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♪♪

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-Seattle Municipal Court Judge
Position Numbers 1 through 7.

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Seattle Municipal Court's
seven judges hear cases

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involving misdemeanors
and gross misdemeanors,

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including domestic violence,
DUI, parking tickets,

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and traffic infractions.

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The Municipal Court also hears
cases involving civil offenses,

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such as violations of the
City's fire, housing,

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or zoning codes.

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There are seven positions
on the ballot this year.

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Each Municipal Court Judge
serves a four-year term

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in this nonpartisan office.

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All voters in Seattle can vote
in each of the seven races.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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-Hello. My name is Gabe Rothstein.

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I'm running for judge in
Seattle Municipal Court.

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I've lived on Capitol
Hill since 2003.

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I've been an advocate for
the poor and underserved

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for over 20 years.

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I started as a public
defender in 2005, a job

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I still proudly hold.

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My career has been dedicated
to advocating for real

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people in courtrooms.

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People who suffer from
substance abuse, poverty,

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and mental illness.

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The same kind of people
that come through

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Seattle Municipal Court.

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I believe that judges need to
be patient and compassionate,

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but also decisive.

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Being a public defender is
my full-time job, but I also

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work as a pro tem judge.

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A pro tem judge is
similar to a substitute

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teacher, but for judges.

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Additionally, I'm the
Chair of the Washington

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State Bar Association
Character and Fitness Board.

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On nights and weekends, I
take calls from youth access

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to counsel so children can
talk to lawyers, or for being

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interrogated by police officers.

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I'm also on the Board of
Directors of the Home and

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Recovery Center, an inpatient
substance abuse facility.

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I believe strongly in treatment,
in the accountability

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that comes with recovery.

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I believe in redemption,
and I certainly believe

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in second chances.

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If I've learned anything of
my work with substance abuse,

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the opposite of addiction
is not sobriety, but

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connection—connection with
friends, family, and loved ones.

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I'm dedicated to serving the
public interest, something I

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would continue as a judge.
Even before becoming a

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public defender,

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I volunteered at the
Housing Justice Project

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and the Unemployment
Law Project, helping

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Seattleites fight against
eviction from their

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homes and advocating
for their unemployment

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benefits. Working in the
public interest is also a

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family value.

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My mother worked as
a social worker in

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Harlem before going into
private practice as a

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psychotherapist. My father
worked as an educator for

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35 years in public schools
in the South Bronx.

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I was an EMT first responder in

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high school and of course
I volunteered for my local

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ambulance squad.

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I very much hope to
be the kind of judge

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my parents would
be proud of.

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Thank you.

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-Hi, I'm Garmin Newsom II and
I'm proud to be running for

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Seattle Municipal Court
Judge Position 5.

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I'm running because
Seattle needs better.

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Seattle can do more than
one thing at a time.

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We can care for and provide
treatment, counseling,

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and support for defendants,
and we can protect

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crime victims, survivors
of violence, and

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the larger community.

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Judges must have broad
professional and life

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experience, sound
judgment, and a commitment

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commitment to genuine justice.

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I've devoted my professional
career to public service.

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I've served as a prosecutor,
a Municipal attorney, a civil

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litigator, and currently as
a pro tem judge, and have

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over 30 years of criminal and
civil litigation experience

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in federal and state Courts
trying felonies, misdemeanors,

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civil matters, and appeals.

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My parents raised me to
work hard, have integrity,

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and care for others.

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I have lived those values
as a tutor, mentor, youth

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athletics coach, mock trial
coach and mock trial judge,

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King County Ethics Board
member, and as a volunteer

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who served meals and provided
for the less fortunate and

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elderly. I became a lawyer
to eliminate inequities

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and improve the criminal
justice system.

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Serving as your judge,
I'll help people

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get treatment, support, and
counseling to improve their

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lives while thoughtfully
balancing compassion and public

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safety. I'm grateful that
retiring Judge Willie Gregory,

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the only African American man
serving on the Seattle Municipal

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Court, has endorsed me to
succeed him, as well as

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Supreme Court Justices
Sal Mungia, Mary Yu, and

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Barbara Madsen, The Seattle
Times Editorial Board,

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Democrats, attorneys,
including many public

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defenders and prosecutors,
and the most King County and

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Seattle Municipal Court judges.

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I'm also appreciative
and thankful to be

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rated exceptionally
well-qualified by the Latino

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Latino Bar Association, Cardozo
Society, QLaw, and the

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Joint Asian Bar Association.

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With your vote, I will deliver
pragmatic justice that considers

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the needs of the community
and helps defendants not

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return to or remain in the
criminal justice system.

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Vote Newsom in November.

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Thank you.