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Judge Kaddo Says He Will Seek Reelection
Stage Set for Challenge by Van Nuys Lawyer; Koyano Selects Open Seat
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Kaddo said Friday that “absolutely” he will be running for reelection, meaning that there will be a contest for Office No. 141 should Van Nuys attorney Naser Khoury go through with his announced plan to challenge the incumbent.
Kaddo, 87, related that he has retained services of the public relations firm of Cerrell Associates, Inc. That firm in 1994—when founder Joseph Cerrell was alive and the company specialized in judicial campaigns—guided Kaddo, then a Los Angeles Municipal Court judge, to victory in a race for a Superior Court open seat.
The Cerrell firm, which rarely handles such campaigns now, did represent Kaddo six years ago when an obscure attorney, Stepan Baghdassarian, waged an anemic election challenge to the judge, amassing less than a quarter of the votes.
Khoury—who declines to say why he targeted Kaddo—came in fourth in a five-person race for a Superior Court open seat in 2016, receiving 12.6 percent of the vote. His baggage includes a misdemeanor driving conviction, a private reproval with public disclosure by the State Bar, and a bankruptcy.
Also on Friday, Deputy District Attorney Keith Koyano, who plans to be a candidate in the June 7 primary, staked out Los Angeles Superior Court Office No. 118, presently held by Judge Stephen M. Moloney. The incumbent said he will not seek reelection.
Koyano took out a “signatures in lieu” petition—on which to gather signatures which can used be in place of cash for all or part of the filing fee—for Moloney’s seat.
On Jan. 11, he took out a petition in preparation for running for Office No. 152, occupied by Judge Gloria White-Brown, having been told, reliably, that she plans to retire this year. What he did not realize is that she intends to run, and retire after the filing period.
If no one challenges her, Gov. Gavin Newsom will fill the vacancy created by her retirement.
Koyano has the endorsements of 50 Los Angeles Superior Court judges, as well as former Court of Appeal Justice Halim Dhanidina.
The period for taking out and filing declarations of candidacy begins today.
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