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2 episodes with whitener
2 episodes with whitener
2 episodes with whitener
2 episodes with whitener
Some baseball trivia + Suspect pitching from the Cardinals last night + Whitener hates one Mizzou legend!
Janet Whitener is a gifted metaphysician with 40 years of experience in sharing messages and information for those willing to ask the questions. For Janet, a near-death experience at the age of 20 changed the direction of her life forever. She channels a group called Aero, an unconditionally loving non-physical consciousness. Aero teaches through Janet with specific step-by-step suggestions on how to change your life to better serve what you desire now. Insight into the past, present, and potential futures of those Aero works with, endless compassion, and amazing delight in using humor as a tool for this work, have assisted many to heal and discover new dimensions of peace, health, success, and love. In addition, Janet teaches class on how to connect with your spirit guides. She helps you learn your guides' names and build a connection so you can receive the guidance you need. We discuss What are spirit guides How many guides do we have What is the purpose of our spirit guides What questions should we ask them What is the role of spirit guides in our life Learn more about work with Janet Whitener at http://aerospeaks.com Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney's organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com Shop Chef Whitney's favorites on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/whitneyaronoff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We have our first "weak contact" of the year! + March Madness had some close ones last night + Whitener vs Seth race
In today's episode, Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf welcomes the esteemed April Whitener; the 2023 Memory Maker of the Year! April reflects on her personal life, from growing up in Indian Land, South Carolina, balancing work and studies at Belmont Abbey College, to her love for accounting and volunteering at her children's school. She speaks candidly about the cultural shift towards remote work during the pandemic, her positive transition to Broad River Retail, and her preferences for hybrid work for better work-life balance. She shares insights into the projects and challenges she has managed throughout the year, including the implementation of an automated invoice review system using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with UiPath and a customized bot that they have named "Rosie" to help with reviewing large amounts of invoices and the transition to a new corporate card platform that enhanced the process for employee reimbursements. April discusses her journey from starting as an AP specialist to becoming a supervisor, overseeing her effective “dream team” through a smooth remote work environment. She attributes her successes to her work ethic, support from her team and company, and her weekly planning habits. The company culture at Broad River, recognized for its supportive environment in stark contrast to the usual numbers-driven corporate world, is also highlighted. Emphasizing annual themes like "Connect" for 2024, April praises the company for fostering a space where Memory Makers feel valued and motivated. Enjoy this special episode with the 2023 Memory Maker of the Year, April Whitener, and learn why her fellow Memory Makers describe her as kind, gracious, smart, tenacious, and urgent, as well as someone who completes her work with ease, grace, speed, confidence, grit, and determination. Additional Resources: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Provider UiPath - https://www.uipath.com Wells Fargo Expense Manager - https://www.wellsfargo.com/com/treasury-management/payables/commercial-card/wellsone-expense-manager/ This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FQunAP_CR6s Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.
In today's episode, Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf welcomes the esteemed April Whitener; the 2023 Memory Maker of the Year! April reflects on her personal life, from growing up in Indian Land, South Carolina, balancing work and studies at Belmont Abbey College, to her love for accounting and volunteering at her children's school. She speaks candidly about the cultural shift towards remote work during the pandemic, her positive transition to Broad River Retail, and her preferences for hybrid work for better work-life balance. She shares insights into the projects and challenges she has managed throughout the year, including the implementation of an automated invoice review system using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with UiPath and a customized bot that they have named "Rosie" to help with reviewing large amounts of invoices and the transition to a new corporate card platform that enhanced the process for employee reimbursements. April discusses her journey from starting as an AP specialist to becoming a supervisor, overseeing her effective “dream team” through a smooth remote work environment. She attributes her successes to her work ethic, support from her team and company, and her weekly planning habits. The company culture at Broad River, recognized for its supportive environment in stark contrast to the usual numbers-driven corporate world, is also highlighted. Emphasizing annual themes like "Connect" for 2024, April praises the company for fostering a space where Memory Makers feel valued and motivated. Enjoy this special episode with the 2023 Memory Maker of the Year, April Whitener, and learn why her fellow Memory Makers describe her as kind, gracious, smart, tenacious, and urgent, as well as someone who completes her work with ease, grace, speed, confidence, grit, and determination. Additional Resources: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Provider UiPath - https://www.uipath.com Wells Fargo Expense Manager - https://www.wellsfargo.com/com/treasury-management/payables/commercial-card/wellsone-expense-manager/ This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FQunAP_CR6s Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.
Please join the team of Adrienne, Michael, and Lawrence, as we are once again honored to host, Psychic, Medium, and Channel of Aero, Janet Whitener, to the show. In keeping with our most recent conversations on Valentines Day, Romantic Love/Relationships, we are anxious to hear and learn from Aero on his insights on the "Ultimate Love", the love of Self. We'll be taking your calls and giving readings! Please join us for this very special show. To contact Janet Whitener, Adrienne Stratton, Michael J. Espinoza, Lawrence Birch, for a private reading, healing, or consultation, please see the following contact information; Janet Whitener Channel of Aero, Psychic Medium, Animal Comminicator JanAero@cox.net 949 547-8204 Adrienne Stratton Psychic, Medium www.ravenmessages.com 714 376-7289 Michael J. Espinosa Certified Pranic Healer, Clairvoyant, Medium www.michaeljespinosa.com Instagram: https:// www.instagram.com/mjespinosa Lawrence Birch Shamanic Practitioner, Herbalist 541 344-7534 Facebook: Giving TreeFarmHerb www.givingtreefarm.com All information from the host and or guest is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult a professional.
On today's episode, we are joined by the incredible Tasha Whitener, founder of Waymark Foster, as she shares the inside scoop on the remarkable growth and success achieved in her most recent fundraising event.More about Waymark ForsterFollow us on social media!YouTubeInstagramLinkedInHGAFundraising.comIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating! Reach out to bailey@hgafundraising for guest speaker inquiries.
Mara Whitener, the master of business operations, is dedicated to finding the missing puzzle piece in your operations. With 20 years of experience in building, growing, and selling 6 and 7-figure businesses, Mara ensures your systems and team run seamlessly, freeing your visionary genius to make a powerful impact. She holds degrees in International Business and Business Administration, but her focus is on understanding your unique challenges and needs. And… she's my next guest on GasStoveCreativePresents: The Cookbook! Mara understands burnout from firsthand experience, juggling everything while caring deeply. She knows that your vision for a business and a life that aligns with your passions and creates a positive impact is unique to you. With her talent for identifying necessary improvements, Mara creates room for more clients, cost savings, and team synergy. Her solutions ensure seamless launches, revenue growth, and the freedom to pursue your passions. Regardless of your business size, Mara tailors customized plans to align with your needs and goals. Join us for an enlightening podcast episode and discover how her unique insights can help you unleash your visionary potential and make a lasting impact. Here are the links: Website: https://gasstovecreative.com/the-cookbook-podcast/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/Yz2BhmFRvcA Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/876733059/75eda46a5d?share=copy Connect with Mara here: www.whitenerpros.com https://www.facebook.com/whitenerprofessionalservices https://www.linkedin.com/in/mara-whitener/ And we can be found where all the podcasts live! Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, et al! As always, please subscribe, like, and share! #GasStoveCreativePresentsTheCookbook #TheCookbookPodcast #GasStoveCreative #MaraWhitener #VisionaryImpact #OperationalOptimization
Please join the Psychic Funhouse team of Adrienne, Michael, and Lawrence, as we host a fascinating show on Channeling, Mediumship, and Psychic Readings. Our special guest, Janet Whitener is well known, (nationally and internationally), and much sought after Channel of Aero. Of course many peoplle will have questions, and we'll be happy to give answers, insights, and share awareness especially on some of the more basic questions, such as, "How common is Channeling?" " Is Channeled Information real?" , and "where does the Channeled Information come from?" Yes of course we will also provide Mediumship and Psychic Readings!!! To contact each of us for private readings/ consultations, see below. Janet Whitener 949 547-8204 JanAero@cox.net Adrienne Stratton, Medium, Clairvoyant 714 376-7289 www.ravenmessages.com MIchael J. Espinoza, Certified Pranic Healer, Clairvoyant, Medium www.michaeljespinoza.com IG : https: //www.instagram.com/mjespinoza Lawrence Birch Shamantic Practitioner, Herbalist 541 344-7534 givingtree@earthlink.net Facebook: GivingTreeFarmHerb www.giving treefarm.com Disclaimer: All information from the hosts and or guest is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult a professional.
Most annoying STL sports stories over the past year + Whitener saw a celebrity in the airport
Welcome to Beacon's West End Story! Join us on an extraordinary journey through time as we delve deep into the intricate history of Urban Renewal and its profound impact on the community of Beacon's West End. On this first episode, we have the privilege of sitting down with historian and University at Albany Professor, David Hochfelder. Together, we navigate the complex landscape of Urban Renewal, exploring its multifaceted aspects. Professor Hochfelder acts as our guide, leading us through the maze of funding sources, policy decisions, and urban planning strategies that shaped the course of Urban Renewal. We'll peel back the layers, unraveling the complexities of this historical phenomenon, and examine its intentions, successes, and the far-reaching consequences it left in its wake. But this episode isn't solely about historical analysis; it's about personal experiences too. We're honored to welcome a special guest, Connie Whitener-Perdreau, a former resident of the West End. Connie shares her unique perspective, providing a personal lens through which we can gain insight into the profound impact of Urban Renewal on Beacon's West End neighborhood. Subscribe now to stay connected with our ongoing journey through the rich tapestry of Beacon's West End. If you're passionate about preserving the history of our community and would like to contribute by sharing your voice, photos, or artifacts from the West End, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at iambeacon.info@gmail.com. Join us in celebrating the spirit of our community, exploring the complexities of Urban Renewal, and preserving the invaluable stories that define the Beacon's West End.
Whitener is in rough shape after last night's Beyonce concert + We force Beyonce and Taylor Swift to compete
Food talk + Some restaurants around town that we like to frequent + Whitener half-cares about his carbon footprint
It is great as always to have you locked it for Cobb Life. And today we'll give you good insights on another group that helps people who really need it. Foster kids.Your show rundown is presented by Credit Union of Georgia, and coming up in a bit.Tasha Whitener the Founder of Waymark Foster will give us insights on the important work they do to help give foster kids a better opportunity to overcome the numerous challenges they face thru no fault, usually, of their own.We'll give you more info on this important organization next, and Tasha will be along thereafter. Pull up a chair....it's Sunday, it's Cobb Life, and we'll get it going next. Waymark Foster, established in 2010, is a dedicated organization with a mission centered on providing hope, love, and essential life skills to youth in foster care. Through various programs and initiatives, Waymark aims to support these young individuals as they transition to adulthood. Their offerings encompass youth camps, skills training, service opportunities, mentorships, and special events. They offer Royal Family KIDS Camp for children aged 6 to 12 and Journey Weekends tailored to teens in foster care. Skills training sessions cover vital aspects of life, from self-care to career development. Mentorship programs provide personalized guidance, while special events like Waymark Family Christmas and outdoor activities foster positive experiences. The organization addresses pressing needs within the foster care system by nurturing these youths with the tools and advocacy required to thrive. Waymark empowers them with faith-based support, character-building, and life skills education to navigate the challenges of state care and beyond. The organization's holistic approach prepares them for adulthood by instilling hope, teaching practical skills, and fostering community engagement through service projects. The participants in Waymark's programs come from diverse foster care backgrounds, including county DFCS agencies, group homes, and foster agencies. Notably, the organization offers its activities free of charge, making their valuable services accessible to all eligible youth. Tasha Whitener - Interview parts 1 and 2.We will step out a minute right here, but sit tight, we'll have some closing comments after this, you're listening to Cobb Life from the MDJ.That will wrap up this edition of Cobb Life. We thank Tasha Whitener of waymarkfoster for her insights today. We also thank our own Angel Perkins for the coordination, and Reagan Schomburger for her production assistance on this episode. Lastly, we thank each and every one of you for locking us in today. Cobb Life is a presentation of the Marietta Daily Journal, I'm Brian Giffin with the BG Ad Group and we'll talk next week everybody, so long. www.henssler.com www.ingles-markets.com www.cuofga.org www.drakerealty.com www.elonsalon.com www.daycosystems.com www.powerselectricga.com www.esogrepair.com www.jrmmanagement.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dan sits down with Chance Whitener of APEX Fence out of OKC while Shane "Miller Lite Drinking" Catton of Good Shepherd Fence out of Indiana, Indianapolis co-host from his Villa in the South of France. The guys are all over the place but when you've gone from a subcontractor to a major player in your market in just 5 years or so, there's a lot to talk about.▶ Register and see when the next FREE Stain & Seal University will be near you!!▶ Get 10% Off each month for 3 months of ArcSite using Promo Code 10Off!!!The Fence Software where drawings price themselves!▶ Register for the Fence Show & Security Expo coming in August 2023 hosted by the FWA (Fence Workers Association)Use Promo Code MFL50 to get 3 days FREE on the Exhibitor Floor▶ Hey #FenceLifers, get your My Fence Life Swag ⬅️ here, just fill out the contact form and wait by the mailbox!!▶ Get early access to BizzRater. The only platform that allows YOU to "Take Advantage of Your Reviews"! Use PROMO code MFL30 and save 30%▶ Learn more about My Fence Life, Promo Codes and Show Partners
Justice G. Helen Whitener of the Washington Supreme Court is a trailblazer: the first Black woman to serve on the Washington Supreme Court, the fourth immigrant-born Justice, and the first Black LGBT judge in the State of Washington. But even though she is the first, she doesn't want to be the last. So she focuses on teaching and mentoring others to pursue a legal career and apply to the bench. With host M.C. Sungaila, she discusses the importance of mentoring to her own legal career and treating everyone with respect and humanity.
