To the Editor:
Judy Cates is running aggressive, inappropriate and very misleading campaign advertisements against Supreme Court nominee Justice David Overstreet through TV, printed, and radio accusing him of allowing a child sex offender to freely roam our communities making them unsafe.
Her futile attempt also attacks the integrity and wisdom of Fifth District Appellate Court Justice Milton Wharton, in his written opinion, and Justice John Barberis Jr. who also concurred with Wharton.
Cates fails to mention a very important fact. The accused child sex offender was a patient in a hospital during his trial, denying him his right to be present in order to assist in his defense. Justices Wharton, Overstreet, and Barberis were required to follow the law, and allow the accused a new trial.
If Cates wants to malign a fellow judge in this manner, she illustrates her flawed thinking and character by the totally exaggerated inferences in the ad, which should disqualify her for consideration to the Supreme Court. Voters should ask themselves three questions: (1) Is this how she will conduct herself if elected to the Supreme Court? (2) Is this how she currently conducts herself at the Appellate Court level? (3) Why would we the voters want to vote for her retention and/or elevate her to the Supreme Court?
Doug Jameson, St. Clair County Republican Central Committee Chairman