6 thoughts on “Letter: Judging politics”

1. Anna Boling is a wonderful choice for to fill Judge Warner’s seat. The experience she has is broad and well-rounded. She was an Assistant District Attorney in El Paso, prosecuting criminal cases and working with a multi-jurisdictional drug task force. In private practice she has transitioned from a criminal defense attorney to practicing in family and civil law.

   As she saw the impact contested divorces had on families with children she decided to get some 70 hours of training in mediation so that she could make a difference wherever possible to mediate the divorce. I have no doubt whatsoever that her approach has meant that conflicts in families have been lessened and that in many cases the parents have been able to work together for the best interests of the child, without the same level of anger and bitterness that contested divorces result in.

   She has taught business law as an adjunct professor at Texas State University and is well-respected by her peers, serving terms as secretary, vice president and president of the Hays County Bar Association.

   I urge the Commissioner’s Court to publish all the resumes. Those are matters of public record, aren’t they? Then we will all be able to tell the level of background and experience each applicant has and then be able to judge their qualifications for ourselves and these baseless innuendos can be shown to be inaccurate. I am confident that Anna’s experience is outstanding.

   She has given a great deal back to the community of San Marcos and to the county. She served on the board of directors of the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Shelter for 5-6 years, has headed up landscape projects to beautify the grounds there and elsewhere, and was in charge of their fundraiser last year, a huge undertaking. She has also been a tireless advocate for victims’ rights. Because she has been so actively involved in the community over many years and is a warm, friendly person, she has a wide circle of friends and fans. I am both.

   As for the bankruptcy, what Mr. Vance failed to tell readers is that her husband’s business failed and since Texas is a community property state the debts are community property as well. Despite the uncertain economy last fall and winter, Anna’s law practice continues to be profitable. In fact, Mr. Vance does not know Anna’s income (why should he?) and doesn’t know if the appointment would be a raise for her or not. Oh, and as for the allegation she hasn’t seen a courtroom lately, she was in court just this last Friday on behalf of a client so the.

   Mr. Vance’s letter has badly misjudged her, and misrepresented Judge Sumter’s actions, attitude toward all applicants, and statements too, I feel sure. Anna is one of the fairest, most scrupulously ethical people I know. She is not at all the kind to be a party to collusion or insider stuff like that.

   If we are fortunate enough to have Anna as the person appointed to fill Judge Warner’s seat, her fairness, her honesty, and her compassion will be a great blessing to us all.

2. Anna Martinez Boling is indeed very qualified to fill this position. Her work in the El Paso District Attorney’s office as Assistant DA covered varied areas, she has worked in family law, with both contested and uncontested divorces. Because she believes in mediation, perhaps some that would have been contested were resolved in a nicer way.
   I do not believe that she was trying “hide” her bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is something that a lot of people face, and while it is not desired, there are times that it is the only choice. That she and her husband opted to work only part time the first few years of their daughter’s life in order to spend more time to bond with her with her is to be commended. It is a financial sacrifice to do so, and one that stretched them maybe further than they planned, but it was an admirable thing to do.
   Previous to Judge Warner’s death, Anna was heavily promoting another candidate. Once the commissioners made it known that they preferred not to appoint any of the announced candidates, Anna began considering the office. However, to expect someone to leave their practice for almost a year and then go back “cold” is asking someone to commit financial suicide, which is what an appointment to this office with a guarantee of not running would be.
   I will admit that I’ve tried to balance what I knew before Judge Warner’s death about a certain candidate whom Anna brought to our meetings and promoted, and what has happened since then. I’m disappointed that this has turned nasty from some individuals, and hope that we can move above the fray to speak in actual facts.
   The fact is that Ms. Boling is highly qualified. When she ran for another judicial office in 2006, she lost by less than 1%, so it is clear a great many people also believe she is highly qualified.
   There is a need to fill this job soon- our other judge there will work herself to death, trying to keep up, and that isn’t fair to anyone.
   Those who want to be considered need to put on their big girl or boy undies and get their resumes out. We saw this kind of pressure when Sheriff Bridges died, and we don’t need to see it again. We need for the most qualified individual to be appointed. I know that one of the candidates was very close to Judge Warner, and I applaud her for her great friendship to the Judge, but democracy shouldn’t “pass down” offices. Whoever is appointed should be a highly qualified person who can hit the ground running, and then the election will come, and we’ll have primaries and a general. Many things can change between now and the primary election.
   In the meantime, my association with Ms. Boling when she was a candidate and later as Democratic County chair have given me nothing but admiration for her. She put our party on absolute “to the letter” proper standings in every way, and that is what you need from a judge.

