By Howard Wayne
SAN DIEGO — I am proud to support Deputy Attorney General Tim Nader for Superior Court Judge in the upcoming June election. Tim is highly qualified and will do an excellent job.
The incumbent in this race, Gary Kreep, does not deserve re-election. Before his election he was involved in the “birther” movement to disqualify President Obama based on the fictitious claim he was born outside the United States. As a judge the incumbent was severely reprimanded and nearly removed from the bench by the California Commission on Judicial Performance because of his disrespectful treatment of attorneys appearing before him based on their race and gender.
We can do much better, and with Tim Nader, we will.
Tim Nader is a Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of California. He also received his law degree from that school and was admitted to practice in 1982. For two years he was a research attorney with the California Court of Appeal, then for the next seven years he served in the Criminal Law Division of the Attorney General’s Office.
I supervised his work during part of that time. His legal reasoning and analysis were outstanding. He demonstrated mastery of the subject matter. Then he left the job when he was elected Mayor of Chula Vista.
As mayor, Tim Nader emphasized protecting the environment. He was responsible for hiring Barbara Bamberger as the city’s full-time environmental consultant. He established a recycling program and was a pioneer in greenhouse gas reduction before it became a popular cause. But Tim also expanded the police department and provided both greater enforcement and assistance to youth. Chula Vista experienced the third greatest decrease in crime of any city in California.
Tim Nader came back to the practice of law when he joined the Child Support Enforcement agency, and made regular court appearances for years. He returned to the Attorney General’s Office in 2008, and has practiced civil law in the Business and Tax Section for ten years.
That means Tim is the only challenger with experience in criminal, civil and family law, which are the bulk of the Superior Court’s workload
Tim has continued his civic involvement. He is serving second term on the Southwestern Community College District Board, and his second term as its Chair. He was initially chosen to be chair because he runs meeting in a fair and civil manner, skills that are critical to presiding in a courtroom.
When he first took office Tim really did “drain the swamp” by leading an anti-corruption drive that resulted in convictions and fines of discharged District employees and vendors. He was also part of the effort that saved the accreditation of the college. Currently he is working on prisoner education to reduce recidivism among those who are going to be released.
Tim Nader is endorsed by Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher, Representative Juan Vargas, San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliot, his four colleagues on the Southwestern Board, and by me, a former member of the Legislature.
Tim father, a Lebanese Christian, immigrated to the United States as a child in the 1920s. His father served with General George Patton and liberated one of the Nazi death camps. The experience left his father appalled at how individuals filled with hate can murder fellow human beings.
Tim’s personal philosophy is related to our own duty to repair the world. Tim says that a society should be judged by how it treats the least among us. Tim Nader is compassionate, as well as being smart, knowledgeable and experienced. He will make an exceptional judge.
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Wayne, a member of the San Diego Jewish community, is a former member of the California State Assembly. San Diego Jewish World welcomes columns or letters from other members of the Jewish community about candidates and issues in the upcoming June elections.