2016 SF DCCC Endorsement Questionnaire Candidates for SF Superior Court Judge

Transcription

1 2016 SF DCCC Endorsement Questionnaire Candidates for SF Superior Court Judge NAME: Paul Henderson CAMPAIGN ADDRESS: 114 Sansome Street suite 200 San Francisco, Ca CAMPAIGN CONTACT AND CELL Ace Smith PHONE: ADDRESS: Instructions Please complete this questionnaire and send electronic copies by 5pm on Wednesday, March 9 to: Alix Rosenthal at alix@alixro.com Matt Dorsey at mattdorsey@mac.com The endorsement interviews for judicial candidates will take place on March 12, from 10am-noon, at Laborers International Union Hall, th Street (at Shotwell). The SFDCCC s endorsement vote will occur at the meeting of the SF Democratic Party at the State Building, Milton Marks Auditorium, 455 Golden Gate Avenue, on Wednesday, March 16 at 7pm. Only candidates who return a completed questionnaire electronically by the due date will be allowed to present before the committee. At the time of the interview, you may also provide 15 copies of up to 4 pages of information for distribution to SFDCCC members. While it may seem that some of these questions do not apply to the office you are seeking, they represent Democratic Party principles and since you may run for higher office where these questions will be relevant, we would like them addressed. We will distribute the questionnaires to the DCCC members and post them on the S.F. Democratic Party s website (at for the public to view. 1

2 General Questions 1. Are you a registered Democrat? Yes:X No: 2. When did you first register as a Democrat? Who did you vote for in the last two Presidential elections? Obama 4. Have you ever voted for or endorsed a non-democrat in an election? Yes: No: X If Yes, who? When? 5. Please provide a brief summary of your qualifications for this office. (No more than 200 words.) I believe that my experiences, both professionally and personally, provide me with unique qualifications regarding the role of a judicial officer. Despite the challenges that I have faced in my life, I was able to ascend as a leader in our legal profession. I have worked for well over 15 years as a trial attorney with a heavy caseload in the courtroom arguing hearings, defending motions and conducting trials (I have tried a variety of 46 matters to verdict). Moreover, I have developed and implemented a number of programs related to justice reforms before moving into management positions. During my career I have served as a Pro-Tem Superior Court bench officer resolving criminal cases. Moreover, I also have several years of experience as a hearing officer (in the county of Alameda) where I heard civil appellate cases. Outside of the courtroom I have continued to contribute to the legal profession by a deep involvement with public service activities. I serve alongside numerous boards and agencies designed to create opportunities for others while maintaining a high profile of service. *I have been reviewed by the Bar Association of San Francisco and found to be "Well Qualified" from the Judiciary Committee. 2

3 8. Please describe your contributions to the Democratic Party at the local, state and or/national level in the last 4 years. (No more than 200 words.) In addition to my legal work, I have served as a national figure promoting democratic politics. I have served as a board member and editor of California Lawyer Magazine addressing state topics of inclusion and civil rights for the legal profession (California Lawyer Magazine is the largest professional magazine in the nation with over 400,000 subscriptions). Moreover, I am a political and legal analyst for several national networks (CNN, MSNBC, CBS, FOX News) where I frequently contribute on air to Democratic interpretations of current events. I spent 2 years as an on air contributor to Current Network specifically talking about Democratic party issues. For several years I have also been a contributing writer and thought leader to Politico.com where I published opinions about current political issues involving disenfranchised communities. 9. If elected, what are the three top issues you will work to affect? (No more than 200 words.) Broader inclusion to the legal profession (for women and diverse students) Increased diversity to the judiciary Broader access to the court and legal services It is my goal, if elected, to lead by example by remaining committed to civic duty and service. I would remain dedicated to expanding opportunities within the legal profession for underserved and underrepresented communities. I have a personal and acute awareness of the institutional barriers facing certain communities in higher education and in our profession. My experience working within the leadership of the State Bar (Coalition on Access and Fairness) gave me a forum to expand opportunities for inclusion within our profession. I hope to continue growing these opportunities if offered the privilege to continue my public service on the bench. 3

