Editor,

My name is David Wern. I reside in Sherburne and I am an elected Town Councilman. Before moving to Sherburne 8 years ago, I spent 38 years in Cortland County. While there, I was an elected member of the Cortland County Legislature for 12 years and served on the Judiciary Committee. I have worked on many judicial campaigns, including the campaigns of many Judges currently sitting in Cortland County. Although I am not an attorney, I am very familiar with the unique ethical rules pertaining to judicial races and I have become rather concerned of late.

In this campaign for County Court Judge, the McBride Campaign Team has clearly adopted a very “old school” strategy of directly soliciting the public support of prominent law enforcement officials – a tactic which is as old as dirt, and which is designed to convince the average layperson voter that the endorsed candidate is the right person for the job. The tactic is and always has been a deliberate attempt to focus the voting public’s attention on the impressiveness of the endorsement, rather than on the candidate. The hope is that the public will unquestionably follow suit and vote for the candidate, based upon the strength and reputation of the endorsement.