4-19 Segment 3 - Players & fans getting into it during a game - Damar Hamlin CLEARED to play football? - Pool season on the horizon... but Whitener refuses to learn to swim -
4-19 Segment 4 - Arranging swim lessons for Whitener - Most impressive Western Conference team after 1 game - #stlcards prediction for this afternoon
Tag Paid Go - Ep 80: Malls are fantastic hiding places for Ninjas! In this episode I'm gonna introduce a NEW segment where I share a positive story that had a positive effect on me and hopefully has a positive effect on you. Times can be super stressful these days and I wanna throw out some positive vibes. My featured song is a song I wrote called "TREEHOUS'". Listen to past episodes and songs at: www.tagpaidgo.com Sign up for the newsletter - news.tagpaidgo.com Listen to the music of Tag Paid Go on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon music or wherever you stream music - music.tagpaidgo.com TRANSCRIPT ----more---- Ep 80 Welcome to another episode of tag paid go -In this episode I'm gonna introduce a NEW segment where I share a positive story that had a positive effect on me and hopefully has a positive effect on you. Times can be super stressful these days and I wanna throw out some positive vibes. Id like to welcome to the show, this week's sponsor. The Tinsel Toenails of New Haven LLC. Are your toenails in need of tinsling? Do people call your toenails “ol yeller?” Tinsel toenails of New Haven LLC use a proprietary Whitener that will whiten your toenails so well, people will ask you if you got a toenail transplant. Shhhh..I'll never tell. Call tinsel toenails of New Haven LLC today. As promised, a little positivity to get ya thru the week. Lemme set it up for ya - Its 1982 and this skinny little kid was shopping with his mom at the mall(you remember those, right) - Well at some point, the little kid got lost somewhere between the B Dalton Book store and Hickory Farms. Caught between chapters and charcuterie. His mom was no where in site. He started to panic the way a kid panics when the monster in the closet opens the closet. Then from out of nowhere, a ninja with glowing red eyes started to chase him. He started to run. No where in particular. Just run. And yell. loud. Fortunately a gentleman saw him and came to his rescue. The ninja turned into a giant pig dragon. The gentleman used a magic shield to destroy the giant pig dragon. The kid was overjoyed and his mom couldn't thank the gentleman enough. That man went out of his way to reunite that kid with his mom. That little kid? That was me. And that older gentleman? Would you believe it was the DUDE himself, the great Jeff Bridges? Amazing right? Ok, so look. I was 9. I just saw TRON and I was super into it. Everyone looked like Jeff bridges then. There's a REALLY good chance it was just some rando mall deviant who was looking to kidnap me. And the pig/dragon/ninja? I was 9. Shut up already. It's now the part of the show where I play a song I wrote. Here's a song about being a kid and just using your imagination. Sit back with a roasted bacon martini and enjoy. This one's called Treehouse Well that does it for this weeks episode of tag paid go. I'd like to thank this weeks sponsor, tinsel toenails of New Haven LLC. Do your little piggies need to be cleaned up before going live on your onlyfans page? Wanna triple your subscribers? Call tinsel toenails of New Haven LLC and you'll be crying wee wee wee all the way to the bank! I'd like yo also thank everyone for listening in. Don't forget to check out the songs from the tag paid go podcast streaming wherever you listen to music OR you can find them at tag paid go.com Everyone stay safe. Be kind to each other. Till next time Tag paid go
4-5 Segment 3 - Eminem too angry? - Dissecting Stephen King - Whitener's 40th bday bash - Casino games - Cam's experience at Harry's -
Gordon Whitener, President & CEO of The Whitener Company visits with Paul to talk about being the man who recruited Barry Sanders, and how NIL has changed the college landscape. Plus more of your phone calls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Friday is always a great day, especially on High Noon when Nate and Matty are out at Jimmy's Place. Jason Green from Jimmy's Place. The topic of conversation to start the day is the dealing of Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola to the New York Rangers.
When growing your business it can so quickly take over and become stressful. Most of all we lose the thing we started our own business for - the freedom that comes with owning a business. But that doesn't have to be the case! And embracing delegation is a huge tool for regaining that freedom and joy to focus on what you're passionate about.Today I am joined by Mara Whitener to talk about what she is passionate about: helping you and your business find success. Not (insert dollar amount) kind of success, but the kind of success where you feel fulfilled and happy. You can find Mara Whitener here:Website: https://whitenerpros.com/Personal Facebook: Mara Hahn WhitenerBusiness Facebook Page: Whitener Professional Services______________________________ You can find me here:Instagram: @gingerbizWebsite: https://www.katymurrayphotography.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TipsandTricksforyourbusinessTwitter: https://twitter.com/GingerBizKM
Washington Supreme Court Justice Helen Whitener returns to catch up with Crystal about the last two years on the state's highest court and her bid for re-election this November. The two talk about Justice Whitener's path to the Supreme Court, how coming from a marginalized background with an intersecting lens impacts her time there, and the impacts COVID has had on making the courts accessible and navigable by everyone. The Supreme Court's “June 4th Letter” from 2020 sparks conversation about addressing systemic injustice and Justice Whitener shares two recent decisions she wrote about shackling and restrictive covenants. The show wraps up with discussion of the future of the court system and what to weigh when choosing Supreme Court justices. Note: This episode was recorded before the end of filing week in May. The candidate filing deadline passed without any challenger filing to run against Justice Whitener, so she will appear unopposed on the November ballot and serve another term on our state's highest court. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal, on Twitter at @finchfrii. Resources Campaign Website - Justice G. Helen Whitener: https://www.keepjusticewhitener.com/ Previous appearance on Hacks & Wonks (Sept 15, 2020) - Justice Whitener: The Law, Representation, and Becoming a Supreme Court Justice:https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/crystal/HW20200911JusticeWhitener_mixdown.mp3 Washington Supreme Court - “June 4th Letter”:https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/publicUpload/Supreme%20Court%20News/Judiciary%20Legal%20Community%20SIGNED%20060420.pdf “Washington Supreme Court Announces Prohibition Against Blanket Shackling Policies at Pretrial Proceedings” by Anthony Accurso from Criminal Legal News: https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2020/nov/15/washington-supreme-court-announces-prohibition-against-blanket-shackling-policies-pretrial-proceedings/ Washington Supreme Court - State v. Jackson - Slip Opinion: https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/976813.pdf Washington Supreme Court - In re That Portion of Lots 1 & 2 - Slip Opinion: https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/995982.pdf “Washington Supreme Court reverses its 1960 ruling that allowed Seattle cemetery to discriminate against a Black family” by David Gutman fromThe Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/washington-supreme-court-reverses-its-1960-ruling-that-allowed-seattle-cemetery-to-discriminate-against-a-black-family/ Justia - Price v. Evergreen Cemetery Co. of Seattle: https://law.justia.com/cases/washington/supreme-court/1960/34854-1.html Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. Today, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome back to the program Justice Helen Whitener, Justice on our Washington Supreme Court. Thank you so much for joining us again. [00:00:50] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Thank you and nice to see you and be with you again, Crystal. [00:00:54] Crystal Fincher: Excellent to see you and be with you again. Well, this time two years ago, around this time, we had a conversation - you were running your campaign to win your first election after being appointed as a Supreme Court Justice. And it's been so phenomenal for so many people who have watched you throughout your illustrious career and followed you - just to give people a bit of a background, and we talked about this on the prior show - but you have an unusual breadth of experience coming behind you, which reminds us of a certain new Supreme Court Justice in our country. But she actually reminded me, when I first learned about her, of my conversation with you in that - wow, just so much experience and much more varied experience than we normally see for your justices, now your colleagues, and who we've seen before. What was your path to the Supreme Court? [00:02:02] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, as you know I've been a former prosecutor, public defender, and I had my own law firm - I was a managing partner of that firm. I have pro-temmed on the City of Tacoma Municipal Court level and on the Pierce County District Court level, I've also been a Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals judge. I got appointed by the governor to the Superior Court in Pierce County in 2015, and then five years later I got appointed to the Supreme Court. Both times I got appointed and subsequently had to run to retain my seat. So I'm happy to still be here and to come back and have this discussion with you. [00:02:49] Crystal Fincher: Well, and I'm thrilled that you're back to have this discussion with me. In your first couple of years on the bench, what has been most surprising to you? [00:02:57] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, my experience on this bench is quite different than I think anyone who has ever sat on this bench, because it occurred during the pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic. So my entire experience with my colleagues have been on a virtual platform, which is unusual. So, when I talk about my experiences, just keep that in mind. What's been wonderful, as I've indicated, is the advocacy - the level of advocacy on this level - and then being able to review the trial level records that I used to create as a prosecutor and public defender, and then presided over those trials as a trial court judge. So it's really different to review the work of the trial level courts, because I've been so intimately involved with that level. [00:03:52] Crystal Fincher: Well, and you bring, as you talked, so much experience - both just professional experience, also lived experience. You are a Black woman, an immigrant, a member of the LGBTQ community. You have so many different experiences that have shaped who you are and that impact just how you experience the world. How has that impacted your time on the Court? [00:04:25] Justice G. Helen Whitener: And I think one of the other personal characteristics I have is I identify as someone with a disability. So I come to the Court with a very marginalized background and intersecting lens. And I got there in April of 2020. And May of 2020, we saw the killing of George Floyd. And June 4th, 2020, the entire Supreme Court - all of the justices - signed off on what we now call the "June 4th letter," which was a directive to attorneys and judges and those working within the criminal justice system or the justice system as a whole to do better, because now we do know a lot of things have occurred that were unjust and different facets of our community were being unjustly treated. So I tend to think being at the table with my colleagues, and I'll also point out - when I joined the Supreme Court, it's my understanding it became the most diverse Supreme Court in the country, which I hadn't really thought about at the time. But we already have - and presently we have - a Chief Justice who is Latino male. We have seven female justices - normally it's predominantly male. We have the first Native American Supreme Court Justice. We also have an Asian and Mexican heritage and first LGBT Supreme Court Justice, I'm the second. So here I came in and I'm the immigrant and the Black woman, and I also identify as someone with a disability. So our discussions are really in-depth, and our view is trying to make a law more encompassing of the majority of people in our community, through all of our intersecting lens. And it's a beautiful process, challenging at times, because certain labels that we belong to conflict with the other, but we try to ground our decisions in the law. [00:06:38] Crystal Fincher: Throughout this pandemic, how have those kinds of conversations been? Have they been more challenging because of the pandemic and being limited in being together, and limited via just seeing each other online? How have those discussions been in a remote environment? [00:07:01] Justice G. Helen Whitener: You know, it's the only environment I know - dealing with this then. And there are challenges, even with oral arguments, because sometimes there's that delay in timing because of the platform. I love it, but there's a tradition that goes with the highest court. I haven't experienced the tradition, but I know about the tradition. And I think some of my colleagues miss that - they miss the in-person congeniality between each other. I think it's a cold platform at times, so sometimes when we have conferences it's open to misunderstanding, but then it also allows us to repeat and we can see and engage a bit more than we probably would feel comfortable in-person. So I think there are pros and cons in regards to this platform. And for me, I came from running a courtroom by myself to now having eight colleagues to decide something, so that in and of itself has been an adjustment. But it's an adjustment I would hope I'm doing well with. [00:08:20] Crystal Fincher: Are we doing a good enough job with making the courts accessible and navigable by everyone - especially through these pandemic times - but overall, how are we doing with that? [00:08:35] Justice G. Helen Whitener: I think we're doing as best as we can with the infrastructure we have in place. Washington state is not a unified court system, so that means even though the Supreme Court can issue directives, many of the directives are open to the discretion of the lower courts when it comes to procedures and policies and things like that. Many of our courts have been in-sync, but each court and level of court has its own management style. And what was interesting to me is everyone really pivoted in trying to make their particular court accessible to all because it became an issue. I think for the first time, just like with the killing of George Floyd, it woke some individuals up to what people of color have been saying for a while. I think the pandemic woke our courts up in regards to how we have been dealing with justice and dispensing justice and making it accessible to all. So I tend to think of it as - well, the court has now had to deal with this issue that is impacting all levels, all different kinds of people in the same way. Because the pandemic and the virus didn't have any biases - it'll take you however it can get you, and address, deal with you that way - whereas the courts, and we're aware of this, had implicit biases built - well, biases built within it. Some were, I guess you can say implicit, and many were explicit, but at least the conversation is occurring and people are listening. [00:10:34] Crystal Fincher: Yes, and you brought up that June 4th letter, which I was proud to see. And was really a nation-leading letter from - signed by all of the members of the Court, really recognizing that - it says the devaluation and degradation of Black lives is not a recent event. It's a persistent and systemic injustice that predates this nation's founding and just really acknowledges - explicitly - racial injustice within our system and the responsibility to address it. I just really appreciate it - it is a well-established fact. As we do navigate through those systems, what do you as a justice do, and how do you approach wrestling with that? [00:11:30] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, speak up - that's one important thing. Share my experiences - personal as well as professional experiences. Making sure that people understand that you're not asking for any special treatment or special privileges - that what you're asking for is to be seen and treated respectfully and justly like everyone else. What's interesting to me about the June 4th letter - it raises the issues faced by Black Americans, Black individuals - slavery, the devaluation of how we have been treated. And from that came all these different committees and task forces looking at inequities within our system. The way I deal with it is making sure I make my voice part of that discussion and make it an authentic discussion by sharing truthfully how I see things and how I believe people are affected. And when I say that, remember I indicated our bench is very diverse and everyone brings their own lens to bear on discussions. When it comes to race and equity issues, each group deals with it differently, has had different experiences. And that's why it's BIPOC and not just POC. So Black people and indigenous people have a different experience than people of color. And sometimes that's a difficult thing for others to hear and understand - we're not to be lumped as one. My indigenous colleague on the bench shares from time to time her personal experiences, and sometimes there are similarities and sometimes there are not. So my purpose in these discussions is to make sure I am authentic 'cause like I like to say, I wear the robe at work, but when I take that robe off - that black robe that garners respect - you're looking at a Black woman walking out and into society and being treated as a Black woman in society. And those experiences don't go away because people don't know who I am. So making sure my colleagues are aware of these real lived experiences. [00:14:01] Crystal Fincher: And I appreciate that so much - I appreciate your lived experience. It seems like a lot of people in organizations appreciate just the professionalism that you bring to the bench and sharing all of your experiences. Just since you've been on here last, you've received some awards - including the ABA Stonewall Award, which recognizes members of the judiciary and legal professions who have affected real change to remove barriers on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and who have championed diversity for the LGBT community. The 2020 and 2021 International Association of LGBT Judges President's Award. The Public Official of the Year by the Evergreen State College's Master of Public Administration Program for your legal aid and judicial careers, which have centered on a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion that is a model for other judges and public service professionals - in their words. You also were awarded the Western Region of the National Black Law Students Association Judge of the Year Award. And in addition to being rated "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by 14 bar associations - think a lot of people just became a lot more acquainted with how important that is and what that really means, especially after the approval of Justice Brown. And similarly, just you are rated "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by just about everybody. And endorsed by all of the other State Supreme Court justices who come from varied backgrounds and have a lot of different experiences, but all recognize you belong there on that bench in their opinion. Looking at all that, and as you discuss different cases like the Blake decision - where we wrestle with issues similar to that so much in society - do we take a public health approach to things like substance use disorder that often accompany charges for possession? What were the conversations around that and obviously you're wrestling with what's in the law and what's not there, but how do you connect wrestling with your decision versus the impacts that it may have on society and in our community? Do you weigh the impacts on that, or is it just strictly the letter of the law? [00:16:45] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, every justice and judge has a different approach. For me, it's the letter of the law - I stay within the confines of the law. If I cannot do anything that is within the rule of the law, then I make sure I flag that in my opinion, or my decision, to the legislative branch. And it's a good thing that we have some good legislators that pay attention and try to address the inequities. But we have three branches of government. There are some judicial officers who are more policy driven and do things a bit different. But for me - I can only speak for me - I stay within the rule of law. Yet I have been able to address in my decisions, and I have many 9-0 decisions - I'd like to think my litigation background assists me in presenting my case to my colleagues. But I've written a number of decisions that touch on social issues. The first case was State v. Jackson, a shackling case - the inhumanity of that - making sure as I write that decision, it is clear that the dignity of the individuals before us should not be lessened because of the type of cases that come before us. These are still people and we still have a responsibility as judicial