Posted by (+2546) 4 months ago
Having practiced law for 50 years, I realize that most of us have little occasion to become familiar with judicial candidates. I rise in support of Justice Ingrid Gustafson, Montana Supreme Court Justice, as she is not a politician, as opposed to her opponent who is a politician. A judge's top priority is upholding the Montana Constitution, fairly and impartially, always putting our rights first, and politics last. That is what Justice Gustafson has done in her twenty years as a judge. Partisan politics have no place on the Montana Supreme Court.
James Brown is a partisan politician who is presently a Public Service Commissioner. He is a former lobbyist for special interests who advocated to block access for regular Montanans to our public lands. As a lobbyist with Thunder Dome Law, he worked in opposition to HB 286, a bill aimed to protect our public land access.
Montana Code of Judicial Conduct, Rule 4.1 (A) provides that a judicial candidate shall not “seek, accept, or use endorsements from a political organization, or partisan or independent non-judicial office-holder or candidate” and Rule 4.1 (B) further provides that "A judge or judicial candidate shall take reasonable measures to ensure that other persons do not undertake, on behalf of the judge or judicial candidate, any activities prohibited under paragraph (A).
We, as Montanans, should be alarmed, but not surprised, that Brown, campaigning to be on our Supreme Court, seeks and is complacent with endorsements from politicians as he is just that, a politician.
Meanwhile Justice Gustafson, who is non-partisan, fair and impartial and non-political, will continue to follow the rule of law and continue to deliver justice for the people of Montana.
James Brown is a partisan politician who is presently a Public Service Commissioner. He is a former lobbyist for special interests who advocated to block access for regular Montanans to our public lands. As a lobbyist with Thunder Dome Law, he worked in opposition to HB 286, a bill aimed to protect our public land access.
Montana Code of Judicial Conduct, Rule 4.1 (A) provides that a judicial candidate shall not “seek, accept, or use endorsements from a political organization, or partisan or independent non-judicial office-holder or candidate” and Rule 4.1 (B) further provides that "A judge or judicial candidate shall take reasonable measures to ensure that other persons do not undertake, on behalf of the judge or judicial candidate, any activities prohibited under paragraph (A).
We, as Montanans, should be alarmed, but not surprised, that Brown, campaigning to be on our Supreme Court, seeks and is complacent with endorsements from politicians as he is just that, a politician.
Meanwhile Justice Gustafson, who is non-partisan, fair and impartial and non-political, will continue to follow the rule of law and continue to deliver justice for the people of Montana.