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10 Pull Declarations to Seek L.A. Superior Court Seats
Judge Sahagun Won’t Seek Reelection, Creating Fifth Known Open Seat; Lawyer Takes Out Declaration to Run for Seat Held by U.S. District Court Nominee
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Political season opened yesterday with nine deputy district attorneys and one deputy public defender taking out declarations of intent to run for Los Angeles Superior Court open seats in the June 7 primary.
Also, a West Hollywood bankruptcy attorney took out a declaration to run for a seat occupied by an incumbent, Sherilyn Peace Garnett, who has been nominated by President Joe Biden to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California but, to be safe, intends to run for her Superior Court seat.
Among the prosecutors who are running is Deputy District Attorney Renee Yolande Chang who took and filed papers for Office No. 70, held by Judge Raul A. Sahagun. That judge, who was appointed in 1997 to the Los Angeles Municipal Court by then-Gov. Pete Wilson, was not previously identified as an incumbent who is up for reelection this year and had decided not to run, thus creating an open seat.
Sahagun Comments
The judge said yesterday:
“I will not be running for office. I expect to leave some time before the end of my term but I have not yet selected a date.”
He noted:
“I have no plans yet, but am looking forward to traveling, cycling and brushing up on my Italian.”
Chang’s campaign website reports the endorsement by 54 Los Angeles Superior Court judges.
Incumbents who were previously known not be planning to seek reelection, their office numbers indicated, are John P. Doyle, 60; Randall Pacheco, 67; Bruce F. Marrs, 90; and Stephen M. Maloney, 118.
Declarations Filed
As of press time yesterday, four candidates, in addition to Chang, not only took out declarations, but filed them. They are Deputy District Attorneys Abby Baron, 60; Leslie Gutierrez, 90; and Keith Koyano, 118; and Deputy Public Defender Anna Slotky Reitano, 60.
All but Reitano have campaign websites up and running, and each of those websites reflects numerous endorsements.
Also taking out declarations were Deputy District Attorneys Karen A. Brako, 90; Ryan Dibble, 67; Benyomin Forer, 118; Melissa Hammond, 90; and Sharon Ransom, 60.
Two possible contenders for judicial seats—Deputy District Attorney Fernanda Maria Barreto and Whittier private practitioner Georgia Huerta—have taken out petitions on which to seek signatures, wuth each signature reducing the $2,250.74 filing fee by 33.33 cents. Neother has taken out a declaration, yet.
Barreto is eying Office No. 67 and Huerta indicated that she desires to seek Office No. 118.
Candidates may file declarations for more than one seat. There are two known potential challenges to incumbents. Van Nuys attorney Naser Khoury, an unsuccessful candidate for an open seat six years ago, has said he will challenge Judge James P. Kaddo, but has not responded to inquiries as to why he is targeting that jurist. A factor might be the incumbent’s age; he turns 88 Thursday.
Kaddo yesterday took out a declaration of intent to run. Also, West Hollywood bankruptcy attorney Frank Amador took out a declaration to run for Office No. 3, held by Garnett, who took out a declaration yesterday. Amador has declared that “Judge Garrett will indeed be confirmed by the Senate.”
He has refused to say whether, if she has not been confirmed by the deadline for filing nominating papers—the step that comes after the period for filing declarations of intent—he will remain in the race. Her nomination was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Dec. 15.
No Uncertainty
Incumbents who left no doubt that they are seeking to hold onto their offices by taking out and filing declarations of intent yesterday were David C. Brougham, Adam Y. Chang, David J. Cowan, James R. Dabney, Kelvin D. Filer, Hector E. Gutierrez, Randolph M. Hammock, John H. Ing, Esther P. Kim, Lisa B. Lench, Ricardo R. Ocampo, Julian C. Recana, Tammy Chung Ryu, Alan Schneider, Keith L. Schwartz, Spurgeon E. Smith, and Susan Jung Townsend.
Among the judges taking out declarations yesterday were Kaddo and Gannett.
The information above is possibly not complete as it reflects developments only up to presstime.
Declarations of intent must be filed by Feb. 9, except where an incumbent does not file a declaration, in which event there will be a five-day period extension. The period for filing nominating petitions is from Feb. 14 to March 11, with a five-day extension where an incumbent filed a declaration of intent but does not follow through by filing a nominating petition.
Copyright 2022, Metropolitan News Company