officers to treat them as such. My most recent decision that was release filed - I call it May v. Spokane, but it's called In re Lot of something. It deals with covenants - restrictive covenants - and yes, we still have those in our state. And this one was in Spokane and the individual, the homeowner, wanted to remove that restrictive covenant, which basically said, don't sell to Black people - something along those lines. And to think that we still have those laws still there - those things are still out there that we have to deal with. Many individuals who looked at it, including my law clerks at the time, thought - and the lower court judges attempted to address it. But thought that they would have to and could not keep the original document if you took the restrictive covenant off. And I was very clear that - no, no, no, no, you don't get rid of history, because then later on there's nobody who can - when they're making the discussion - have that supporting data. History is very important for a number of reasons, even derogatory and abhorrent history. It's history. So don't destroy it - archive it for future generations to see, and to understand what this type of restrictive covenants did to a group of people. So it comes like the Price case that was mentioned in the June 4th letter, where a Black family could not bury their child in a cemetery where they had these separate burial areas and a whole number of different racist things. So my position was don't destroy that history - I don't like it, it's derogatory, it's abhorrent - but don't destroy it, please. Because the next generation or the generation after that - 'cause these things are cyclical until we find a solution, and racism has been a problem in this country so a solution may not arise in my lifetime. But let's keep that history, and let's make sure it's there for the future generations. But here's what we can do - we can create a new document for the individual and this way the racist covenant does not go forward and still exist. So those are the types of ways I deal with issues in the law that - I have to stay in my lane. And the interesting thing about the last one, the May v. Spokane case, is while that case was before us and I was writing the decision, the Legislature came with a fix and the fix matched very closely what I was saying in my decision. So I was really happy to see that, but yeah - it's making sure that you don't lose the authentic voice that you brought to the bench. You need to share it and give your perspective and then follow it up with well-reasoned arguments to your colleagues. And I'm thankful that they're very receptive to that. [00:21:54] Crystal Fincher: Which is good - I'm also thankful for the same. There was another decision that you wrestled with that was very visible, especially within the political and policy-making communities, dealing with redistricting and just untangling a number of issues there, including whether the process they followed was in line with what they were supposed to do. And it actually wound up before our State Supreme Court. How did you go about determining whether the Court should be involved, to hand it over to the Legislature? What was that process? [00:22:39] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, the interesting thing about the law and especially at the Supreme Court - we don't discuss issues that can come back before us. So that is one of those situations that - it's not over yet - it deals with redistricting, it deals and has impacts on things like elections and voting and a whole myriad of things. So that one I can't give you more than what you already have, because it's still working its way through the Court. Just like some of the remote platforms and holding trials on this platform - there are constitutional questions that still can come before the Court and are likely to come before the Court. And you touched on one of them. [00:23:31] Crystal Fincher: Well, I guess we will have to stay tuned. And it's always interesting in those situations, especially looking at redistricting, in that we're looking at potentially voting within these new districts while there may be legislation, while there may be court challenges or issues making their way through the system. So it'll be interesting to see if and how that proceeds. I do have a question with - looking at across the country, and how we've seen some of our federal courts transform lots of conversations about a lot of conservative nominees appointed by Trump - a number of them not receiving "Exceptionally Well Qualified" ratings and in fact, a number receiving "Unqualified" ratings, but now they're on the bench seemingly for life. And now we have a conservative Supreme Court, which has a lot of people worried about the maintenance of some really basic human rights. As we look at the situation across the country and everything - from abortion rights to civil rights and equal protection under the law - just kind of everything. Do you feel optimistic? Pessimistic? How would you advise people who are worried to think about this, and what can people do if they are worried? [00:25:02] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, first and foremost, it's understanding the courts and the court system. State courts - the judicial officers are elected. So, even though they may make decisions that are favorable or not favorable, they have to stick or try to stick very close to the the law that they're interpreting. Federal court is a little different - they're appointed for life. It is also very partisan in how that is dealt with. So they're two very different systems. And at the end of the day, it's what the framers wanted for our system. Think about it this way - you may not like the Court as it's set up right now, but hopefully you can believe in the system and hopefully you can get some decisions that fall within your values. It is a completely different system and I - it is just so sad that it is so politicized. Because to me, the law is the law and should apply through equitable lens to all. And I think at the end of the day, the justices on that Court start off struggling with that. But they come in all ready, and that's how they are elected, and that's how they're nominated, and that's the process they go through, and that's how they're seen. So you can probably - and I think that's why there is concern - you can probably figure out how they're going to deal with cases based on what they've done in the past. Because they're there for life - you can't do anything about it. That's why it was such a big deal in getting certain people to the bench during a particular time. But that has been historical - that is nothing new. So, all I can do is hope that the decisions that come out from the highest court covers most of the constituents of the United States at any given time. They're not going to cover all, and I hope they get more or less the arc - you have that bow and you have extremes on both ends and the majority falls in the middle - and hopefully that'll be the case, but that's how the law works. And I try not to get too caught up on that. I love the restrictions the Constitution - the State Constitutions - can place on those type of decisions because we can look at our constituents and make decisions that we believe are best, even though the Supreme Court has precedent. Those precedents can be viewed narrowly on the state constitutional interpretation. [00:28:02] Crystal Fincher: So as people are considering, as they're going to be voting for Supreme Court Justices in our state this year, what do you think should be the most important things that they weigh? [00:28:15] Justice G. Helen Whitener: I think, especially since it's the highest court, one of the most important things is experience - not necessarily experience writing decisions or anything - but the varied experience, the quality of the experience. And I think it's really important - last election cycle, which was two years ago, my opponent had just basically passed the bar, but our constitution allows for a newly supported individual, a new attorney that has taken the oath to run for the Supreme Court. It's the only court that that can happen. And you have to remember the decisions this Court makes impacts everyone and impacts everyone in a very meaningful way. It's not necessarily a case-specific thing, it's a lot broader than that. So, look at the experience, do the homework, and make the decision - the best decision - that you believe falls in line with your views. [00:29:24] Crystal Fincher: Gotta say it really was something last election to look at someone who did really just pass the bar, seemingly to run against you, up against all of your experience. That was a very audacious decision, in my opinion. And just - [00:29:45] Justice G. Helen Whitener: But it's a right that he had. And going through the campaign and having him on various platforms, I was very much aware of his lack of knowledge of how the courts works. But I thought, this is his right. It might be his bucket list thing to tick off, but this is his right. And why not? So, he did. And thankfully, I think for our courts and our legal system, the voters responded in favor of me because of my experience and what I bring to the bench. But at the end of the day, it was his right. [00:30:30] Crystal Fincher: It was his right, he exercised it, he tried it. Voters made the decision on the side of experience and breadth of knowledge. As you're talking to voters this cycle, what do you tell them when they're asking, why should I vote for you? At this point, you don't have an opponent, you could still draw one. Why should they vote for you? [00:30:58] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, I think I bring something to this bench that has never been at this bench. And it's not just my personal background, but my professional background - I believe the fact that I've been a prosecutor, public defender, done private defense work, I've been a judicial officer on all three trial level courts - and I mean all three positions in all three trial level courts - is important. It gives me a very intimate knowledge of the types of cases that come before our courts. I represented individuals, so I understand the defense arguments that are coming. I understand the prosecutor's position, and I also understand the private bar perspective as well. I also, as a Board of Industrial Insurance appeals judge had to deal with people who were injured and at their most vulnerable, so I've been able to maintain that empathetic lens and air as I interpret the law. And when it comes to now the appellate work, I'm very proud of the cases that I've made decisions on, the opinions that I've written. Many of them have been majority opinions, meaning all nine justices signed. And those that I dissented on - I've not concurred on anything yet - but I've dissented on, I believe, three or four is because I believe in the position I took on those. So my lens is truly different and I'm not afraid to stand if I have to stand alone, if I believe my decision is well-reasoned. And it will always be an independent decision that I make, not based on anything else but my interpretation of the law through my intersecting lens. [00:32:47] Crystal Fincher: Well, I certainly appreciate that. If people want to learn more about you, do you have a website they can visit? [00:32:54] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Yes. It's keepjusticewhitener.com, or you can Google Justice Whitener - there's so much information out there on me, you can just find me. Just Google Justice Helen Whitener, or keepjusticewhitener.com, or keep Whitener for justice. And you can find me - you can find information about me and the work that I'm doing. I just recently returned this week - I'm somewhat exhausted - from an invitation I received from the United Nations, based on my human rights interest and environmental law. And that was very, very intense and again, keeping abreast of what's important out there. And our environment surely is. [00:33:48] Crystal Fincher: It surely is. Well, I sincerely appreciate you taking this time to speak with us today. You are so highly decorated and awarded - so much experience. We have been fortunate to have you on the Court and as voters make their evaluation on who they want to keep, they certainly have some excellent choices on the ballot this year. And just thank you so much for speaking with us - we will stay updated on your race and wish you the best. [00:34:24] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Thank you. And thank you again, Crystal. It was a pleasure, at least, getting a chance to chat with you again. And we'll see what happens. I'll keep my fingers crossed and keep the bar high as I proceed on this year. [00:34:38] Crystal Fincher: I thank you all for listening to Hacks & Wonks on KVRU 105.7 FM. The producer of Hacks & Wonks is Lisl Stadler with assistance from Shannon Cheng. You can find me on Twitter @finchfrii, spelled F-I-N-C-H-F-R-I-I. Now you can follow Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave a review wherever you listen to Hacks & Wonks. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - we'll talk to you next time.
Today's episode is a recording of a live forum between Seattle Municipal Court Judge candidates - Judge Adam Eisenberg and Pooja Vaddadi for Position 3, Nyjat Rose-Akins and Judge Damon Shadid for Position 7. The forum was live streamed by Hacks & Wonks on October 12, 2022 and moderated by Crystal Fincher. Resources Find links to the YouTube video and transcript here Campaign Website - Judge Adam Eisenberg Campaign Website - Pooja Vaddadi Campaign Website - Nyjat Rose-Akins Campaign Website - Judge Damon Shadid Register to vote, update your registration, see what's on your ballot and more here Past felony conviction? Information on re-registering to vote at the Washington Voting Rights Restoration Coalition Transcript [00:00:00] Bryce Cannatelli: Hello everyone. This is Bryce from the Hacks & Wonks team. Today's episode is a recording of our City of Seattle Municipal Court Judge forum which was originally streamed live on October 12. You can find video from the event as well as a full text transcript on our website officialhacksandwonks.com. Thank you for listening! [00:00:34] Crystal Fincher: Greetings, everyone. My name is Crystal Fincher. I'm a political consultant and the host of this candidate forum tonight. Welcome to this Hacks & Wonks 2022 Primary Candidate Forum for City of Seattle Municipal Court Judge Positions 3 and 7. For those who need a refresher, the Seattle Municipal Court handles all misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor crimes, civil infractions, and other offenses authorized under the Seattle municipal Code and Revised Code of Washington statutes. Misdemeanors are crimes where the maximum sentence is 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Gross Misdemeanors are crimes that carry a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine, including offenses such as driving under the influence, domestic violence, theft, and trespass. Infractions are acts that are prohibited by law but are not legally defined as a crime, like parking tickets and traffic or non-traffic infractions. And Civil Offenses are filed with the court when the City of Seattle seeks enforcement of its fire code, housing, and other city ordinance violations. The majority of the Seattle Municipal Court Judges' time is dedicated to jury trials and pretrial hearings. They also hear sentencings, arraignments, reviews, non-jury, or 'bench' trials, and can perform marriage ceremonies. Seattle Municipal Court has seven judges who are elected to four-year terms. Every other year, the judges select one judge to act as the Presiding Judge for a two-year term. The Presiding Judge's responsibilities including: overseeing the magistrates, lead the management and administration of the court's business, recommend policies and procedures that improve the court's effectiveness, allocate resources that maximize the court's ability to resolve disputes fairly and expeditiously, and determine judicial assignments. We're excited to be able to live stream this forum on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Additionally, we are recording this forum for rebroadcast and later viewing. We invite our audience to ask questions of our candidates. If you're watching a live stream online, then you can ask questions by commenting on the live stream. You can also text your questions to 206-395-6248, and that number will scroll at the bottom of the screen. The candidates running for City of Seattle Municipal Court Judge Position 3 with us right now are - in alphabetical order - Adam Eisenberg and Pooja Vaddadi. And for Position 7 we have - again, in alphabetical order - Nyjat Rose-Akins and Damon Shadid. A few reminders before we jump into the forum. I want to remind you to vote. Ballots will be mailed to your mailbox starting Wednesday, October 19th - that's this coming Wednesday. You can register to vote, update your registration, and see what will be on your ballot at MyVote.wa.gov. I want to mention that tonight's answers will be timed. Each candidate will have one minute to introduce themselves initially, and 90 seconds to answer each subsequent question. Candidates may be engaged with rebuttal or follow up with questions and will have 30 seconds to respond. Time will be indicated by the colored dot labeled "timer" on the screen. The dot will initially appear as green, when there are 30 seconds left it will turn yellow, and when there are 10 seconds left it will turn red. You will be muted when time is up. Now we'll turn to the candidates who will each have one minute to introduce themselves, starting with Adam Eisenberg. Then Pooja Vaddadi. Next Nyjat Rose-Akins. Finally Damon Shadid. So starting with our first candidate. [00:04:13] Judge Adam Eisenberg: Good evening. Municipal courts present a unique opportunity for restorative justice and diversion. For many of the people who come before me, this is their first stop in the legal system - I want it to be their last. I grew up with an abusive father and I know that treatment is critical to healing survivors, families, and abusers. That's why I helped create the Domestic Violence Intervention Project, a community-based program that serves as an alternative to jail. DVIP provides individualized treatment to break cycles of abuse and trauma. I'm proud to be the only LGBTQ+ member of the Seattle Municipal Court bench. Before being appointed in 2017, I had 25 years of experience as a prosecutor, civil defense attorney, magistrate and commissioner. I believe my diverse background is why I've been rated "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by the King County Bar and four minority bar associations. It's also why I've been elected Presiding Judge by my peers and why I have the support of Supreme Court Justices Yu, González and Whitener, local district Democrats, the unions that represent our court clerks and many more. Thank you. [00:05:11] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. And next. [00:05:17] Pooja Vaddadi: Okay, sorry - thank you. My name is Pooja Vaddadi and I'm running for judge in Seattle to serve the community that raised me and bring about a positive change in the culture of Seattle Municipal Court. I'm a career public defender and my platform is centered on a recommitment to fairness, compassion, and restorative justice. At this time, I've been endorsed by every Democratic organization in Seattle and King County that has endorsed in this race, as well as the Washington Young Democrats, the Democrats for Diversity and Inclusion and the National Women's Political Caucus. Aside from three legislative districts, these endorsements are exclusive. I always planned to run for judge, but I wish that I didn't have to run right now. Practice at Seattle Municipal Court showed me a toxic and biased judiciary acting against the interest of public safety and undermining the institution of the court. I'm running now because it is urgent that we change direction. This campaign is about the people of Seattle. As a public defender, I came to understand the specific challenges that prevent misdemeanor defendants from interacting productively with the criminal justice system. I'm running to bring the court back in touch with the law and with the circumstances of those it serves. [00:06:17] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Nyjat Rose-Akins. [00:06:21] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Thank you. Good evening. My name is Nyjat Rose-Akins and I'm running for Position 7 on the Seattle Municipal Court bench. I love Seattle. I became a U.S. citizen here, but I've seen the breakdown in collaboration across the city. I'm running to help repair that breakdown to improve the community's confidence in the court and to return to an individualized approach to judicial decision-making. I'm running because I've spent the last 12 years working with victims and managing relationships - the community relationships with police. In my 12 years at the City Attorney's Office, I've partnered with businesses, government officials, community members, and law enforcement. I've seen firsthand that issues affecting communities are rarely resolved in silos. Real change takes collaboration from all those involved, a willingness to listen, and the ability to have the courage to say when things are not working. I am running for Seattle Municipal Court to make it better. Thank you. [00:07:20] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Damon Shadid. [00:07:22] Judge Damon Shadid: My name is Judge Damon Shadid. I've been a judge at Seattle Municipal Court for the past eight years. For the past four years, I've been presiding over the majority of Seattle Municipal Court's therapeutic courts - including Community Court which I helped found, Mental Health Court which I helped expand, and the Consolidated Calendar which I was able to create in partnership with other criminal legal system organizations. All of these programs have one thing in common. Accountability is best sought through rehabilitation, not through holding people in jail. Without rehabilitation, we are not going to make our community safer - and that's what all of my programs do. It is an individualized approach to find out what people's barriers are and to help them connect with the vital social services that will help them exit the criminal legal system. I'm proud to be endorsed by the Progressive Voters Guide, by The Seattle Times, by nine Supreme Court Justices, by many labor organizations, as well as community leaders, including - [00:08:31] Crystal Fincher: Thank you, I believe that's your time. Our first question will begin with Nyjat Rose-Akins, then follow up with Damon Shadid. What is your evaluation of the Community Court system? What is working and what's not working? [00:08:46] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Thank you for that question. My evaluation of the Community Court system that is run out of Seattle Municipal Court is that it is not working. I have been partnering with members in the community as well as businesses and really trying to understand what is happening in that court. As a prosecutor - when I initially started at the City Attorney's Office in 2010 - I worked in Community Court. So I understand how the program is supposed to work. And currently I do not believe it's working because right now it seems as if it's a very indiscriminate approach to low-level crime, meaning it seems as if all types of crimes can come in regardless of what that individual may be doing in the community and whether or not that individual continues to commit crime even after being in Community Court. For instance, an individual - me reviewing the docket in the court, the court dockets - I've seen individuals with six, seven, eight crimes all at one time in Community Court. That shows me that that is not working. And low-level crime should be something very small. However, I'm seeing crimes where individuals are stealing thousands of dollars, $970 from businesses and Home Depot and Target. So my issue with it is that it doesn't seem to be working and we continue to just recycle people in and out without any real solution. [00:10:19] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Judge Shadid. [00:10:22] Judge Damon Shadid: It's interesting. My opponent has never appeared in Community Court, which I founded - she was in a prior iteration of Community Court. But let me give you some numbers to show you how Community Court is working. 