swift’s only prior to becoming a judge.
Many have come to expect this kind of conduct
in political campaigns. But it is
antithetical to the very principles and high moral standards a judge is sworn
to uphold.
Judge Swift is committed to running
a clean campaign based on his own merits.
He wants the whole truth about himself and his opponent to be known, and
is confident that if voters know the truth, their choice will be clear. His character and moral standards are
impeccable. A lawyer’s job is to paint a
picture of how they would like others to see the truth. A judge’s job is to determine what the truth is. Lawyer Healy and Judge Swift are exactly
where they belong.
Kristy Slocum
