In Support Of Wiggins, Culwell

Dear Editor, I urge the people of Washington State to elect Charlie Wiggins for Supreme Court Justice. I don't have enough room to tell you why Charlie is the best candidate because I must inform you about the justice Charlie is running against, Richard Sanders.

Judges cannot do anything that would create an improper appearance that he or she might favor a party to a case. Justice Sanders was disciplined by the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct for improperly personally interviewing sexually violent predators with cases pending before him after he had been expressly warned not to go to the facility, that it would be unethical.

Justice Sanders still feels like he did nothing wrong. Justice Sanders sued the state for failing to provide him with his legal defense to the ethics complaint; the state Supreme Court ruled against him, holding that it was proper of the Attorney General's Officeto refuse to defend his unethical actions.

Judges cannot decide a case in which they have an inter­est in the outcome, but in 2009, Justice Sanders wrote a majority opinion for the Court that directly benefited him, since he was a party in a very similar case on appeal.

The Court was forced to withdraw the decision and hear argument again without Sanders. The Supreme Court makes the final decision for all lawyers accused of ethics violations. In non-unanimous lawyer discipline cases, Justice Sanders has voted for the lawyer 91 percent of the time. Specifically,in 2007 Justice Sanders dissented from the decision of the rest of the justices who voted to disbar a lawyer who sexu­ally molested a former client who was 11 years old at the time. Sanders thought the lawyer should not be disbarred but only suspended temporarily. In criminal cases in which the Supreme Court is divided, Justice Sanders has voted for the criminal defendant and against the prosecution 94 percent of the time. Justice Sand­ers administers justice by his own rules, rules that benefit him to the detriment of Washington State citizens. Vote for Charlie.

Sincerely, Rea L. CulwellDayton

Dear Editor: Rea Culwell is an excellent prosecuting attorney for Columbia County. In her seven years of prosecutorial ex­perience, she has prosecuted over 1,000 cases. Rea has defended our county against lawsuits and claims, provided services to crime victims and has col­lected

thousands of dollars in restitution for victims. Rea has secured over $750,000 in state and local grants and income.

She has been endorsed by 18 prosecuting attorneys from around our state, including all of our surrounding counties, and serves on the board of the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. Rea is an active member of our community. She is president of the Columbia County Coalition for Youth and Family, a Kiwanis Club member and volunteers for the Liberty Theater. I feel Rea has the leadership, experience and integrity for the job and is the best choice for our prosecutor. Please join me in re-electing Rea Culwell for Columbia County Prosecuting Attorney.