Originally published August 3, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified August 5, 2008 at 5:25 PM
Bond, Johnson for Supreme Court
We endorse Michael Bond instead of incumbent Mary Fairhurst for justice of the Washington Supreme Court, and incumbent Charles Johnson over two challengers.
- 2008 Washington State Primary Voters' Guide
- Bondforjustice.com | Candidate's official Web site
- JusticeMaryFairhurst.com | Candidate's official Web site
- Justicecharlesjohnson.com |
Candidate's official Web site - Vulliet4Justice.org | Candidate's official Web site
- Beecher08.com | Candidate's official Web site
Vote
Who do you support in this race?
Vote
Who do you support in this race?
Endorsements across the state:
| The Columbian Fairhurst, Johnson |
|
| The Spokesman-Review Fairhurst, Johnson |
|
| The Seattle P-I Fairhurst, Johnson |
|
| The News Tribune Fairhurst, Johnson |
|
| Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Fairhurst, Johnson |
|
| Yakima Herald-Republic Fairhurst |
|
| Tri-City Herald Fairhurst |
|
| The Olympian Fairhurst |
IN two races for the Washington Supreme Court, this page endorses one incumbent and one challenger.
Start with the challenger, Michael Bond.
Bond has a sharp mind, he knows the law and he presents a compelling case to replace the one-term Mary Fairhurst. In a sentence, the case is this: Fairhurst, who used to have a job defending the government, accepts the government's arguments — and excuses — far too much now that she is on the court. Consider the following 10 questions, all the subject of divided rulings:
• Whether a transit agency can withhold documents by broadly asserting attorney-client privilege;
• Whether a public school that investigated the death of a schoolboy can keep the report secret;
• Whether the state has the constitutional power to rule on the truth of political ads;
• Whether a transit agency can take private property permanently to satisfy a short-term need;
• Whether a vague notice on an Internet page is sufficient for a public meeting on the taking of private property;
• Whether a prisoner may be force-fed;
• Whether a public-housing manager can ban tenants from posting signs on their hallway doors;
• Whether the death penalty remains constitutional;
• Whether a city can forbid a private hauler from picking up construction waste in order to protect a franchisee, and
• Whether the state can limit marriage to a man and a woman.
In all but the last — 9 out of 10 — Fairhurst sided with government. In a couple of these cases we agreed with her, but the pattern is troubling. With her it seems not so much an ideology as a sympathy and a habit: Her previous job was defending state agencies.
Contrast this with Bond, a private attorney who says, "My fundamental philosophy is that the role of the court is to protect the people from the power of government and vested interests." Bond hits Fairhurst's stands against individual rights to speech, public documents, property and privacy.
Bond is a partner in Gardner Bond Tabolsi, Seattle, and is a longtime civil litigator. He has been an arbitrator, and attorneys speak highly of his fairness. Early in his career, when he was a judge advocate in the Marines, he prosecuted a drill instructor for battery.
Bond has an uphill fight — he has raised less than one-tenth the cash Fairhurst has — but we believe he is the best candidate to protect the rights of the people.
In the other race, we support 18-year incumbent Justice Charles Johnson, who is challenged by attorneys Jim Beecher and Frank Vulliet. Johnson says he is "somewhat of a populist" who tends to side with the individual. He does this strongly in free-speech and public-disclosure cases, and tends to do it in criminal cases. In the Cross case, he was ready to rule the death penalty unconstitutional.
Johnson tends to side with the government in closely fought property cases, such as the fourth and fifth cases in the list above, in which we believe the owners had the stronger claims. The justice is very good on public-disclosure issues and sided with the minority in the case involving a school district's ability to withhold the names of teachers alleged to have had sexual incidents with children.
Of his two challengers, only Jim Beecher of the firm Hackett, Beecher & Hart, presents much of a case against Johnson, and in the end it is not enough. Beecher has fine qualifications, but at 68, he could serve for only one term. We'll stick with Johnson.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 02:37 PM
Charles Krauthammer / Syndicated columnist: Iran's leaderless revolution: searching for a Yeltsin
NEW - 02:26 PM
Leonard Pitts Jr. / Syndicated columnist: The triumph and tragedy of Michael Jackson
NEW - 02:48 PM
Leonard Pitts Jr. / Syndicated columnist: What does a homosexual demon look like?

Gen. David Petraeus: Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
Watch highlights of General David Petraeus discussing the Iraq and Afghanistan War at the Global Leadership Series sponsored by the World Affairs Council.
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Tax tips for new independent professionals
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new sports car/coupe? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
nwhomes

Find a new home or condo that fits your lifestyle.
Search New Developments
Builder Directory
- Key lawmakers warn of Boeing no-strike ultimatum
- Hemmed-in Ballard house to rise above
- UW Football | Tailbacks David Freeman, Brandon Johnson ineligible
- Seattle-area homebuilder losing projects to foreclosure
- Health-plan costs soar for individuals
- Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
- US officials eye North Korea in cyber attack
- Drunken man shocks Spain with his generosity
- Nickels gives City Light chief $40,000 bonus
- Coffee City | New "sexpresso" stand coming to Ballard
- Mass. files lawsuit against federal marriage law
902 - Key lawmakers warn of Boeing no-strike ultimatum
598 - Health-plan costs soar for individuals
272 - Mariners game thread, July 8
186 - Judges strike broad ban on Washington's Plan B rules
157 - Teen charged in pit bull attacks ordered held after pleading not guilty
134 - Sheriff's Office: Man not armed when fatally shot by deputy
113 - Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
73 - Wednesday night notes
55 - Pay parking in West Seattle?
53
- Hemmed-in Ballard house to rise above
- Key lawmakers warn of Boeing no-strike ultimatum
- Seattle-area homebuilder losing projects to foreclosure
- Health-plan costs soar for individuals
- Rick Steves' Europe | Beware of new and classic travel scams
- Happy Hour | Ruth's Chris has super rib-eye sliders and quality cocktails
- All You Can Eat | "Top Chef": Seattle chefs tapped for Bravo knife fight in Vegas!
- Trees vs. houses: Narrow, leafy street is last chance for two Madrona homes waiting to be moved
- All You Can Eat | Oceanaire files bankruptcy, shutters Seattle, former chefs weigh in
- Nickels gives City Light chief $40,000 bonus









