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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.