On Tuesday, Judge Dan Maguire sent out a press release announcing that he had received the endorsement of California’s leading crime victims’ group, the Crime Victims Action Alliance (CVAA). Crime Victims Action Alliance was formed in 1992 originally as the Doris Tate Crime Victims Bureau, named in honor of the mother of Sharon Tate, one of the pioneers of the crime victims’ movement.
“I’m honored to have the endorsement of the Crime Victims Action Alliance,” said Judge Maguire. “This organization keeps a watchful eye over the justice system to ensure that crime victims are respected and protected from additional harm. I am humbled that they trust me to continue on with the work I am doing.”
According to the release, “The group operates under the principle that crime victims and their families have been harmed in many ways and every decision made during the legal process should be taken into account to prevent further harm. CVAA’s membership includes victims/survivors, concerned citizens, law enforcement, prosecutors, policy makers and non-profit organizations.”
Meanwhile, Judge Maguire’s challenger Clinton Parish has rolled out his list of endorsements – mainly from law enforcement but also a few mostly-conservative elected officials.
Mr. Parish, a Deputy DA with the Yolo County District Attorney’s office, boasts the support of his current boss, DA Jeff Reisig, his past boss, Dave Henderson and Sheriff Ed Prieto.
Three members of the Woodland City Council support Mr. Parish: Martie Dote, William Marble and Skip Davies. He also has the support of Duane Chamberlain and Matt Rexroad, and former supervisors Frank Sieferman Sr. and Frank Sieferman Jr.
He received the endorsement of West Sacramento Police Chief Dan Drummond, Yolo County Chief Investigator Bruce Naliboff, the West Sacramento, Winters and Woodland Police Officer’s Associations, as well as the Yolo County District Attorney Investigators and Yolo County Land Owners Associations.
His full list, which can be viewed here, includes a long list of mainly law enforcement officers, including most if not all of his colleagues at the District Attorney’s office.
Judge Maguire, as we reported two weeks ago, has a long list of endorsements as well – receiving the endorsement of all of Yolo County’s Superior Court Judges, the current Public Defender Tracie Olson and past Public Defender Barry Melton, along with a number of deputy public defenders and trial lawyers from across the region.
He also has the support of County Supervisors Mike McGowan and Don Saylor, Davis Mayor Joe Krovoza, Mayor Pro Tem Rochelle Swanson, Davis Councilmember Dan Wolk, Woodland Councilmember Tom Stallard, County Clerk Freddie Oakley, County Clerk Cass Sylvia, Retired County Supervisor and Assemblymember Helen Thomson, former Davis Mayors Jerry Adler, Maynard Skinner and Bill Kopper, former Councilmember Michael Harrington and School Board member Richard Harris, among many others.
While Clinton Parish has the support of Sheriff Ed Prieto and his daughter Dana Tello, also a sheriff’s deputy, Judge Maguire counters that last endorsement with the endorsement of Ramona Prieto, and the endorsement of the Yolo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, although Deputy DA Parish lists the individual support of several sheriff’s deputies.
For the first six months of the campaign from July 1 to December 31, Judge Maguire raised $24,850 and put in $16,000 of his own money for a campaign war chest of over $40,000.
Deputy DA Parish raised $5425 and put in $11,000 of his own money.
Currently, Judge Maguire has a cash balance of $32,545 while DDA Parish has a cash balance of $14,403.
In announcing the endorsement of the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association: “Solidifying his position as frontrunner in his campaign for election, and a day after reporting raising almost five times the amount of his opponent in the latest campaign reports, Judge Dan Maguire announced receiving the endorsement of Yolo County’s largest law enforcement group, the Yolo County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association, today.”
“Running for election has been a tremendous experience so far. It’s amazing how much people respect the work that I have done. I’m honored to have my work recognized by a law enforcement group such as the Yolo County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. I’m humbled to know that my approach to applying the law is respected by law enforcement groups as well as elected officials and individuals across the county,” said Judge Maguire.
In the press release from his announcement, Deputy DA Clinton Parish stated that he has prosecuted more than 50 trials including Felony DUI, Sexual Assault, Robbery, Burglary and Murder. He further indicated that he has handled more than 1,000 criminal cases and presented evidence in hundreds of hearings.
Mr. Parish drew attention to the fact that he has been protecting the rights of crime victims for nearly ten years and “Yolo County deserves a judge who knows that criminal defendants and crime victims both have rights.”
According to his bio, Clint Parish graduated from McGeorge Law School in Sacramento. He has lived in the area for 15 years and has lived in Woodland for the past six years.
Mr. Parish was hired as a Deputy District Attorney in 2002 by former District Attorney David Henderson, and has been prosecuting felony cases since 2003. Parish is married with four children.
Judge Maguire previously announced the endorsement from the entire Yolo County Superior Court Bench.
“I am honored to serve as a Judge for the people of Yolo County and look forward to continuing to provide fair, honest and respectful justice to everyone who enters my courtroom,” said Judge Maguire. “And it is a tremendous honor to receive the support of every judge in Yolo County.”
Judge Maguire and his wife Fran have been married 20 years, and they live in Davis with their two daughters. Judge Maguire is active in his community, has taught law at UC Davis School of Law for a number of years and has received awards from the University for outstanding service.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Whoever said that the legal system wasn’t political has blinders on. Judges or those wanting to be judges have to campaign, seek endorsements and funds, just like every other politician.