Report from Alan Flacks
on the
2014 Democratic Party Judicial Nominating Convention
Dear Fellow Democrats:
I am pleased to report to you on the outcome of our Party's judicial nominating convention this year.
James d'Auguste, Nancy Bannon, and Lynn Robin Kotler—all Civil Court Judges--were reported on 25 August 2014 by this year's Supreme Court screening panel as the three "most highly qualified" candidates from among the seven applicants as required by the Party's rules for the judicial screening panel for State Supreme Court Justice. According to sources, the panel's preference was d'Auguste first, Bannon second, and Kotler third. D'Auguste came out of the Lexington Democratic Club, Bannon from Tilden, and Kotler from the Chelsea Democratic Club. Also Supreme Court Justice Milton Tingling was found "meriting re-designation" for his current seat as his term was up.
The following Civil Court Judges applied to the County's Supreme Court Screening Panel (in no particular order): James d'Auguste, Kelly O'Neill Levy, Robert Reed, Tanya Kennedy, Nancy Bannon, Lynn Robin Kotler, Raymond Bruce.
In addition, Judges Kathryn Freed, Barbara Jaffe, Andrea Masley, Lori Susan Sattler, Arthur Engoron, Ruth Pickholz, and Arlene Bluth are considered "2/4" judges [reported as "most highly qualified" in two of the previous four years], and may be considered at the judicial convention.
The convention was a "no brainer." It was known for weeks before the convention that Civil Court Judge Kathryn Freed had the nomination sewn up. As an older judge, she would retire in a few years creating another vacancy as well as providing a local Civil Court seat now for the Party to fill. She was designated without opposition as the Democratic nominee along with Milton Tingling for the November, 2014, General election ballot.
In addition, the following seven Civil Court Judges were nominated and followed the "dog and pony" show routine: nominated, nominating speech, seconding speech, speech by the candidate, declination by the candidate, polite applause: d'Auguste, Bannon, Kotler, Masley, Sattler, Engoron, and Bluth. Of note, Barbara Jaffe, a "2/4" candidate, was egregiously absent.
Because this was a "done deal," the auditorium was half empty and only 60% of the delegates and alternate delegates showed up! (Only one of the Village Independent Democrats eight showed up!)
Again this year, County Leader Keith Lawrence Thigpen [no relation to the great actress Lynne Thigpen] Wright wasn't a player. The successful boss was Joanna Saccone, campaign manager for Freed.
The First District [Manhattan] Democratic judicial nominating convention took place on Tuesday, 16th September, 2014, at the School of Visual Arts Theatre on West 23rd Street in Manhattan. The convention was open to the public.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (212) 840-1234.
Sincerely, Alan Flacks