Letter in support of Judge Delahunt from Brad Flatoff
March 25, 2011 by Kohler Villager Editor
Filed under Opinion
Delahunt is independent, most qualified circuit court candidate
It’s true, you don’t need to be a lawyer to be a judge in some small municipal courts. But the Sheboygan/Kohler Municipal Court is a big one and the judge must be a lawyer by law. Catherine Q. Delahunt is a lawyer — a highly accomplished one — having tried and won cases in circuit, appellate and supreme courts. Delahunt has extensive legal experience as an attorney for two Milwaukee law firms handling cases involving contracts, medical malpractice, tax law, employment issues, personal injury, real estate and many others. As a young prosecutor in Chicago, Delahunt courageously took on a corrupt vending company and won. For the past five years she has done an exemplary job as the Sheboygan Kohler municipal court judge.
It’s also true that you don’t need extensive legal experience to be appointed by Governor Doyle to the circuit court. The case of Angela Sutkiewicz proves that point. Her law practice focused primarily on the narrow field of adoption law and she had no experience on the bench before Governor Doyle handed her the job via appointment eight months ago. What explains this puzzle is that Sutkiewicz was Secretary of the Wisconsin and Sheboygan Democratic Party and she helped raise money for Doyle’s campaign. Supreme Court rules require judges to be non partisan. Are we to believe that Sutkiewicz can suddenly leave her party hat at the door? Doyle’s appointment of Sutkiewicz is clearly a case of pure political patronage. The people of Sheboygan County deserve better.
Delahunt has never been a member of any political party. I urge Sheboygan County citizens to join me in voting for the most qualified, experienced and independent candidate for circuit court judge on April 5th, Catherine Delahunt.
Brad Flatoff
Oostburg
I just read your lead story in the November issue about the $200,000 levy reduction from the school board. Board President Bishop thanked the board for their careful planning and the teachers for their gracious concessions. It tells you something that no mention was made of the role Gov. Walker’s budget played in this result. Continuing vigilance of the decisions this school board makes is in the best interest of Village taxpayers. On their own taxes have increased every year. Now that they have the tools from the budget bill to control costs they have chosen instead to pat themselves on the back for their financial conservatism. Watch what the School Board does not what they say.