2 Candidates Make Their Cases for Judicial Seat

In their first meeting of the fall campaign Wednesday, judicial candidates Gary Windom and Kevin McGee engaged in a spirited debate, each touting his legal experience and deep roots in the community.

Windom, a 48-year-old public defender, and McGee, a 44-year-old prosecutor, faced off during a luncheon sponsored by the East County Bar Assn.

The two lawyers are running for the Ventura County Superior Court seat vacated earlier this year by Judge Robert Bradley, who was suspended after a series of alcohol-related arrests.

Although the tone of the forum was polite and professional, the two candidates were quick to cite their differences and declare themselves the best choice for voters.

“I believe that the person running for this position ought to have broad experience,” Windom declared in his opening remarks before a crowd of about 40 lawyers.

Windom cited his varied credentials, including 13 years as a public defender, 10 years in private practice and a decade instructing law students at Ventura College of Law.

McGee also stressed his experience, first as a civil attorney and later as a prosecutor. Over the past 16 years in the district attorney’s office, McGee has risen to the top nonelected administrative position as chief assistant district attorney.

But he assured the crowd that his lengthy term as a prosecutor would not shade his rulings if elected.

“I am not a rubber stamp for anybody,” he said.

Standing behind a podium in a Westlake Village restaurant, McGee told the crowd that the bench needs a candidate with courage, common sense, character and a strong work ethic.

While acknowledging shared views on some issues, McGee told the crowd: “We are very, very different candidates, and we have different values.”

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Windom zeroed in on those differences, telling the audience that, unlike McGee, he has actively worked as a trial lawyer inside the courtroom for the past several years.

“I have been there, I have been in the courtroom on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “My opponent hasn’t.”

In response, McGee said, “It has been a number of years since I handled a regular assignment. [But] we all know attorneys who are in the courtroom every day who wouldn’t make a good judge.”

Responding to questions from the audience, made up mostly of family law and civil attorneys, Windom and McGee said they are both committed to researching any legal issue outside their current fields.

They both support rotating judges into different assignments, such as criminal, juvenile or family law, but suggested rotations occur less frequently to allow judges time to develop expertise in a given area.

If assigned to family court, both candidates said they would try to prepare by talking to other judges and lawyers who predominantly handle such matters.

Each candidate said he has some experience in family law, either from observing proceedings or, in McGee’s case, from representing children in dependency cases several years ago.

“I was exposed to what goes on,” McGee said, adding that in divorce cases his goal would be to “take one dysfunctional family and make two functional families.”

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At one point during the forum, McGee was asked why he did not respond in writing to a letter to the editor, written by fellow prosecutor Richard Holmes, that was critical of public defenders.

“I had nothing to do with the letter written by Mr. Holmes,” McGee responded, adding that he did not share his colleague’s views.

Public defenders play a critical role in the judicial system and do a difficult job, he said.

But he also said public defenders are “ethically obligated” to work toward acquittals for their clients.

“I’ve chosen to be a prosecutor,” McGee said, “because I prefer to do what in my heart I [enjoy] doing--pursuing the truth.”

The organizer of Wednesday’s forum was Cathleen Drury, president of the East County Bar Assn. and a family law attorney who ran unsuccessfully against Windom and McGee in the June primary.

With her name no longer on the ballot, Drury said the judicial race has become a classic prosecutor versus public defender contest. She expects it will quickly turn into a hotly contested and high-profile campaign.

“I think it’s going to be an interesting election,” she said.