80% of the graduates of Community Court have no further criminal law violations - 80%. That's over two years that we ran the numbers and the graduates are not coming back in the criminal legal system - that is results that work. Let me tell you something else - now, Community Court was created in a collaboration with the City Attorney's Office and with the Public Defender's Office. We meet every two weeks, we tweak the program, we make it better. And in all of these meetings - my opponent has never come to the meeting, has never offered any sort of critique of the court, but instead has come from the outside where she's only reviewed dockets, but never actually been in the court, never been in the meetings. If she had been in the meeting, she would know that they work. She would know that we're collaborating and she would know that what we are trying to do is bring accountability through rehabilitation and it is working. Of the people who come to court, 90% of those people enter Community Court. Of those 90%, 75% graduate. And of those graduates, 90% don't re-offend in the next two years. Those are real numbers. Those work and we should keep going with Community Court, make it better, and expand it. [00:11:48] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Pooja Vaddadi. [00:11:54] Pooja Vaddadi: Thank you. I believe a lot of Community Court is working. I've had a lot of clients that cycled in and out of Community Court and have been met with very many resources through that court. What I've noticed that hasn't been working is that a lot of roadblocks have been set up by the City Attorney's Office and a majority of the judges have more or less gone along with what the City Attorney proposes - and that is to exclude everybody off the High Utilizer Initiative list. That list is made up of people who have severe mental illnesses and people who are homeless and struggling with desperation and poverty. And I believe those people are the people that would benefit the most from a court like Community Court. Certain people on that list are also part of the Trueblood class and should just not be capable of being prosecuted because of the severity of their mental illness as well. And so Community Court obviously would not be the right place for them. But again, prosecution or keeping them off of any kind of diversion list is not going to help people who just cannot be prosecuted because of a mental illness. I believe that the Community Court can work better if the City Attorney, the Public Defenders and the Judges - again - decide to work together and come to a policy that works for everybody on the same page. I don't think it's working right now because people are butting heads in the court and in the Public Defenders and the City Attorney. People need to be on the same side and that's the side of public safety and helping prevent poverty and homelessness. Thank you. [00:13:24] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. And Adam Eisenberg. [00:13:27] Judge Adam Eisenberg: Yes. So the thing that's most important to understand about Community Court is it's a triage court. It's meant to get people in the court system and out of the court system as quickly as possible, hook them up with social services, give them - if we can get them to housing, get them to housing - and move them on. The reality is some folks don't fit in Community Court. And while I don't necessarily agree that coming up with a list of 109 people or 110 or whatever is the best solution, the reality is that we need to figure out a way of addressing the folks who commit very low-level crimes, but don't succeed in Community Court. That's what this group is about. The group that doesn't succeed that keeps coming back. So while there's a great success rate as Judge Shadid talks about, how do we address the folks that don't fit? There is a dispute between the prosecutors and the public defenders - the prosecutor has discretion, judges have discretion as well. And I think over time we'll see that those folks will try to figure out more services that we can provide them with. But the reality is not everybody fits in Community Court and that group is the group we have to figure how to target. Thank you. [00:14:31] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Nyjat asked for some rebuttal time. [00:14:36] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Thank you. I just wanted to address the 80% of people who go into Community Court graduate. That number is very skewed because when you do review the court docket, there are also a number of people who fail to appear or don't even show up for court. So I believe that is a skewed number based on the fact that there are multiple Community Court offers, but a number of people who do not show up for court. Additionally, the City Attorney tried to negotiate and opt some people out because they felt they - [00:15:12] Crystal Fincher: That is time there and just another reminder - rebuttal is a 30-second period. Does anyone else want any rebuttal time, or are we good? We will move on to the next question. And we'll start with Judge Shadid. We have seen news of overcrowding in jails, asks from various jail employees - including corrections officers and public defenders - saying that they don't currently have the staffing to safely man the jails, asking to reduce the population. Should that be taken into account by judges when imposing sentences? [00:15:51] Judge Damon Shadid: Well the short answer is "No, but..." And there's a big but there - and that is that the criminal legal system should be steering away from incarceration because we know incarceration doesn't help people... the criminal legal system. And as a deterrent, it is very, very controversial of whether or not a jail deterrent is actually effective. What we need to do is be expanding programs for diversion, expanding programs for rehabilitation - that's what I've spent my career doing. That's why I created the new Community Court. That's why I brought together a Consolidated Calendar where people who are already working in the community with case workers can come on one-stop shopping to a court and can resolve their cases many times without the need of jail. That's why I've expanded Mental Health Court - so that we can create release plans for the most dangerous, most vulnerable in our community - people who need close supervision, and so we can release them with very close supervision with the aid of a court clinician. This is the direction the court should be going. Accountability should come from rehabilitation, from a person's willingness to engage with the social safety net services. I am proud to say that Seattle Municipal Court has not been booking people in jail up to the level of beds that we have available. We consistently come under that and we have lowered that number every year. And one of the big reasons, of course, is because of our diversion programs and I'm very proud of that fact. [00:17:20] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Next up is Nyjat. [00:17:26] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Yes, there has been a lot of issues with King County Jail, and as Judge Shadid stated, the court is not in charge of the jail and can't necessarily tell the jail what to do. I do think the court does have to factor that in when people are trying to be admitted into the jail and the jail is closed. So I think those are definitely some considerations that should be made when you are looking to maybe sentence someone to jail or determine whether bail is warranted. But I think that is done on a case-by-case basis. [00:18:03] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Adam Eisenberg. [00:18:08] Judge Adam Eisenberg: Thank you. I think the reality is judges are very much aware of the crowding in the jail. The job that we have is to decide - in this particular case, is this person a safety threat to the community? And that's really what drives most of the decisions to whether someone is going to be in jail or not. Is there substantial likelihood they're going to commit a violent crime? Are they going to interfere with the administration of justice? And then to a lesser extent, whether they're going to show up to court or if they've failed to show up multiple times. We are very much aware of the limitations of the jail. And there's also issues with staffing in general - because of COVID, they're not able to staff as well. So it's very challenging. We are booking fewer people - we've been doing that ever since COVID started. So I think that that shows that judges are very much aware of it. But at the end of the day, it comes down to - in this particular case, is this person a danger to the community or not? That's the primary driver of why someone's held in jail. And the judge has to make a decision based on that. Thank you. [00:19:06] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. And Pooja. [00:19:09] Pooja Vaddadi: Thank you. I do agree with Judge Shadid. The court should be steering away from incarceration. And so while over-crowding for sentencing should not necessarily be taken into consideration, I do think that sentencing needs to be, that culture around sentencing needs to change dramatically. Studies have shown that public safety is not improved with increased rates of incarceration. In fact, a lot like what Judge Shadid was saying as well, studies have shown that diversion programs really do help to promote public safety. With the increased rate of incarceration, with the increased rate of jail sentences between 15 to 60 days - all it does to the individual is destabilize them. Their mental health deteriorates significantly when in jail. They're faced with the overcrowding problem. They're faced with dealing with individuals that they'd never encounter in the system. And they're also cut off from all resources. I've had clients that have had a lot of problems getting their mental health meds or any other kind of medical assistance while in jail. And all it does is cut them off from the resources that can help them re-enter society more effectively, that can help them not reoffend in the future. We should focus more on diversion programs. We should teach individuals who do touch the criminal justice system to reincorporate with society a little bit better. That is what improves public safety. [00:20:40] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. And for this next question, we will start with Adam Eisenberg. What factors do you consider in granting and setting bail amounts for defendants? Should it strictly be based on whether or not someone is dangerous to society or a safety risk, therefore kind of making bail irrelevant, or does bail have a role to play in your court? How do you evaluate that? [00:21:06] Judge Adam Eisenberg: So judges are guided by Criminal Rule 3.2, which does provide that the least restrictive means is what's appropriate. And in order to set bail, you have to decide that there's a substantial likelihood someone's going to commit a violent crime if they're released, substantial likelihood that they will interfere with the administration of justice or witnesses - which could be violate no-contact orders, or continue to drink and drive after they've been charged with a DUI, or fail to appear. That is the legal requirement that we have. We're also supposed to consider whether the person has the ability to pay or not. The bail system was created over 100 years ago in our state through statutes that seem very out-of-date and don't really apply to the modern world, because clearly people who have financial means are able to bail out easier than those who don't. Although there is the Northwest Bail Fund, which actually is able to bail people out who aren't able to afford it up to a certain level. As a judge, those factors are the factors that are the ones that I'm guided by. In looking at a particular case, is this person a danger to the community? That is the primary concern that I have. The bail system is not a perfect system. California is experimenting with a no bail or bail, so you either decide to hold someone or you release them and there's not an option to bail them out. I don't know if that's a better system or not, but I'm guided by the rules and I apply it in a case-by-case basis. Thank you. [00:22:32] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Next up will be Pooja. I'll just repeat the question. What factors are considered in granting and setting bail amounts for defendants and what do you believe should be the primary consideration? [00:22:46] Pooja Vaddadi: Thank you. So that's correct - the setting of bail is determined by CrRLJ 3.2. It is what needs to be considered when determining whether a person should be released or not, or what the terms of that release are. It does need to be the least restrictive means. What I believe that a lot of judges do frequently forget though, is that the presumption of all pretrial release is actually release. Bail is not at all presumed. What this means is that unless the prosecutor can meet a very high burden in proving that that person is either a danger to the community, at risk of interfering with the administration of justice, or a risk for failure to appear - that person needs to be released from jail. The problem with bail right now is that the danger seems to be - the level of whether that person is a risk to community safety seems to be driven by how much that person can afford. The bail system, as everybody knows, is not perfect. In fact, it is incredibly flawed and it seems to incarcerate more people who simply are poor rather than anybody else. The bail and the setting of bail is also guided by the constitution and it never should be excessive. A judge needs to consider whether the setting of bail is going to do more harm than good. I've seen a client that was bound for diversion and dismissal made homeless by a capricious application of unnecessary bail in this court and I do think that the individual needs to be taken into consideration with this. Thank you. [00:24:19] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Damon? [00:24:23] Judge Damon Shadid: The plain fact of the matter is that all cash bail discriminates against poor people. That is just a fact. There's no getting around it. If you set bail on somebody, a rich person can afford to pay to get out, but a poor person can't. And that's why judges need more tools when it comes to release. That's the whole point of the Community Court, the Mental Health Court, and the Consolidated Calendar - is to give us more tools to allow people to be released on structured release programs that help them connect with services - even predisposition - so that they're safer in the community. Now, I've also started a larger project called the Jail Release Toolkit that I plan to start in Seattle and provide - and that's to try to give judges more options for structured release plans that conform with Rule 3.2, to allow us to follow the laws. Now, it also can't be ignored that the Supreme Court, when COVID started, very much told the judges that we need to only hold people in jail pretrial if they are a substantial risk of committing a violent crime. And so we've been following that, and we've learned really important things from that - and that is we don't have to hold as many people in jail pretrial as maybe we thought we did. And I think a lot of judges have learned from that as well, and so we're really in a great place right now where I believe judges are open to alternative structured releases that can make the community safer instead of just using jail. [00:25:55] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Nyjat? [00:25:57] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Yeah, so the presumption of release is where I start when reviewing a person's case. However, as everyone has said, the court is bound by looking at Rule 3.2. And other than whether or not someone is likely to commit a dangerous offense, you also will have to look at whether or not someone is actually going to come back to court. And if someone has a very high failure-to-appear rate, you have to maybe consider - if I release this person, will this person come back to court? For misdemeanor cases, the point of having alternatives and other types of programs is that these cases need to be addressed relatively quickly, and we can get the services to the people who need it. So in addition to maybe looking at someone's failure-to-appear history, maybe some other examples of things that can be done is maybe electronic home monitoring and/or day reporting, because the point is to make sure that people do not lose contact with the court. And how can we increase contact with people who are committing crimes in our community? [00:27:08] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. And we will start this with Pooja. If you observed a party in your courtroom being poorly represented by an unprepared or ineffective lawyer, how would you handle the situation? [00:27:22] Pooja Vaddadi: So a judge cannot get in between a client and their attorney. It's not my position to do that. All I can do is preside over the law. Now I'll have to rule, however - everything presents in there - and hopefully one of the attorneys speaks up in objection to the way that the representation is going on, but I can't let my personal bias get in there. Just because I think I might do the job differently doesn't mean that I would do it better than the attorney that's doing it right then and there. I should never be the one, as the judge, to substitute my own judgment for how an attorney is handling their case. They have the personal experience with their client. They have the personal experience with their particular case - the victim of the crime, the police officer, whatever it is that they're dealing with - they have that experience to know how to handle that case. Now if I do think that somebody is being unethical or anything like that, that might be a different situation where a judge might have the ability to rule on a particular ethical violation - something that is bound by the law. But again, I would never replace my own judgment nor question the authority of an attorney when they're dealing with their own case - that undermines the credibility of every attorney in that courtroom and it undermines people's confidence in the court. Thank you. [00:28:37] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Adam? [00:28:40] Judge Adam Eisenberg: Thank you. Well, I think that generally what Ms. Vaddadi has said is correct - the judges are not to interfere. However, there are certain circumstances - one day when I was a prosecutor actually, the defense attorney was drunk in the middle of a trial and her own attorney - the client is like, Your Honor, my attorney is drunk. And then the judge said, Judge Eisenberg - or sorry, Adam Eisenberg, I was his prosecutor - do you notice that she's drunk? Well, I'm sitting fairly close by and it put me in an awkward position, but the bottom line is that case resulted in a mistrial. And so there