RUMPOLE ENDORSES JUDGE MCWHORTER AND JOE FERNANDEZ

RUMPOLE ENDORSES JUDGE SHIRLYON MCWHORTER.

Ms. Marino-Pedraza has taken a lot of criticism on the comments section of this blog for adding a hyphenated last name. The criticism is misplaced, as she is not doing anything dozens of other candidates have done. Unlike Mr. Alvarez, Ms. Marino-Pedraza has an answer to the question of why her opponent needs to be replaced: the comments section of this blog have been populated with comments criticizing the courtroom demeanor of Judge McWhorter. That is a legitimate reason to run against a Judge.

We believe that while the criticism has its place, it is not enough to over look the fact that Judge McWhorter is a fine judge who merits retention. Judge McWhorter has a compelling life story. Hailing from a very small “one stop-light town” in Florida, she worked her way from probation officer, to attorney, to prosecutor, to Judge. Along the way, Judge McWhorter worked as legal counsel for the PBA and sought work in a civil firm when the JNC told her that she needed civil experience before they would pass her name to the Governor for consideration . Judge McWhorter joined a civil firm, got the experience needed, and was appointed by Governor Bush three years ago. When Judge McWhorter speaks about her passion to be a Judge we think that her passion is genuine. We also believe the criticism of Judge McWhorter is misplaced. We do not think that those who criticize her are disingenuous. Rather we think that those lawyers may not have spent the time necessary to see that Judge McWhorter is a good judge who works every day at her job to be the very best Judge she can be.

Unlike Messrs. Alvarez and Gonzalez, This is not an endorsement against Ms. Marino-Pedraza. Rather, this is an endorsement in support of the belief that Judger McWhorter deserves another term. We wish them both well.

RUMPOLE ENDORSES JUDGE SHIRLYON MCWHORTER.


RUMPOLE ENDORSES JOE FERNANDEZ FOR JUDGE.

Joe Fernandez is running for County Court Judge. He took the time to write us and we forgive him for using wordperfect. However, his literature states he has tried 45 jury trials and many more before a Judge. Joe is known to most of us as a former prosecutor and defense attorney who concentrated in DUI defense.

We do not know the other attorneys running in this group. They are Cecilia Armenteros-Chavez,
and Michael Aaron Bienstock.

Ms. Armenteros-Chavez got off on the wrong foot for many of us by employing everyone’s favorite ex-JA Juan D”Arce who in furtherance of his apparent campaign of vengeance was able to convince Ms. Armenteros-Chavez to initially file against County Court Chief Administrative Judge Slom. Judge Slom is widely admired and respected and Ms. Armenteros-Chavez’s initial move was quite a blunder. She followed up that blunder by being quoted in the Herald that she needed to speak with her husband before giving out her number. However, we have since learned that Ms. Armenteros-Chavez is married to a law enforcement officer, and thus her concerns about her home phone number are legitimate ones. A quick search of Google did not reveal a website for her campaign, so we’re not able to say much more about her other than she currently resides North of the Border, and we wonder why she is not running up there? However, we do need to emphasize that any attorney who lacks the common sense necessary to avoid association with Mr. D’Arce , starts out with two and a half strikes against them. Ms. Armenteros-Chavez has done nothing to make up for that colossal blunder.

Mr. Bienstock is equally unknown to us. Having worked almost every day in the REGJB for neigh well longer than we like to admit (but less than Sy Gaer) we know most attorneys who have an even passing acquaintance with criminal law in Miami. We have learned that Mr. Bienstock works in the child support division of the SAO. A worthy job. But we cannot otherwise comment on Mr. Bienstock’s experience.

We are (happily) left to endorse Mr. Joe Fernandez. We know that he is well respected in our little corner of the world. We know he has the experience, ability, temperament, and desire to be an excellent Judge. We have no hesitation endorsing JOE FERNANDEZ for County Court.