<p dir="ltr">My friend Eli asked that I share his post from Hope in Hyattsville in advance of Tuesday's election. It's definitely information worth considering before you vote.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Dan Behrend</p>
<p dir="ltr">> Begin forwarded message:<br>
><br>
>> From: Eli Braun <br>
>> Date: April 24, 2016 at 3:23:09 PM EDT<br>
>> To: "<a href="mailto:HOPE_in_Hyattsville@yahoogroups.com">HOPE_in_Hyattsville@yahoogroups.com</a>" <br>
>> Subject: PG judicial election<br>
>><br>
>> Hi neighbors, <br>
>><br>
>> On Tuesday's ballot, we have a contested race among those running for judge on the PG County Circuit Court. Six candidates are running. Voters can choose up to four. Judges sit for 15-year terms. The Washington Post just wrote about the candidates:<br>
>><br>
>> A rare challenge in Maryland judge’s race (April 21)<br>
>> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/a-rare-challenge-in-maryland-judges-race/2016/04/21/65468dfe-f513-11e5-9804-537defcc3cf6_story.html">https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/a-rare-challenge-in-maryland-judges-race/2016/04/21/65468dfe-f513-11e5-9804-537defcc3cf6_story.html</a><br>
>><br>
>> It's difficult to get info on judges' records, but Herman Dawson, one of the judges running for re-election, has been in the news recently. According to the WaPo, victims of lead paint poisoning who had won structured settlements (often worth over $500,000) sold their future monthly payments to private companies for an immediate lump sum (worth, on average, 33 cents of the settlement's present value). Maryland law requires that a judge review such payouts to determine whether they're really in the seller's best interests. Judge Dawson approved these payouts 90% of the time, almost always after hearings that the sellers did not attend. Here's the article:<br>
>><br>
>> How companies make millions off lead-poisoned, poor blacks<br>
>> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/how-companies-make-millions-off-lead-poisoned-poor-blacks/2015/08/25/7460c1de-0d8c-11e5-9726-49d6fa26a8c6_story.html">https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/how-companies-make-millions-off-lead-poisoned-poor-blacks/2015/08/25/7460c1de-0d8c-11e5-9726-49d6fa26a8c6_story.html</a><br>
>><br>
>> The NYT also wrote about his use of incarceration in juvenile court:<br>
>> Judge in Maryland Locks Up Youths and Rules Their Lives<br>
>> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/20/us/judge-in-maryland-locks-up-youths-and-rules-their-lives.html">www.nytimes.com/2014/12/20/us/judge-in-maryland-locks-up-youths-and-rules-their-lives.html</a><br>
>><br>
>> Eli<br>
>> 40th Ave. and Hamilton St.<br>
</p>