are circumstances where - and they're very rare, honestly - most attorneys that appear in front of us do a really good job. They may make tactical decisions that you might go, Why did you make that tactical decision - after the fact. But that's the area where the judge absolutely cannot invade. If you make a tactical decision to enter, submit evidence or not submit evidence - that's totally within the discretion of the attorney and the judge has to back away. If you have a situation where an attorney is obviously drunk in court or otherwise incapacitated in a way that's severe, you have to take some action. The nicest thing to do is reach out to the supervisor, ask the supervisor to come down, talk to the attorney, see if they can gauge what the situation is. In the case of the drunk attorney, that resulted in a mistrial. So that's an extreme case, I've only seen that once in the 30 years I've worked in the court system, but those things do happen. Thank you. [00:30:08] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Nyjat? [00:30:14] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Yeah, I think if I see someone in the courtroom that is treating their client badly and I'm on the bench - and it seems as if it's more than just a tactical decision, maybe it just seems as if it is just treating someone inhumanely - I would likely take a sidebar or maybe take a recess and take both prosecutor and the defense attorney into chambers and just basically explain what I'm seeing because judges can't have ex parte contact. So I would probably make a note of it to the attorney - that this behavior is not appropriate - especially again, if it's outside of trial tactics and it's just behavior that's just inhumane or treating their client disrespectfully, I would likely address it in chambers. [00:31:19] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. And Damon? [00:31:22] Judge Damon Shadid: We are very lucky in Seattle Municipal Court to have a very high level of representation both from the private bar, the Department of Public Defense, and the City Attorney's Office. I never stop being impressed with the level of representation that we have, but that doesn't mean that sometimes there doesn't come an attorney who comes and is doing a poor job representing their client. And what we have to avoid here is we have to avoid - one, the client not getting a fair shake. And number two, a setup for ineffective assistance of counsel so that all the work that went into that trial, all the jurors, all the court staff, and everyone else who spent days trying to go through this trial only to have it overturned because there was ineffective assistance of counsel. Now, I'll tell you what I wouldn't do. I certainly wouldn't take them into my chambers - I think that would be unethical. It needs to be on the record - everything you say needs to be on the record so the public can hear it. I would very much try not to embarrass the attorney in front of their client, and that's when a sidebar may be appropriate as long as it's recorded. But if the attorney doesn't seem to be catching on, then the case has to be continued so that they can get prepared. Or, as Judge Eisenberg said, sometimes it will rise to the level of a mistrial. So while I would normally keep hands off as much as I can, I'm not going to let a defendant and my court be misrepresented by an attorney. [00:32:55] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. I now have a question submitted from the audience during this forum, and it's a two-part question really. One, do you consider any types of crimes to be victimless? And for those that aren't, how will you work to assure that victims are listened to and considered when imposing a sentence or adjudicating a case? And we will be starting with Nyjat. [00:33:23] Nyjat Rose-Akins: I apologize. I didn't hear the last part. Do you consider any types of crimes victimless? And I didn't hear the last part of the question? [00:33:30] Crystal Fincher: Sure. How does each candidate work to assure that victims are listened to and considered when imposing a sentence or adjudicating a case? [00:33:42] Nyjat Rose-Akins: So do I think any crime is victimless? No, I do not. I think some cases are definitely going to be more impactful to victims. But I believe when people are committing crimes, even low-level crimes - if it's a crime that continues to be done every day, it is impacting the community. The community is the victim if people are calling the police or observing this behavior. So even though all crimes are not going to be created equal, some crimes are definitely going to be more severe than others and impact more people. But I think for - to make sure that victims are being listened to, I think the main thing is to make sure that they have a seat at the table, they understand the process, they understand what the court is doing. What I've realized over the last number of years is that a lot of people really don't understand how the court functions or how it works. So I think the prosecutor's office - they have victims advocates that - I think it's good for them to talk with the victims to make sure that they understand the system and what and how things are happening. And even make sure that they come to court to see the process. [00:35:06] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Damon Shadid? [00:35:13] Judge Damon Shadid: Sure, there are some victimless crimes - failure to transfer title, driving with license suspended in the third degree - I have trouble figuring out who would be a victim there. But I, in general, agree with my opponent that it's a matter of impacting - how does it impact the community? How does it impact the individual? Now in Washington, we have a Victims Bill of Rights. It used to only apply to felonies, but now it applies to misdemeanors as well. But I've always followed it, even before it applied to misdemeanors. If a victim comes into my court and wants to speak at any level of the prosecution, I will allow them to speak because it's difficult to come into court. It takes a lot of bravery to speak to the judge and to face the person who may have abused you. And so that person should be given a high amount of respect. But on the flip side of that, that person should be given a lot of respect if they, for instance, do not want to continue with prosecution. So you have to listen to both sides of it. As far as community crimes like that, there's a reason why we call it Community Court. And the way that we have people give back to the community is through things like community service work, or things like that that are going to actually give back to the community that's been taken from. So yes, victims will be listened to at all stages of the proceedings, and I have tried to do that. [00:36:40] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Pooja Vaddadi? [00:36:44] Pooja Vaddadi: By definition and in general, no crime is going to be completely victimless and especially not in a strictly criminal court. I do agree with Judge Shadid - there are certain crimes like driving while license suspended or any licensing-type situation that is a failure to pay fines - I find it hard to believe also that there would be a real victim attached to that. But property crimes, thefts, whatever - the ordinary administration of justice is the tool by which we address these wrongs. However, the temptation for any judge is to substitute their outrage for the narrow bounds of sentencing permitted under the laws - and it's a challenge that we must rise to be impartial. It's essential not to misapply the law or you do risk revictimizing everyone through a second trial. That includes oversentencing, because you as a judge may think that a certain crime is particularly outrageous, but the worst thing that can happen is for that case to come back to court for a second time for a retrial or a resentencing where the victim has to, again, readdress the court to get any kind of recourse. That's traumatizing for anybody involved in the system. I do think it's important to listen to victims as well, especially when the court is trying to help that individual. Sometimes there are victims that come into court that wish to have the no contact order lifted so that their partner can support their lifestyle and their children. And I've seen this court deny administratively those requests to rescind the no contact order. And I would like to prevent that. Thank you. [00:38:20] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Adam Eisenberg. [00:38:24] Judge Adam Eisenberg: Thank you. Yes, as everyone has mentioned, there are a few categories of crimes that perhaps are victimless, but most of the crimes that appear in front of us have some sort of victim. I'm most involved in the domestic violence cases. And one of the things that's unique about the Domestic Violence Intervention Project, which is the diversion program that I've described in my opening that is an alternative to jail for domestic violence offenders, is an individualized approach and a multidisciplinary team that includes victim advocates. So the voices of victims, not necessarily the victim of the particular crime, but victims - community victims or community advocates who are very familiar with the survivors of domestic violence are able to provide input into how to manage the intervention. The goal, of course, is to make it safer for the victims. We take victims very seriously - I know all my colleagues do when they come to court and wish to explain what they experienced. Sometimes they have to do it through the trial, sometimes they have to do it at sentencing. But I think even low-level crimes - if the victim wants to come to court and present, certainly the Revised Code of Washington provides for that - for them to be able to explain. And I think the court has to hear and consider their opinion, their concerns along with the other evidence that they've heard when they make a decision. So victims' voices are very, very important in our court. Thank you. [00:39:45] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. And thank you to the audience for that question. This next question will start with Judge Shadid. We've had several high profile incidents in Seattle where police officers' accounts of events may have differed from video evidence and other things turned up in subsequent investigations. Do judges have any responsibility or role in interrogating the honesty of police and law enforcement in the court? [00:40:12] Judge Damon Shadid: Well, that is a very difficult question because it depends on what stage of the proceedings that you're in - whether or not you're in a pretrial, a motion, or a trial - and what would be appropriate in each case. What I will say is this - if a police officer breaks the law by perjuring themselves in court, that police officer should be subject to the laws just like any other person who comes into the court and they should be prosecuted. I've never actually seen a police officer prosecuted for perjury, but I have seen police officers lie on the stand in my eight years. And that's pretty shocking to me - police officers not only should be held to the same standard as everyone else, but they should be held to a higher standard. And they should not be coming in to lie in order to get somebody convicted. They need to be able to prove their case just based upon the truth. What I will say is that - at least the prior administration of the City Attorney's Office regularly dismissed cases when they saw a discrepancy between the police officer's testimony and contravening evidence. I think that's the right move. But unless it meets a very high standard, a judge is not able to dismiss the case themselves, it is incumbent upon the prosecutor to do so. If there is a motion to dismiss, then the defense attorney would have to make their proof based upon the rules, particularly 8.3. [00:41:42] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Nyjat Rose-Akins. [00:41:49] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Sorry. I agree with my opponent that everyone has a role when it comes to the court, and the court cannot necessarily just summarily dismiss a case that has been brought by the prosecution. I will say that the court can - there are many points in a case - for instance, if there is information about an officer, for instance, they call it Brady information - so it's information that the prosecution has to turn over and if they do not turn that over, then the court can entertain motions to dismiss because that is a huge violation. So if an officer has been found to have lied on the stand or any other behavior that has been deemed under Brady that needs to be disclosed to defense. So those are some ways that the court can, I guess, intervene when there is an issue with an officer specifically. But yeah, so that is the main thing - I would say that as I myself have actually prosecuted a police officer - because I truly believe that we all should be held to the same standard. [00:43:15] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Judge Eisenberg. [00:43:19] Judge Adam Eisenberg: So you asked the question, can judges interrogate? Well, it's not really our role to necessarily interrogate. However, in certain hearings, we do have the opportunity, as the fact finder of the hearing, to ask questions. I can give you an example of a stage where I did find there was not probable cause for arrest and it was based on how the officer behaved. The officer saw the defendant driving late at night at a high rate of speed - that was pretty clear. He pulled him over and he asked him to step out of the car and he said - I smell some alcohol, I would like you to do some field sobriety tests. The defendant was very polite - I don't want to do any field sobriety tests because I know what happens next. If I do field sobriety tests, you take me to jail. And the officer's like, No, I'm not going to do that, but I just need to know. And what happened was 15 minutes of the officer trying to cajole the defendant to take field sobriety tests and the defendant clearly didn't want to. The defendant was Black, the officer was not. There was some question as to whether this was racially biased or not - it wasn't 100% clear, but it was very suspicious. And at the end of the probable cause hearing, I determined there wasn't probable cause for the arrest - the officer did not have enough information and the case was dismissed. Unfortunately, the officer left the courtroom before he could hear my ruling, but it was a very troubling situation. And that's a circumstance where a judge can see what an officer is doing because my job is to determine whether there's probable cause. And at that point, I could say the officer was inappropriate in what he did. [00:44:46] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Pooja Vaddadi. [00:44:50] Pooja Vaddadi: And so I agree with pretty much what everybody else has said already. It's not necessarily a judge's role to take it upon themselves to litigate a case where an officer maybe is lying or engaging in any misconduct. But I have seen, as a public defender, police officers engaging in racially biased policing, which in my opinion is bad and sometimes in a lot of cases worse than perjury in court. The judge is a gatekeeper for evidence and has the power to address Brady issues or entertain motions to dismiss under circumstances that Ms. Rose-Akins actually described. And they should. There must be some distance between judges and the police so that they don't enjoy a special relationship and show any kind of bias towards any officers that are in that court. I've taken a case to trial actually in which a white officer investigated a scene for 40 minutes before releasing one person and then pretty much deciding that he smelled alcohol on my client's breath. The officer in that situation was a white man. My client was a Black driver. Such a case would raise a suspicion for me, although there is not much I can do in that situation unless the defense attorney does raise a type of motion. And then we are then faced with the ability for me to make a decision on whether that officer should testify or whether there needs to be some other kind of hearing to exclude that kind of testimony. Judges are bound by the law and that is how they need to operate. But we shouldn't let people with a lot of authority just get away with blatant disregard for the law. [00:46:26] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. This next question, we're going to start with Adam Eisenberg. What do your endorsements say about you and what do you think your opponent's endorsements say about them? [00:46:41] Judge Adam Eisenberg: Well, I've been endorsed by The Seattle Times, eight of the nine sitting justices on the Supreme Court, retired Justice Bobbe Bridge, judges across the state who I've worked with on committees on statewide issues related to domestic violence, related to how do we have a jury trial in the middle of COVID - which I was assigned to be on the task force for that - on various rules that I have been engaged with. And I've also been endorsed by the union that supports our court clerks, I've been endorsed by public defenders, prosecutors, defense attorneys - male, female - and I've been rated Exceptionally Well Qualified by the bar associations I listed. I think that says that I try to do the best job I can and it seems like the legal community recognizes that. My opponent has been endorsed by a lot of the - I've been endorsed by some of the legislative districts, she's been endorsed by all of them. And she's been endorsed by, I believe, a lot of the progressive diversity groups. I don't really have a thought on what that says, but I'm very proud of the endorsements that I've gotten, including The Seattle Times - and including former Governor Christine Gregoire and many, many other Seattle City Councilmembers and County Councilmembers. So I feel like I have a pretty diverse background of support. Thank you. [00:48:07] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Pooja Vaddadi. [00:48:11] Pooja Vaddadi: I believe that my endorsements, which are all of the Democratic organizational endorsements - I believe that they say that people are looking for a change in Seattle - they're dissatisfied with the way that the judiciary has been operating, they're dissatisfied with the way that the City is being policed right now. What they see is an increase in crime and a decrease in the amount of services that are there for the people of Seattle - there has been an increase of homeless people on the streets, there has been an increase of encampments. And the judiciary and the leadership in Seattle has been doing nothing about that. And people are ready for a change - people are ready for the type of perspective that I bring there. My campaign is staffed by dozens of defense attorneys who are actually afraid to publicly endorse, or who aren't permitted by their leadership to endorse. My opponent's endorsements do tell me that there are two versions of him. There's the version of my opponent that his personal friends see - I'm sure he is a great friend. But there is a version of my opponent that I know there. And unfortunately, a lot of people are not able to speak publicly about some of the behavior that they've seen on the court. And I have their support and their volunteer, I have their support in private. But I do have the support of a lot of organizations that are looking to make a change in Seattle right now and I plan on doing that. [00:49:44] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Judge Shadid. [00:49:48] Judge Damon Shadid: I am proud to be endorsed by every civil Democratic organization and every one of those are sole endorsements. I'm proud to have the endorsement of eight current and former Supreme Court Justices, and community leaders, elected officials like Larry Gossett - who is my personal hero - Girmay Zahilay, Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos, Senator Rebecca Saldaña, City Councilperson Teresa Mosqueda, Tammy Morales, Andrew Lewis, Debora Juarez. I'm very proud - I've also got community leaders, including the president of the statewide NAACP endorsing me, 75 judges - elected judges across the spectrum. And I've actually gotten The Seattle Times and the Progressive Voters guide to agree that they should endorse me solely, which I don't know how many of us can brag that. So I'm very, very pleased with my endorsements - I think it's great. My opponent's been working hard. She's gotten some endorsements from judges and from former Mayor Durkan - who was a former prosecutor - as well as former Governor Gregoire, another former prosecutor. Her support definitely comes from the prosecution - that is clear - and she's been a career prosecutor all her life and so that makes a lot of sense to me. You go to the people that you know and who you've worked with in the past. But my support comes from across the spectrum - it's not single-focused. [00:51:20] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Nyjat Rose-Akins. [00:51:23] Nyjat Rose-Akins: I think my endorsements say that I'm not a politician. My endorsements say that I decided to run for this office because I believe that I am qualified. I'm endorsed by people who know my work and know what I have done and what I've done for the City for the last 12 years. I've been basically behind the scenes for the last 12 years, and this is my first time saying - I am going to put myself out there and be in the forefront because I know that I can make Seattle Municipal Court better based on all the work that I've done over the last 12 years collaborating and partnering with communities and with government officials. So I believe that's what my endorsements say about me. In regards to my opponent, I believe - he's been a sitting judge