Inslee-Appointed Judge Already Facing a Challenger for Seat
A local attorney with Tri-City roots has announced his candidacy for Benton County Superior Court. (image courtesy of TCAJOB)
Attorney George Cicotte will challenge newly appointed judge
Cicotte, who had 25 years of law practice experience, 20 of it in Tri-Cities, has numerous children who have graduated from Kamiakin High School. He is considered highly rated by several firms that evaluate lawyers' conduct and performance. He has also practiced with large law firms in Washington D.C. and Denver prior to Tri-Cities.
He has a newly created campaign page, where is stated he is running against new Inslee appointee Norma Rodriguez for Superior Court Position 4. Inslee appointed Rodriguez following the announcement of the retirement of Judge Cameron Mitchell who had been on the bench for 18 years. He resigned just over one year into a four-year term.
Cicotte has this statement on his campaign site:
"If you want to let Governor Inslee pick judges for us, then vote for the incumbent he appointed. However, if you think we, the voters of Benton and Franklin Counties, deserve to pick our own judges, then George Cicotte respectfully asks for your vote for Superior Court, Position 4."
No doubt this stems in part from the recent ruling by Judge Rodriquez that a controversial recall of 3 Richland School Board members can move forward.
According to WA State Superior Court policies, a judge appointed by the Governor serves until the next general election. If the judicial resignation and appointment happen after the filing period for that year's election, then the appointee must run in the next year's election.
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