LETTER: Justice Kilbride has values that represent the people in the district

To the Editor:

The recent letter of Jim Nowlan critical of Justice Kilbride offers a familiar refrain. If a court decision does not go the way you want, it has to be because of political bias. What Mr. Nowlan neglects to inform the public is, that the pension reform case was a unanimous decision. The term limit case was not a decision at all. The court denied permission to appeal the appellate court decision. Again, it was a unanimous denial. The opinion on the fair maps initiative did not deprive citizens input on redistricting. It simply pointed out that the organizers had chosen the wrong path to achieve their goal.

Suggesting that Justice Kilbride be unseated based on the outcome of three cases over a 20-year record is not only unfair, it reflects the author's partisanship. Ask yourselves who is funding the effort to unseat Kilbride? The answer would tell you all you need to know about why they want to silence Justice Kilbride's voice.

We need to keep a man on the court with values that represent the people in this district. We need a man of Justice Kilbride's intellect, integrity and compassion on the court.

We strongly urge a vote of yes on the question of Justice Kilbride's retention.

Eugene P. Daugherity and Joe Hettel, circuit judges in the 13th Judicial Circuit