for the last eight years, so he has made those relationships. And usually, in all honesty, judicial candidates have difficulty because judges do not like to endorse against a sitting judge. So I think the fact that I've been able to get some endorsements from judges and retired judges - and mainly some Seattle Municipal Court judges, retired Seattle Municipal Court judges - I think that shows that I am more than capable of fulfilling this position. [00:52:52] Crystal Fincher: Thank you very much. Now, we also asked each candidate to submit a question to ask their opponent. We will cover some of those questions right now. We will begin with a question from Judge Adam Eisenberg to Pooja Vaddadi - and I will read it verbatim. Candidates for judicial positions usually get vetted by the King County Bar Association and the minority bar associations. It's a rigorous process in which each bar association reaches out to more than 30 attorneys familiar with your work on the bench, and conducts individual interviews with the candidates. I've gone through the vetting process and have been rated "Exceptionally Well Qualified" for Seattle Municipal Court by a number of associations. Why have you chosen not to be vetted? [00:53:43] Pooja Vaddadi: So the answer to this question comes in two parts. I'm running a lot earlier than I meant to because it's urgent to bring change in the leadership in SMC. The court has been failing the people of Seattle. I saw that when I was a public defender in that court and I'm still seeing it right now. I enjoyed my career as a public defender and I was not planning on doing this quite this soon in my career, but here we are and I'm needed. Second, from what I've seen, judicial ratings seem to measure nothing more than tenure. Tenure and how often you've pro temmed in the court or tenure on how long you've been on a bench. They obviously don't look at practitioner surveys, they don't look at staff reviews and complaints, overturns on appeal for constitutional violations, or courtroom demeanor. I don't know if these bar associations have sat in my opponent's courtroom for a lengthy period of time. I don't think that I would have had a fair shake in front of these judicial ratings because they would have held my lack of tenure against me. I know I can do this job and I know I will be good at it. Thank you. [00:55:01] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Now I'm going to ask a question for Judge Adam Eisenberg from Pooja - verbatim. There's nothing more stressful than representing a client who is innocent and falsely accused; or when an innocent defendant insists on pleading guilty to get out of jail or to avoid a penalty for going to trial. Can you tell me about a time that these have happened in your courtroom and how you were personally impacted?? [00:55:55] Judge Adam Eisenberg: If someone's entered a guilty plea in front of me, I have to read the facts - and if there's a basis to support the plea, I have to accept the plea - so I'm not really sure there's - I understand the perspective of being a defense attorney and having a client who's doing something perhaps that you don't agree with or wish they would make a different choice. But people do make these choices to plead guilty for a variety of reasons and I don't often have - I very seldom have any understanding of why they're doing it specifically and their attorneys don't share that information with me. When someone enters a guilty plea, I try to give - if it involves a jail sentence, I try to give an appropriate sentence. If it's a guilty plea, the vast majority of times I agree with whatever the sentence is because it was a negotiated plea between the defense and the prosecution. If the defendant has agreed to a negotiated plea, I have no basis to disregard that. The perspective of a defense attorney isn't the same as the perspective on the bench when you hear someone entering a guilty plea. That's what I would say. Thank you. [00:57:07] Crystal Fincher: Pooja has asked for a rebuttal to that. [00:57:13] Pooja Vaddadi: Oh, sorry. I guess I needed to unmute. I just want to tell a brief story. I had a client in Snohomish County that was held on a DUI. It was a second lifetime DUI and he was held on a substantial amount of bail, a decision that a judge made. There was no blood test results yet and so we did not know what his Blood Alcohol Content was or if he had any drugs in his system. The prosecutor offered him a sentence that would have taken - and trial would have taken a lot longer to go. The point is - I'm running out of time - the point is he did have to plead guilty - [00:57:49] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Judge Eisenberg has also asked for a rebuttal. [00:57:55] Judge Adam Eisenberg: I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry about this situation that happened with her defendant that she represented in Snohomish County, but that doesn't really have anything to do with me or my court. [00:58:06] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Now I'm going to ask a question from Nyjat Rose-Akins to Damon Shadid. How does the court monitor a participant's connection with meaningful services if multiple cases are dismissed within 14 days of entering into Community Court? [00:58:28] Judge Damon Shadid: Each individual who comes into Community Court is vetted by a judge for their appropriateness to enter the court. They have certain - we call them connections - that the person has to make in order to graduate from the court. There are different levels of connections - 2 weeks, 30 days, and 45 days that the person goes through. But here's what's really important to remember. This is a predisposition court. We connect people with services and then it's the City Attorney who moves to dismiss the case. This is what the City Attorney has agreed to. The City Attorney has never sought to change when they dismiss the case and it is their discretion to do so. We monitor to make sure they've made their connections, to make sure they've done a life skills class, to make sure they've done community service. We individually structure the program to make sure that we're addressing their specific barriers. But this is really important - it takes multiple connections to services for them to take. And so this criticism that - Oh, you're not holding them there long enough - well, how long do you expect someone to keep coming to court for a trespass or for a theft of socks? The actual rehabilitation has to match the crime has been committed and that's what we're trying to do. If a person's not willing to make those connections, they are prosecuted in mainstream court to the full extent of the law. [00:59:59] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. I now have a question for Nyjat Rose-Akins from Damon Shadid. When I ran for Judge 8 years ago, I ran with specific plans for expanding and revitalizing Seattle's Therapeutic Courts. Over the past 8 years, I've delivered on those promises. I've not seen or heard any specific policy proposals that you would enact if you became a judge. Please give specific details of a policy proposal you would enact if elected. [01:00:28] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Thank you. So - when elected, I plan to revamp Community Court - reset the standards of accountability and requirements, review individual case history to determine if they are currently a good fit, limit the number of cases that can be addressed at one time, review the types of cases that are eligible, and redefine what is considered low-level crime. With doing that, I'd like to incorporate more probation and social services support to track and assist with program progress and participant needs. Also collaborate with more social service providers to bring them to the court to create a one-stop shop for individuals. I also want to collaborate more with nonprofits, other government agencies to create a pipeline - a proper pipeline for housing, mental health treatment, and job placement. I also would like to work more with probation services and resources, renew day reporting options - which would allow maybe Zoom options for people to check in with probation and not always have to come into court. And also maybe get more funding - not maybe, really try to get more funding - on electronic home monitoring for indigent defendants. So those are a few of the things I plan to do once elected. Thank you. [01:01:55] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Judge Shadid has asked for a rebuttal. [01:02:00] Judge Damon Shadid: Sure. So the one policy proposal my opponent has is to reform the court that I created, which is very interesting because she works for the City Attorney's Office and she has never come to a meeting [garbled] in court. She's never bothered to actually get to know what the court is. Instead, she's read a few dockets and she thinks she has an opinion on it. But why hasn't her boss ever asked for these changes? They haven't. So if she had been in the court for the past eight years, she'd know that we're already doing these things and that her policy is not policy. [01:02:37] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Nyjat, you have rebuttal time. [01:02:42] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Thank you. I think it is somewhat disingenuous to say that the City Attorney's Office has never asked to make some changes to Community Court. I believe the City Attorney's Office requested trying to opt some people out because they had way too many cases and my opponent said no. And that is why there was an issue with the high utilizers. Aditionally, revamping Community - we had 90 seconds to speak - I brought up one specific thing in regards to Community - [01:03:19] Crystal Fincher: I will allow a second round of rebuttals for both of you since we are in this conversation here. Judge Shadid. [01:03:26] Judge Damon Shadid: Community Court took two years to negotiate. My opponent doesn't seem to understand that all changes to Community Court have to come through negotiation. Her boss came to me with a requested change, which I disagreed with. That is how you negotiate. That requested change then went to the full bench and the bench voted to adopt the change. That's what negotiation is and that's how you create programs. [01:04:00] Crystal Fincher: And Nyjat. [01:04:01] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Yes, thank you. I also had the opportunity to review Community Court outside of Seattle. I went to Auburn Community Court and that program is a model structure for what a community court should be - where individuals actually engage with resources - it's a one-stop shop where they can come in and actually get the services they need and actually check-in with the court, check-in with their defense attorney, and check-in with the prosecution on a weekly and sometimes bi-week, bi-monthly basis based on the type of court. [01:04:37] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Now, these probably will be quick questions, but we'll see - two short ones - and we will begin with Nyjat Rose-Akins. Have you ever been disciplined by the bar association or state commission on judicial conduct? [01:04:53] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Have not. No, I have not. [01:04:56] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. And Damon Shadid? [01:05:00] Judge Damon Shadid: No. [01:05:02] Crystal Fincher: And Pooja? [01:05:05] Pooja Vaddadi: No. [01:05:07] Crystal Fincher: And Judge Eisenberg? [01:05:09] Judge Adam Eisenberg: No. [01:05:10] Crystal Fincher: Okay. Next question - are there any specific types of cases in which you know you'll have to find it necessary to disqualify or recuse yourself? We will start with Damon Shadid. [01:05:28] Judge Damon Shadid: There have been times when I've had to recuse myself. I was a public defender for quite some time before and I've had clients come into my courtroom who I represented in the past and I certainly recused myself from those cases. There have been times when I've made mistakes and I've agreed to recuse myself from a case. It happens to the best of us. It's very important to me that there is not only the fact of an impartial judge, but the appearance of one as well. And so if I even suspect that somebody is perceiving me as not being impartial, I'll recuse myself most of the time, unless I think that the attorney is forum shopping. So yes, a judge should be ready to recuse themselves whenever they feel that it's in the best interests of both the community and the defendant. [01:06:19] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Nyjat? [01:06:23] Nyjat Rose-Akins: Yes, I think the fairness is very, very important in court, so I would likely - I have not had to recuse myself as I've been pro temming in court, but I believe I would likely recuse myself from friends and/or people that I have worked closely with in the City Attorney's Office or even in City government. [01:06:49] Crystal Fincher: Thank you. Adam Eisenberg? [01:06:55] Judge Adam Eisenberg: There have been some cases where I've had to recuse myself because I either knew some of the parties, or there was an incident with my neighbor that was reported to the police and I was actually a witness. So I made sure, right out of the gate, that when the case came to our court - because I suspected it would, based on the charge - I went and talked to the Presiding Judge and said, I can't have anything to do with this case because I saw the police arrive last night at the house. So those things happen - obviously, that happens very, very rarely. But otherwise, recusal is normal when you know parties or you have information about the case that you shouldn't have had, you heard - because of a neighbor talking or whatever. But there's not a particular type of case that I recuse myself from. It's really a - it's a case-by-case cir
10-4 Segment 5 -Kniz interview reactions - Whitener and Seth to race - Fastest man in radio - Postseason pitching
Washington Supreme Court Justice G. Helen Whitener returns to catch up with Crystal about the last two years on the state's highest court and her bid for re-election this November. The two talk about Justice Whitener's path to the Supreme Court, how coming from a marginalized background with an intersecting lens impacts her time there, and the impacts COVID has had on making the courts accessible and navigable by everyone. The Supreme Court's “June 4th Letter” from 2020 sparks conversation about addressing systemic injustice and Justice Whitener shares two recent decisions she wrote about shackling and restrictive covenants. The show wraps up with discussion of the future of the court system and what to weigh when choosing Supreme Court justices. Note: This episode was recorded before the end of filing week in May. The candidate filing deadline passed without any challenger filing to run against Justice Whitener, so she will appear unopposed on the November ballot and serve another term on our state's highest court. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal, on Twitter at @finchfrii. Resources Campaign Website - Justice G. Helen Whitener: https://www.keepjusticewhitener.com/ Previous appearance on Hacks & Wonks (Sept 15, 2020) - Justice Whitener: The Law, Representation, and Becoming a Supreme Court Justice: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/crystal/HW20200911JusticeWhitener_mixdown.mp3 Washington Supreme Court - “June 4th Letter”: https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/publicUpload/Supreme%20Court%20News/Judiciary%20Legal%20Community%20SIGNED%20060420.pdf “Washington Supreme Court Announces Prohibition Against Blanket Shackling Policies at Pretrial Proceedings” by Anthony Accurso from Criminal Legal News: https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2020/nov/15/washington-supreme-court-announces-prohibition-against-blanket-shackling-policies-pretrial-proceedings/ Washington Supreme Court - State v. Jackson - Slip Opinion: https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/976813.pdf Washington Supreme Court - In re That Portion of Lots 1 & 2 - Slip Opinion: https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/995982.pdf “Washington Supreme Court reverses its 1960 ruling that allowed Seattle cemetery to discriminate against a Black family” by David Gutman from The Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/washington-supreme-court-reverses-its-1960-ruling-that-allowed-seattle-cemetery-to-discriminate-against-a-black-family/ Justia - Price v. Evergreen Cemetery Co. of Seattle: https://law.justia.com/cases/washington/supreme-court/1960/34854-1.html Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. Today, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome back to the program Justice Helen Whitener, Justice on our Washington Supreme Court. Thank you so much for joining us again. [00:00:50] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Thank you and nice to see you and be with you again, Crystal. [00:00:54] Crystal Fincher: Excellent to see you and be with you again. Well, this time two years ago, around this time, we had a conversation - you were running your campaign to win your first election after being appointed as a Supreme Court Justice. And it's been so phenomenal for so many people who have watched you throughout your illustrious career and followed you - just to give people a bit of a background, and we talked about this on the prior show - but you have an unusual breadth of experience coming behind you, which reminds us of a certain new Supreme Court Justice in our country. But she actually reminded me, when I first learned about her, of my conversation with you in that - wow, just so much experience and much more varied experience than we normally see for your justices, now your colleagues, and who we've seen before. What was your path to the Supreme Court? [00:02:02] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, as you know I've been a former prosecutor, public defender, and I had my own law firm - I was a managing partner of that firm. I have pro-temmed on the City of Tacoma Municipal Court level and on the Pierce County District Court level, I've also been a Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals judge. I got appointed by the governor to the Superior Court in Pierce County in 2015, and then five years later I got appointed to the Supreme Court. Both times I got appointed and subsequently had to run to retain my seat. So I'm happy to still be here and to come back and have this discussion with you. [00:02:49] Crystal Fincher: Well, and I'm thrilled that you're back to have this discussion with me. In your first couple of years on the bench, what has been most surprising to you? [00:02:57] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, my experience on this bench is quite different than I think anyone who has ever sat on this bench, because it occurred during the pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic. So my entire experience with my colleagues have been on a virtual platform, which is unusual. So, when I talk about my experiences, just keep that in mind. What's been wonderful, as I've indicated, is the advocacy - the level of advocacy on this level - and then being able to review the trial level records that I used to create as a prosecutor and public defender, and then presided over those trials as a trial court judge. So it's really different to review the work of the trial level courts, because I've been so intimately involved with that level. [00:03:52] Crystal Fincher: Well, and you bring, as you talked, so much experience - both just professional experience, also lived experience. You are a Black woman, an immigrant, a member of the LGBTQ community. You have so many different experiences that have shaped who you are and that impact just how you experience the world. How has that impacted your time on the Court? [00:04:25] Justice G. Helen Whitener: And I think one of the other personal characteristics I have is I identify as someone with a disability. So I come to the Court with a very marginalized background and intersecting lens. And I got there in April of 2020. And May of 2020, we saw the killing of George Floyd. And June 4th, 2020, the entire Supreme Court - all of the justices - signed off on what we now call the "June 4th letter," which was a directive to attorneys and judges and those working within the criminal justice system or the justice system as a whole to do better, because now we do know a lot of things have occurred that were unjust and different facets of our community were being unjustly treated. So I tend to think being at the table with my colleagues, and I'll also point out - when I joined the Supreme Court, it's my understanding it became the most diverse Supreme Court in the country, which I hadn't really thought about at the time. But we already have - and presently we have - a Chief Justice who is Latino male. We have seven female justices - normally it's predominantly male. We have the first Native American Supreme Court Justice. We also have an Asian and Mexican heritage and first LGBT Supreme Court Justice, I'm the second. So here I came in and I'm the immigrant and the Black woman, and I also identify as someone with a disability. So our discussions are really in-depth, and our view is trying to make a law more encompassing of the majority of people in our community, through all of our intersecting lens. And it's a beautiful process, challenging at times, because certain labels that we belong to conflict with the other, but we try to ground our decisions in the law. [00:06:38] Crystal Fincher: Throughout this pandemic, how have those kinds of conversations been? Have they been more challenging because of the pandemic and being limited in being together, and limited via just seeing