4 10. What have you done to mentor women and people of color in your field? (No more than 200 words.) I have been consistently focused on expanding opportunities within the legal profession for women and people of color. When I first became a prosecutor, I took it upon myself to work with the hiring committee to develop recruitment strategies to attract, hire and retain a more inclusive office that would represent the communities that it served. After years of work with other committed staff and leadership from the elected officeholders, I was able to increase the diversity ratios to over 85 percent. I was able to increase opportunities within the office by developing an internship program that introduced diverse students and women to legal careers. The program introduced high school, undergraduate and law students to the practice of law, provided invaluable assistance to our office and helped diversify the legal profession. I managed this program during my career while carrying cases and handling administrative duties because creating a pathway for others was critically important to me. At the peak of the program, my office served over 350 students a year and included volunteer opportunities for practicing lawyers to come and work with local prosecutors to gain trial skills. The program became a national model and is still in existence today. 11. Please list the organizations and elected officials who have endorsed you. Ed Lee, Mayor San Francisco Gavin Newsom, Lieutenant Governor Eric Swalwell, U.S. Congressman John Chiang, State Treasurer David Jones, Insurance Commissioner Fiona Ma, State Board of Equalization Holly Mitchell, State Senator Isadore Hall, III, State Senator Tony Thurmond, Assemblymember Gwen Moore, Assemblymember (Ret.) Vicky Hennessey, San Francisco Sheriff Ronald E. Albers, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Nancy Davis, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Gail Dekreon, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Kay Tsenin, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Marty Jenkins, California 1st District Court of Appeal Associate Justice Demetrius Shelton, Administrative Law Judge Alice Huffman, California NAACP President Obai Rambo, California Young Democrats President Darren Parker, Democratic Party African American Caucus Chair Matt Haney, San Francisco Board of Education President Michael Sweet, San Francisco Human Rights Commissioner Toye Moses, Willie B. Kennedy Democratic Club President 4

5 Conor Johnston, Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club Board Amy Bacharach, San Francisco City College Trustee Elmy Bermejo, U.S. Dept. of Labor Regional Representative Jennifer Madden, Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Jean Quan, Former Mayor of Oakland Leslie Katz, Former San Francisco Supervisor Ash Kalra, San Jose City Councilmember Vince Courtney Jr., NCDCL local 261 Political Director Derrick Mohammed, ILWU Secretary Dion-Jay Brookter, Young Community Developers Deputy Director Teresa Cox, Ohlone College Board of Trustees Gail Dekreon, Superior Court Judge Nancy Davis, Superior Court Judge retired Ina Gyemant, Superior Court Judge *** NOTE: Titles and positions are for identification purposes only. Issues Questions Please only mark whether you SUPPORT or OPPOSE each position. QUESTION SUPPORT OPPOSE 1. Do you support or oppose a woman s right to choose a safe and legal X abortion? 2. Do you support or oppose affirmative action? X 3. Do you support or oppose privatization of essential government services? X 4. Do you support or oppose reducing jail/prison overcrowding by decreasing penalties for minor drug offenses? X 5

6 5. Do you support or oppose rent control? X 6. Do you support or oppose San Francisco s sanctuary city policy? X 7. Do you support or oppose instant runoff voting (ranked choice voting)? X 8. Do you support or oppose the continuation of SF MTA s Commuter Shuttle Program? X If you need to add further explanation or qualification to any of your support-or-oppose answers above, you may do so here: Sustainable Communities Pledge On February 25, 2015, the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee enacted a resolution in support of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council's Sustainable Communities Pledge. The pledge advocates for good-paying construction jobs for local residents; increasing housing and specifically affordable housing; and requiring environmentally responsible building in partnership with organized labor. As part of that resolution, the San Francisco Democratic Party now includes the Sustainable Communities Pledge as part of its endorsement questionnaire. The complete text reads as follows: Whereas, past patterns of urban and suburban growth and development are not sustainable and state law now requires the adoption of sustainable communities strategies that will incentivize urban infill and transit-oriented development; and Whereas, this shift in land use and transportation policy is already resulting in an unprecedented level of private investment for residential, commercial, and retail urban infill development and construction, which is projected to increase over the next twenty years; and Whereas, the Bay Area should welcome more intensive, compact development along transit corridors to meet our obligation to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases; and 6

7 Whereas, it is critical that private investment and construction in this development contribute to economically vibrant, healthy, and equitable communities, including providing housing for an economically diverse work force and walkable neighborhoods well served by employment, shopping, and recreational opportunities; and Whereas, it is critical also that this private investment and construction provide tangible economic benefits including employment to residents, and not just profits to investors; and Whereas, communities benefit more fully from construction and development when construction employers offer job training and apprenticeship opportunities, hire local workers, and pay area standard wages; and Whereas the value of every dollar in construction wages spent by local workers is multiplied as it circulates through the local economy and local small businesses; and Whereas, local spending of construction wages generates much-needed sales tax revenue to local governments, I pledge to support and give priority to projects that abide by these principles of a sustainable, economically vibrant, and equitable community by: Furthering smart land use and growth policies by using energy efficient and environmentally sustainable building design and supporting alternatives to the automobile for transportation; Ensuring in cooperation with their representative organizations that local workers are hired on project construction and are paid area standard wages and benefits, including employer-funded healthcare for themselves and their families; Providing outreach to local youth and disadvantaged communities and opportunities for their training and employment through state-approved Labor/Management apprenticeship programs; Providing construction employment and training for our military veterans; Ensuring that affordable units are provided along with any market-rate residential units; and Providing such other community benefits and amenities as will offset a project s identifiable adverse impacts on the community. I, Paul Henderson, affirm that I agree with the contents of this Sustainable Communities Pledge, and if elected, I will work to further its mission. Enter your initials: PH 7