3. Anna Boling is indeed well qualified for this seat.

   Mr. Vance’s letter is full of unsubstantiated innuendo. Ms. Boling and Ms. Sumter are not “close friends”. It is clear, however, what Mr. Vance’s adgenda is, judging from his facebook profile:

   Robert ‘Bump’ Vance (Austin, TX)
   Robert ‘Bump’ Vance is a fan of:

   Celebrities / Public Figures Websites:
   Glenn Beck
   Sean Hannity
   Mark Levin
   Michelle Malkin
   Rush Limbaugh and the EIB Network

   Websites:
   The Fox Nation
   Galveston
   The Drudge Report

   TV Shows:
   Fox News
   Special Report with Bret Baier

   Read his letter with a lot of salt!!

4. Several things to consider:

   1. Mrs. Boling’s resume is no better than any of the other “top contending” candidates’…and yes, there are a few that are standing out above the others. Yes, she has wonderful experience in criminal and family law; I would never deny that or say she doesn’t know her way around the courtroom. However, I see an almost completely absent past in juvenile law. Mrs. Boling has far less experience in juvenile law than other candidates. Why is this important?? Because the County Court at Law position to be filled will be considered the primary judge over juvenile cases. This is EXTREMELY important to consider. Please compare these experiences as publicly provided in their resumes. As well, consider that even if another person has equal experience with juvenile law (whether that be a great deal, or minimal), if they have been practicing law for, say, 30 years longer as Mr. Pape has, perhaps that should be considered with GREAT weight.

   2. A judgeship does not just require a long, fluffy resume. A judgeship requires CHARACTER. When someone is appointed or elected to this position they are handed a great deal of power. While experience is necessary, vital even, the judge’s character comes into play even more often…would you want someone of questionable character single-handedly deciding YOUR future??? Anna Boling has experience. Anna Boling has friends. But she also has plenty of enemies, and those who have discovered her manipulations and dishonesty firsthand. If there is even a question about a person’s character, why should they be appointed to a powerful position?…especially when there are equally qualified candidates whose character and integrity are still fully intact.

   3. Anna Boling and Judge Sumter do have a personal relationship, one that has entered the commissioner’s court. If anyone denies this, they have no clue what has occurred over the past few weeks. What Mr. Vance wrote regarding the under the table exchange between Boling and Sumter is correct, and was witnessed.

   4. Boling did not decide to run for the appointment after the commissioner’s decision to appoint a non-candidate…she had been planning on this for WEEKS prior to her formal announcement. Matter of fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was thinking about it while Judge Warner was still in the hospital!! Likewise, yes, she was heavily endorsing another candidate prior to Judge Warner’s hospitalization. Before his death, things were normal and Boling knew she didn’t stand a chance being elected to the CCAL position…but, she’s opportunistic, and holds her word and loyalties very lightly, so here we are.

   5. Lastly, why does it matter what Mr. Vance’s facebook page says?? Why do we care if he’s a fan of Mark Levin or Sean Hannity?? What does that have to do with any of this? Are you suggesting, without wording it, that he is a republican and therefore a liar?? On my facebook page I’m a member of the groups “NRA”, “Texas 4-H”, and “Everything is bigger in Texas”…are you going to accuse me of being a staunch republican hill-billy who’s never lived life outside our great state??? In reality, I was raised in the country and my democratic father (and very liberal mother) taught me how to effectively use a weapon… and since then I’ve been traveling and getting my bachelors and masters degrees in the DC area and Southern California. Yes, let’s judge us all by our facebook groups. I’ve heard a lot of absurd things throughout this ordeal, but that, Ms. Moore, might be the most ridiculous.

   6. I appreciate what Mr. Vance wrote, as do many others who don’t have the ability to publicly put their necks out there as he did. THANK YOU MR. VANCE!!

5. When the motives behind the hasty attempt to appoint Boling without considering other better qualified individuals become clear, she along with the commissioners who support her will become unelectable. Republicans would do well to sit this one out and let Boling and the commissioners supporting her facilitate their own demise.

6. This is funny.
   What one’s facebook page says speaks volumes. Just ask anyone who has been denied a job due to their very public facebook profile. When someone lists numerous dubious “news” outlets such as Fox News programs and personalities as his favorite sources- he has shown his cards. Everything else that he writes should be subsequently read with that information in mind.

   On a larger note I would ask, however, what this vitriol against Anna Boling is really about.