each other online? How have those discussions been in a remote environment? [00:07:01] Justice G. Helen Whitener: You know, it's the only environment I know - dealing with this then. And there are challenges, even with oral arguments, because sometimes there's that delay in timing because of the platform. I love it, but there's a tradition that goes with the highest court. I haven't experienced the tradition, but I know about the tradition. And I think some of my colleagues miss that - they miss the in-person congeniality between each other. I think it's a cold platform at times, so sometimes when we have conferences it's open to misunderstanding, but then it also allows us to repeat and we can see and engage a bit more than we probably would feel comfortable in-person. So I think there are pros and cons in regards to this platform. And for me, I came from running a courtroom by myself to now having eight colleagues to decide something, so that in and of itself has been an adjustment. But it's an adjustment I would hope I'm doing well with. [00:08:20] Crystal Fincher: Are we doing a good enough job with making the courts accessible and navigable by everyone - especially through these pandemic times - but overall, how are we doing with that? [00:08:35] Justice G. Helen Whitener: I think we're doing as best as we can with the infrastructure we have in place. Washington state is not a unified court system, so that means even though the Supreme Court can issue directives, many of the directives are open to the discretion of the lower courts when it comes to procedures and policies and things like that. Many of our courts have been in-sync, but each court and level of court has its own management style. And what was interesting to me is everyone really pivoted in trying to make their particular court accessible to all because it became an issue. I think for the first time, just like with the killing of George Floyd, it woke some individuals up to what people of color have been saying for a while. I think the pandemic woke our courts up in regards to how we have been dealing with justice and dispensing justice and making it accessible to all. So I tend to think of it as - well, the court has now had to deal with this issue that is impacting all levels, all different kinds of people in the same way. Because the pandemic and the virus didn't have any biases - it'll take you however it can get you, and address, deal with you that way - whereas the courts, and we're aware of this, had implicit biases built - well, biases built within it. Some were, I guess you can say implicit, and many were explicit, but at least the conversation is occurring and people are listening. [00:10:34] Crystal Fincher: Yes, and you brought up that June 4th letter, which I was proud to see. And was really a nation-leading letter from - signed by all of the members of the Court, really recognizing that - it says the devaluation and degradation of Black lives is not a recent event. It's a persistent and systemic injustice that predates this nation's founding and just really acknowledges - explicitly - racial injustice within our system and the responsibility to address it. I just really appreciate it - it is a well-established fact. As we do navigate through those systems, what do you as a justice do, and how do you approach wrestling with that? [00:11:30] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, speak up - that's one important thing. Share my experiences - personal as well as professional experiences. Making sure that people understand that you're not asking for any special treatment or special privileges - that what you're asking for is to be seen and treated respectfully and justly like everyone else. What's interesting to me about the June 4th letter - it raises the issues faced by Black Americans, Black individuals - slavery, the devaluation of how we have been treated. And from that came all these different committees and task forces looking at inequities within our system. The way I deal with it is making sure I make my voice part of that discussion and make it an authentic discussion by sharing truthfully how I see things and how I believe people are affected. And when I say that, remember I indicated our bench is very diverse and everyone brings their own lens to bear on discussions. When it comes to race and equity issues, each group deals with it differently, has had different experiences. And that's why it's BIPOC and not just POC. So Black people and indigenous people have a different experience than people of color. And sometimes that's a difficult thing for others to hear and understand - we're not to be lumped as one. My indigenous colleague on the bench shares from time to time her personal experiences, and sometimes there are similarities and sometimes there are not. So my purpose in these discussions is to make sure I am authentic 'cause like I like to say, I wear the robe at work, but when I take that robe off - that black robe that garners respect - you're looking at a Black woman walking out and into society and being treated as a Black woman in society. And those experiences don't go away because people don't know who I am. So making sure my colleagues are aware of these real lived experiences. [00:14:01] Crystal Fincher: And I appreciate that so much - I appreciate your lived experience. It seems like a lot of people in organizations appreciate just the professionalism that you bring to the bench and sharing all of your experiences. Just since you've been on here last, you've received some awards - including the ABA Stonewall Award, which recognizes members of the judiciary and legal professions who have affected real change to remove barriers on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and who have championed diversity for the LGBT community. The 2020 and 2021 International Association of LGBT Judges President's Award. The Public Official of the Year by the Evergreen State College's Master of Public Administration Program for your legal aid and judicial careers, which have centered on a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion that is a model for other judges and public service professionals - in their words. You also were awarded the Western Region of the National Black Law Students Association Judge of the Year Award. And in addition to being rated "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by 14 bar associations - think a lot of people just became a lot more acquainted with how important that is and what that really means, especially after the approval of Justice Brown. And similarly, just you are rated "Exceptionally Well Qualified" by just about everybody. And endorsed by all of the other State Supreme Court justices who come from varied backgrounds and have a lot of different experiences, but all recognize you belong there on that bench in their opinion. Looking at all that, and as you discuss different cases like the Blake decision - where we wrestle with issues similar to that so much in society - do we take a public health approach to things like substance use disorder that often accompany charges for possession? What were the conversations around that and obviously you're wrestling with what's in the law and what's not there, but how do you connect wrestling with your decision versus the impacts that it may have on society and in our community? Do you weigh the impacts on that, or is it just strictly the letter of the law? [00:16:45] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, every justice and judge has a different approach. For me, it's the letter of the law - I stay within the confines of the law. If I cannot do anything that is within the rule of the law, then I make sure I flag that in my opinion, or my decision, to the legislative branch. And it's a good thing that we have some good legislators that pay attention and try to address the inequities. But we have three branches of government. There are some judicial officers who are more policy driven and do things a bit different. But for me - I can only speak for me - I stay within the rule of law. Yet I have been able to address in my decisions, and I have many 9-0 decisions - I'd like to think my litigation background assists me in presenting my case to my colleagues. But I've written a number of decisions that touch on social issues. The first case was State v. Jackson, a shackling case - the inhumanity of that - making sure as I write that decision, it is clear that the dignity of the individuals before us should not be lessened because of the type of cases that come before us. These are still people and we still have a responsibility as judicial officers to treat them as such. My most recent decision that was release filed - I call it May v. Spokane, but it's called In re Lot of something. It deals with covenants - restrictive covenants - and yes, we still have those in our state. And this one was in Spokane and the individual, the homeowner, wanted to remove that restrictive covenant, which basically said, don't sell to Black people - something along those lines. And to think that we still have those laws still there - those things are still out there that we have to deal with. Many individuals who looked at it, including my law clerks at the time, thought - and the lower court judges attempted to address it. But thought that they would have to and could not keep the original document if you took the restrictive covenant off. And I was very clear that - no, no, no, no, you don't get rid of history, because then later on there's nobody who can - when they're making the discussion - have that supporting data. History is very important for a number of reasons, even derogatory and abhorrent history. It's history. So don't destroy it - archive it for future generations to see, and to understand what this type of restrictive covenants did to a group of people. So it comes like the Price case that was mentioned in the June 4th letter, where a Black family could not bury their child in a cemetery where they had these separate burial areas and a whole number of different racist things. So my position was don't destroy that history - I don't like it, it's derogatory, it's abhorrent - but don't destroy it, please. Because the next generation or the generation after that - 'cause these things are cyclical until we find a solution, and racism has been a problem in this country so a solution may not arise in my lifetime. But let's keep that history, and let's make sure it's there for the future generations. But here's what we can do - we can create a new document for the individual and this way the racist covenant does not go forward and still exist. So those are the types of ways I deal with issues in the law that - I have to stay in my lane. And the interesting thing about the last one, the May v. Spokane case, is while that case was before us and I was writing the decision, the Legislature came with a fix and the fix matched very closely what I was saying in my decision. So I was really happy to see that, but yeah - it's making sure that you don't lose the authentic voice that you brought to the bench. You need to share it and give your perspective and then follow it up with well-reasoned arguments to your colleagues. And I'm thankful that they're very receptive to that. [00:21:54] Crystal Fincher: Which is good - I'm also thankful for the same. There was another decision that you wrestled with that was very visible, especially within the political and policy-making communities, dealing with redistricting and just untangling a number of issues there, including whether the process they followed was in line with what they were supposed to do. And it actually wound up before our State Supreme Court. How did you go about determining whether the Court should be involved, to hand it over to the Legislature? What was that process? [00:22:39] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, the interesting thing about the law and especially at the Supreme Court - we don't discuss issues that can come back before us. So that is one of those situations that - it's not over yet - it deals with redistricting, it deals and has impacts on things like elections and voting and a whole myriad of things. So that one I can't give you more than what you already have, because it's still working its way through the Court. Just like some of the remote platforms and holding trials on this platform - there are constitutional questions that still can come before the Court and are likely to come before the Court. And you touched on one of them. [00:23:31] Crystal Fincher: Well, I guess we will have to stay tuned. And it's always interesting in those situations, especially looking at redistricting, in that we're looking at potentially voting within these new districts while there may be legislation, while there may be court challenges or issues making their way through the system. So it'll be interesting to see if and how that proceeds. I do have a question with - looking at across the country, and how we've seen some of our federal courts transform lots of conversations about a lot of conservative nominees appointed by Trump - a number of them not receiving "Exceptionally Well Qualified" ratings and in fact, a number receiving "Unqualified" ratings, but now they're on the bench seemingly for life. And now we have a conservative Supreme Court, which has a lot of people worried about the maintenance of some really basic human rights. As we look at the situation across the country and everything - from abortion rights to civil rights and equal protection under the law - just kind of everything. Do you feel optimistic? Pessimistic? How would you advise people who are worried to think about this, and what can people do if they are worried? [00:25:02] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, first and foremost, it's understanding the courts and the court system. State courts - the judicial officers are elected. So, even though they may make decisions that are favorable or not favorable, they have to stick or try to stick very close to the the law that they're interpreting. Federal court is a little different - they're appointed for life. It is also very partisan in how that is dealt with. So they're two very different systems. And at the end of the day, it's what the framers wanted for our system. Think about it this way - you may not like the Court as it's set up right now, but hopefully you can believe in the system and hopefully you can get some decisions that fall within your values. It is a completely different system and I - it is just so sad that it is so politicized. Because to me, the law is the law and should apply through equitable lens to all. And I think at the end of the day, the justices on that Court start off struggling with that. But they come in all ready, and that's how they are elected, and that's how they're nominated, and that's the process they go through, and that's how they're seen. So you can probably - and I think that's why there is concern - you can probably figure out how they're going to deal with cases based on what they've done in the past. Because they're there for life - you can't do anything about it. That's why it was such a big deal in getting certain people to the bench during a particular time. But that has been historical - that is nothing new. So, all I can do is hope that the decisions that come out from the highest court covers most of the constituents of the United States at any given time. They're not going to cover all, and I hope they get more or less the arc - you have that bow and you have extremes on both ends and the majority falls in the middle - and hopefully that'll be the case, but that's how the law works. And I try not to get too caught up on that. I love the restrictions the Constitution - the State Constitutions - can place on those type of decisions because we can look at our constituents and make decisions that we believe are best, even though the Supreme Court has precedent. Those precedents can be viewed narrowly on the state constitutional interpretation. [00:28:02] Crystal Fincher: So as people are considering, as they're going to be voting for Supreme Court Justices in our state this year, what do you think should be the most important things that they weigh? [00:28:15] Justice G. Helen Whitener: I think, especially since it's the highest court, one of the most important things is experience - not necessarily experience writing decisions or anything - but the varied experience, the quality of the experience. And I think it's really important - last election cycle, which was two years ago, my opponent had just basically passed the bar, but our constitution allows for a newly supported individual, a new attorney that has taken the oath to run for the Supreme Court. It's the only court that that can happen. And you have to remember the decisions this Court makes impacts everyone and impacts everyone in a very meaningful way. It's not necessarily a case-specific thing, it's a lot broader than that. So, look at the experience, do the homework, and make the decision - the best decision - that you believe falls in line with your views. [00:29:24] Crystal Fincher: Gotta say it really was something last election to look at someone who did really just pass the bar, seemingly to run against you, up against all of your experience. That was a very audacious decision, in my opinion. And just - [00:29:45] Justice G. Helen Whitener: But it's a right that he had. And going through the campaign and having him on various platforms, I was very much aware of his lack of knowledge of how the courts works. But I thought, this is his right. It might be his bucket list thing to tick off, but this is his right. And why not? So, he did. And thankfully, I think for our courts and our legal system, the voters responded in favor of me because of my experience and what I bring to the bench. But at the end of the day, it was his right. [00:30:30] Crystal Fincher: It was his right, he exercised it, he tried it. Voters made the decision on the side of experience and breadth of knowledge. As you're talking to voters this cycle, what do you tell them when they're asking, why should I vote for you? At this point, you don't have an opponent, you could still draw one. Why should they vote for you? [00:30:58] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Well, I think I bring something to this bench that has never been at this bench. And it's not just my personal background, but my professional background - I believe the fact that I've been a prosecutor, public defender, done private defense work, I've been a judicial officer on all three trial level courts - and I mean all three positions in all three trial level courts - is important. It gives me a very intimate knowledge of the types of cases that come before our courts. I represented individuals, so I understand the defense arguments that are coming. I understand the prosecutor's position, and I also understand the private bar perspective as well. I also, as a Board of Industrial Insurance appeals judge had to deal with people who were injured and at their most vulnerable, so I've been able to maintain that empathetic lens and air as I interpret the law. And when it comes to now the appellate work, I'm very proud of the cases that I've made decisions on, the opinions that I've written. Many of them have been majority opinions, meaning all nine justices signed. And those that I dissented on - I've not concurred on anything yet - but I've dissented on, I believe, three or four is because I believe in the position I took on those. So my lens is truly different and I'm not afraid to stand if I have to stand alone, if I believe my decision is well-reasoned. And it will always be an independent decision that I make, not based on anything else but my interpretation of the law through my intersecting lens. [00:32:47] Crystal Fincher: Well, I certainly appreciate that. If people want to learn more about you, do you have a website they can visit? [00:32:54] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Yes. It's keepjusticewhitener.com, or you can Google Justice Whitener - there's so much information out there on me, you can just find me. Just Google Justice Helen Whitener, or keepjusticewhitener.com, or keep Whitener for justice. And you can find me - you can find information about me and the work that I'm doing. I just recently returned this week - I'm somewhat exhausted - from an invitation I received from the United Nations, based on my human rights interest and environmental law. And that was very, very intense and again, keeping abreast of what's important out there. And our environment surely is. [00:33:48] Crystal Fincher: It surely is. Well, I sincerely appreciate you taking this time to speak with us today. You are so highly decorated and awarded - so much experience. We have been fortunate to have you on the Court and as voters make their evaluation on who they want to keep, they certainly have some excellent choices on the ballot this year. And just thank you so much for speaking with us - we will stay updated on your race and wish you the best. [00:34:24] Justice G. Helen Whitener: Thank you. And thank you again, Crystal. It was a pleasure, at least, getting a chance to chat with you again. And we'll see what happens. I'll keep my fingers crossed and keep the bar high as I proceed on this year. [00:34:38] Crystal Fincher: I thank you all for listening to Hacks & Wonks on KVRU 105.7 FM. The producer of Hacks & Wonks is Lisl Stadler with assistance from Shannon Cheng. You can find me on Twitter @finchfrii, spelled F-I-N-C-H-F-R-I-I. Now you can follow Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave a review wherever you listen to Hacks & Wonks. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - we'll talk to you next time.
