Don’t vote for my opponent. He believes in Genetic Medicine!

A reader sent me the following letter sent out by Fresno County Superior Court judicial court candidate Jim Kelley in his campaign against Douglas Treisman:

October 28, 2008

Dear Voter:

My name is Jim Kelley and I am a candidate for Fresno County Superior Court Judge.  Judges play an important role in our community, yet the local race is receiving very little attention.  The law states that judicial candidates cannot take a position on any issue that may come before the court, so voters have little information on the candidates.

Jim Kelley is endorsed by judges, prosecutors, local police chiefs and former Sheriff Richard Pierce.  Douglas Treisman is endorsed by law enforcement unions and activist groups.  Below is some information that you will not learn from the media.

Jim Kelley

Jim is a career prosecutor and lifelong Fresno native who has served as a reserve deputy sheriff for ten years.  Jim will hold people accountable for their actions. As a judge Jim will follow the law, not create the law.  Jim Kelley is widely considered to be the more conservative candidate.

Jim is recommended on the statewide Christian voter website www.electionforum.org which is an organization opposed to judicial activism.

Douglas O. Treisman

Mr. Treisman moved here from back east, and he and his wife are proponents of genetic medicine.  He is a founding board member of Genetic Medicine of Central California, and she is a genetic counselor.  Douglas Treisman is endorsed by local unions and the Central Valley Progressive Political Action Committee www.cvppac.org  The CVPPAC is outspoken against Prop 4 (parental notification on abortions for minors) and against Prop 8–they support same-sex marriage.

In addition, a few years ago, Mr. Treisman led the charge to abolish the annual Christmas Party sponsored by the Prosecutors’ Association (because it was not politically correct.)  The Association now holds a “Holiday Party.”  (Jim Kelley and his wife, however, still host a Christmas Party in their home every year and invite all the prosecutors.)  Mr. Treisman will define the term “judicial activist.”

Jim won the June primary, now let’s finish the job.  On November 4, elect Jim Kelley.

-Jim Kelley

I realize the election is over, but I thought this was worth posting just to make sure that, in the glow of Obama’s victory, we don’t forget the ominous rise of anti-science rhetoric from the right in this year’s campaigns.

Maybe “genetic medicine” is some kind of pro-life code word – the organization that Treisman supports does prenatal genetic counseling. But clearly he felt it was more powerful to go after Treisman’s belief in science, rather than the particular practices he supports. And it wasn’t like Kelley buried this flaw of Treisman’s along with his litany of other complaints – it was in the first sentence of Kelley’s critique (right after being from “back east” – you know, the place where they worship that demon – DNA). Kelley is clearly saying “Treisman believes in science – he’s not one of US”.

And – scarily – it worked! Kelley won.