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Two File Declarations for Superior Court Open Seat
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Two attorneys—Deputy District Attorney Karen A. Brako and Thomas D. Allison, president of Social Justice Advocacy Project, Inc.—yesterday filed a declaration of intent to run for Los Angeles Superior Court Office No. 151, an open seat.
Neither candidate has a finance committee and neither has a campaign website.
Others who have filed declarations for that seat are Deputy District Attorney Melissa Hammond, Deputy Public Defender Patrick Hare, and private practitioner Eric Alfonso Torices. All three have finance committees and websites.
According to financial reports, as of Dec. 31, Hammond’s campaign had $98,691.18 in its coffers, Hare’s warchest contained $63,823.59, and Torice’s committee had $11,067.29 in cash on hand.
Hammond has the endorsements of 38 sitting Los Angeles Superior Court judges, Hare has 31, and Torices has 12. Some judges have endorsed more than one potential candidate for the same office.
There are six known open seats. There could be surprise open seats if there are incumbents who fail to file declarations of intent by tomorrow’s deadline.
As of press time yesterday, two judges—Christian Rafael Gullon and Jeanmarie K. Warren—had not taken out a declaration and had not respond to an inquiry as to plans, but signaling a desire to seek reelection is that each had taken out a petition on which to gather signatures to reduce the filing fee. Warren was appointed in 2020.
Judges who have taken out, but not returned, declarations, as of press time, are Debra R. Archuleta, Rupert Byrdsong (both of whom, has been learned, plan to do so today), Benjamin Hernandez-Stern, and Jon Robert Takasugi.
The deadline for filing declarations for open seats is Monday.
The Registrar-Recorder’s Office, under its interpretation of Art. VI, §16 of the state Constitution, is not issuing declarations of intent for Office No. 123, which had been held by Judge Kathleen Kennedy, who retired in December. Whoever is appointed to the vacancy will stand for election in 2024.
Copyright 2022, Metropolitan News Company