Dear Editor;
About three weeks ago the Brown appointed Judge came to my door to promote her election. As she was getting ready to leave I brought up the fact that Judge Charles Ervin is a great Judge that has followed thru with his election statements, the Brown appointee stated that Judge Ervin supports her. I am very disappointed and saddened when it was revealed that Judge Ervin has remained neutral in this race for professional reasons and her statement of his support is false. If I cannot believe a Judge who can I believe? Where has the value of one's word went? Is it any wonder why our country is falling apart when an appointed Judge makes false statements?
This in itself is enough to make J. Lon Cooper the only candidate! Then J. Lon Cooper has 31 Sierra County years of experience. Please vote for J. Lon Cooper for Superior Court Judge, Sierra County.
Thomas A. Dotta
This is the end of the election process for Sierra County Superior Court Judge. I believe that it's critically important that the democratic process not be compromised. How could it be?
　　　　 Well, we have a retired judge (pronounced "Pangman") who has stated that it's not really necessary for me to run against an incumbent, governor-appointed judge. She's already wearing the black robe. Really?
　　　　 He has also advised the voters of Sierra County to simply rely on the endorsements of "the experts,"meaning, some out-of-county judges and some of our supervisors, who all have one thing in common...they have not taken the time to observe my opponent sitting as Sierra County Superior Court Judge in our courtroom in Downieville.
　　　　 He has also stated that my decision to not seek the endorsements of those in positions of power or influence, in or outside of the county, as well as my refusal to take a single dollar of campaign contributions from anyone, do not really seem to reflect those essential judicial qualities of independence and integrity.
　　　　 He has also gone out of his way to try to minimize my 31 years of Sierra County experience, both in our courtroom and with our people on both sides of the hill. At the same time, my opponent's Sierra County experience and history seem to get longer and broader with each public pronouncement.
By the way, the repeated assertions, by my opponent and Mr. Pangman, that she was "appointed by all of the Sierra and Nevada Judges" as Court Commissioner in 2011 are simply not true.
　　　　 Funny thing. The one issue Mr. Pangman has never mentioned: the Sierra County court system's absence of services, for the last 4 years, in the Sierra Valley, where 66% of our citizens reside. It just happens to be the issue that only one candidate for judge has been committed to during the entire campaign: J.Lon Cooper.
　　　　 My campaign, walking every precinct from one end of　the county to the other over the last year, has taught me a very simple lesson. The voters of Sierra County, many of whom have had their own personal experiences with our court system, are the true experts. They don't need to follow the advice of outsiders, or insiders for that matter, who have had no actual knowledge of what happens in our courtroom.　
　　　　 And that is what democracy is truly all about.
J. Lon Cooper, Sierra County Public Defender
202C Main St., Downieville, CA 95936
(530) 265-4565
