No Black or Latino Judges on City Court

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. January 3, 2017:

Dear John,
Here is a scoop for you:   The article this morning (Monday) in the Journal News.  Although I sympathize with Mr. Elliots’s opinion, JN is missing the larger issue in this matter.
Judge Leak was the only African-American Judge on the White Plains City Court.  For the first time in over 20 years, White Plains City Court, one of the busiest city courts in the County, will not have an African-American Judge on the bench.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot of journalistic memory when it comes to local news and politics but I remember when Judge Leak was up for re-appointment and the process which took place.
In particular, I remember that the Ministers of the various churches with predominately African-American congregations lobbied the Common Council to re-appoint Judge Leak because of the need that the African-American Community in White Plains be represented on the White Plains City Court.   There was even an article in the Journal News about it.
Now, I read that the Common Council has appointed the Chairperson of the Democrat City Committee to the bench, without considering the report of the Judicial Appointment Committee (or whatever its called), or having any public input on the matter.
Unfortunately, this is how the Common Council has been operating for the last 8 years.  They make appointments without public input and are secure in the knowledge that their appointments will not be questioned and that the Democrat registration edge will protect them.
Michael P. Amodio

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