COMMENTS FROM WWW.LOYOLAMAROON.COM

In response to “Political tactics ill-received” written on Oct. 14:

I appreciate your wit, but your analysis is flawed. An individual running for judge should not advertise his or her political views or any plans to legislate from the bench.

If you see a pamphlet from a candidate for judge saying that he will make new laws, push certain agendas or follow his party line, run the other way.

A good judge is one with extensive legal experience and preferably experience specific to the seat being sought. I’m sure that her literature said that she was running for a criminal court seat and her “resume” showed that she is a former Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorney and a former assistant US attorney.

In both of these positions she prosecuted murderers, drug dealers and gang members. Considering our city’s current challenges, that is the best that any candidate for criminal court judge can say to any New Orleans native.

When I was an undergraduate in 2004, Judge Van Davis found the time to come to Tulane and Loyola to talk with interested students about how the criminal justice system works, how to go to law school and what her job as a judge entailed.

What she did was after hours, there were no cameras and she was not up for re-election. She was there simply because she intended to help, no strings attached.

Although the general political environment is tiring and most voters decide using the “lesser of many evils” analysis, when we do have a good candidate, we should not lazily lump that candidate with the rest of the political establishment.

Kelley E. Bagayoko Juris Doctorate 2009 Tulane Law [email protected]