Tech Stocks tumbled today…and we'll share why. It's the business news headlines for Monday the 11th day of July…thanks for being with us. and we're grateful, as always that you're with us again today. Also, remember that you can hook up with us all day on Twitter @IOB_NewsHour and on Instagram. Here is what we've got for you today: Tech stocks take a beating; Banks to kick off earnings reports; Walmart: Creamer or Whitener? Oh, those Walmart sales.... It won't die: Costco and the hot dog combo; Gas prices continue to tumble; The Wall Street Report; The Uber whistleblower story. For the interview: What about student loans? The interest rate? Does it matter if you borrow from a non-profit? Meet Steve McCullough from ISL Education Lending where those questions are all asked and answered. Our best advice is to share this conversation with those you know that may be headed off to a college, university or trade school. Information is critical for the future of the student and...family. To listen to that, just click here. Thanks for listening! The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.
South Carolina author Kasie Whitener talks with us about her experiences teaching entrepreneurship, hosting a SC radio show about writing and writers, and writing novels, all while being a mom to a teenage daughter. We read her provocative short story "Two Trunks," in which a teacher in charge of a kindergarten zoo trip experiences an existential crisis when confronted with the pent-up energy displayed by a caged lioness. Support the show
Chris Madden got underneath and past Scott Bloomquist to claim victory at Night 1 of the Colossal 100 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday. Bloomquist had led the entire 30-lap event from the pole to that point, but lapped traffic came into play, upsetting Bloomquist's No. 0 Super Late Model, allowing Madden to squirt past with three laps to go and hold on for the win.Madden stalked Bloomquist for the latter part of the night after getting by Ross Bailes on a restart midway through the feature. As the two caught traffic, Madden's No. 44 crept closer and closer. Bloomquist washed up the track, and Madden got underneath him coming off Turn 2. This is Madden's seventh all-time win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.“We needed that long run. We were good in traffic. We got into lapped traffic and he got a little loose,” Madden said. “We were able to get up under him down the backstretch and make the pass.”Bloomquist held off Jonathan Davenport for second, Bailes finished fourth and Chris Madden finished fifth. This is Madden's seventh all-time win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.XR SUPER SERIES LATE MODELSFEATURE RESULTS1. (3) 44 Chris Madden – Gaffney, SC 2. (1) 0 Scott Bloomquist – Mooresburg, TN 3. (4) 49 Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA 4. (2) 79 Ross Bailes – Clover, SC 5. (11) 22 Chris Ferguson – Mount Holly, NC 6. (9) 39 Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY 7. (18) 7 Ricky Weiss – Headingley, MB 8. (5) 6 Kyle Larson – Elk Grove, CA 9. (7) 20 Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN 10. (6) 83 Jensen Ford – Johnson City, TN 11. (13) 76 Brandon Overton – Evans, GA 12. (15) 111V Max Blair – Centerville, PA 13. (19) 8 Kyle Strickler – Mooresville, NC 14. (8) 58 Mark Whitener – Middleburg, FL 15. (21) 17M Dale McDowell – Chickamauga, GA 16. (24) 40B Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL 17. (16) 25 Shane Clanton – Zebulon, GA 18. (14) 93 Carson Ferguson – Concord, NC 19. (22) 7RR Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE 20. (12) 99 Camaron Marlar – Winfield, TN 21. (23) 88 Trent Ivey – Union, SC 22. (20) 10 Joseph Joiner – Milton, FL 23. (10) 17D Zack Dohm – Cross Lanes, WV 24. (17) 10G Garrett Smith – Eatonton, GA (DNS)HARD CHARGER: 7 Ricky Weiss, +11B Main 1 10G Smith, 8 Strickler, 17M McDowell, 1 Vic Hill, 91 Derrick Ramey, 14 Chase Briscoe, 9Z Mason Zeigler, 40B Bronson, 88 Ivey, 24D Michael Brown, 42 Cla Knight, 16 Ben Watkins, 54 David Breazeale, 114 Jordan Koehler, 19M Wil Herrington, 421 Anthony SandersB Main 2 7 Weiss, 10 Joiner, 7RR Robinson, 1C Kenny Collins, 6JR Parker Martin, 22 GR Smith, 70 Jeff Smith, 18D Daulton Wilson, 0R Ryan Scott, 18P Gray Parton, 15 Dean Bowen, 17 Tim Vance, D8 Dustin Mitchell, 01 Jason Garver, 17SS Brenden SmithHeat 1 0 Bloomquist, 6 Larson, 39 McCreadie, 76 Overton, 10G Smith, 8 Strickler, 17M McDowell, 91 Ramey, 16 Watkins, 24D Brown, 114 Koehler, 42 KnightHeat 2 44 Madden, 20 Owens, 22 Ferguson, 111V Blair, 1 Hill, 9Z Zeigler, 88 Ivey, 14 Briscoe, 19M Herrington, 421 Sanders, 40B Bronson, 54 Breazeale (DNS)Heat 3 79 Bailes, 83 Ford, 17D Dohm, 93 Ferguson, 7 Weiss, 7RR Robinson, 18D Wilson, 70 Smith, 22 Smith, 17 Vance, 0R Scott, 17SS Smith (DNS)Heat 4 49 Davenport, 58 Whitener, 99 Marlar, 25 Clanton, 10 Joiner, 1C Collins, D8 Mitchell, 6JR Martin, 15 Bowen, 18P Parton, 01 Garver602 LATE MODELSFEATURE RESULTS1. (3) 14 Baron McDowell – Fountain Inn, SC 2. (1) 215 Jamison McBride – Danbury, NC 3. (6) 18 Preston Blalock – Clemmons, NC 4. (4) JR1 Jake Jackson – Rutherfordton, NC 5. (2) 7J Dalton Jacobs – Reidsville, NC 6. (8) 22 Nathan Walker – Hamptonville, NC 7. (7) 114 Evan Koehler – Mount Airy, NC 8. (5) 27 Mike Davidson – Lula, GA 9. (9) 28 Keith Hawkins – Ronda, NC 10. (10) 03W Jason Welborn – Ronda, NC 11. (11) L17 Jeremiah Johnson – Elkin, NC
This episode of The Mighty Anvil talks with Bick Whitener on the Sword of the spirit. And discuss being biblically literacy Email: mightyanvilpodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @mightyanvilpodcast The Mighty Anvil Spotify Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6VIQBg85qBKH39OHhujUHg?si=1sgo6yEsTvyJb6huvdSpXg Support The Mighty Anvil at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mightyanvilpodcast The Mighty Anvil YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoFMnuTqdbV2JGs1r7gfBAA Scott's page https://elevatelife.gomethod.app/!/#/24245/2022-la-dream-center-missions-trip/participants/263546/donate Alysa's page https://elevatelife.gomethod.app/!/#/24245/2022-la-dream-center-missions-trip/participants/263547/donate Suicide Prevention websites: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org Or https://afsp.org Embrace A loving, stable home for every child https://embracetexas.org --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/themightyanvil/support
In this episode, the team is joined by Connie Perdreau, the daughter of Henry and Mazie Whitener. Connie drops by to discuss her experience growing up in Beacon, how Urban Renewal efforts impacted her family, and the West End Story Project. Without further ado, this is Connie. West End Story: Urban Renewal in Beacon project: www.beaconlibrary.org/westend For those who may be familiar, Mr. Whitener worked at Castle Point and owned a sanitation business with clients including the previous A&P Grocery Store and Grant's on Main Street as we as an auxiliary police officer. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/iambeacon/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/iambeacon/support
Take a trip through the galaxy of good vibes with your host, Peter Hamm, and today's special guest, Mr. Chad Whitener ABOUT THE PODCAST The Hamm Planet Podcast Theme is "Good Vibes // Great People // Glorious Stories" - So if you're into that vibe, get comfy and prepare for an absolute epic episode that will go down in history. The goal of the Hamm Planet Podcast is to provide value and focus on the good in life. Nothing more, nothing less. During the podcast, we share our life experiences, reflect on unforgettable stories, dig deep, shoot the breeze, speak our minds, talk about what life has taught us, and most importantly - we have a damn good time! Learn more at www.HammPlanet.com IG: @MrPeterHamm CONNECT WITH PETER Your support means the world to me. Show some love by connecting on the platforms listed below SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST ►https://bit.ly/PeterHammYoutube HAMM PLANET INSTAGRAM ►https://bit.ly/HammPlanetPodcastInsta PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO: ►https://drum.io/peterhamm LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCAST: https://bit.ly/HammPlanetPodcastApplePodcast SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/SpotifyHammPlanetPodcast ADD ME ON: PERSONAL INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/PeteHammInstagram PODCAST INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/HammPlanetPodcastInstagram FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/HPPFacebookPage LINKEDIN: https://bit.ly/PeterHammLinkedin TWITTER: https://bit.ly/HammPlanetTwitter TIKTOK: https://bit.ly/HammPlanetTikTok IGTV: https://bit.ly/HammPlanetIGTV ***PLEASE NOTE*** The HAMM PLANET PODCAST is a significant break from the typical content viewers have come to expect from the channel & we could not be more proud and hyped to watch this show unfold, grow and flourish over the years. Please be advised that we will be exploring a wide variety of topics (some adult-themed) and our younger viewers (and their parents) should be advised that some topics will be for mature audiences only. The HAMM PLANET PODCAST is a show for entertainment purposes only. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/peter-hamm0/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/peter-hamm0/support
On this magical episode, Chris Whitener, the Chief Communications Officer for Magical Butter, joins the podcast to cover a wide array of magical topics. From the beginnings of Magical Butter, a traveling dispensary, are aliens real, are we real, and some great stories you will not want to miss. How to enter the Magical Giveaway: 1) Follow @magicalbutter 2) Share this episode tagging 3 friends, and Colton or Dylon 3) Comment what Magic you would make! Like, subscribe, and follow your hosts! - Colton: @coltondm - Dylon: @dylonwhiddon - Chris: @whitener_
I'm a mom of 5 boys and My husband Derek is my best friend and biggest cheerleader! I was brought up to fight for everything and work for what you want! I joined the Army at 18 and never looked back. I never imagined I would end up with a beauty company being teased most my younger years and always super shy. Here's why and how I got to where I am…. having all boys really changed a women, when they were little I lost who I was, working around mainly men in the Army, I forgot I was feminine at times, so when I got out of the Army and my boys began to grow up, I wanted to find ME again! I had to relearn to feel like a women! And I became obsessed with being a better me and decided I wanted to help empower other women! So 22 years later!! Here I am! A confident, don't care what you think of me kind of women who loves God and life! We get one life to live. One body, one mind, one soul! Live it up before it's gone!! Feel free to ask any questions any time!!! I'm here for you! If you are looking to browse click this link
This episode we will continue our “Meet the Team” series where we introduce our listeners to the Envisionaries that make our programs possible. Today we are joined by Amanda Whitener, the new Vice President of Education Experience. She has spent the last few years at Envision, operating as the head of our HS Stem Suite of programs. She has been one of the driving forces in Envisions student centric program improvements during her tenure.
Justice G. Helen Whitener is a fascinating person. Her life story, her path to the Washington State Supreme Court, and her extensive experience in law in our state, and lived experience as a Black, immigrant, LGBT and disabled person is worth listening to and learning from. In this re-broadcast, Crystal and Justice Whitener get into why representation matters and the purpose of the law. A full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii. References Claiming your identity by understanding your self-worth, TEDxPortofSpain talk by Justice G. Helen Whitener: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57FMau29O_g&list=PL3vudArV4R9e5USALmWYa4v38zP_2nviP Transcript Crystal Fincher: [00:00:00] Welcome to Hacks and Wonks. I'm your host, Crystal Fincher. On this show, we don't just talk politics and policy, but also how they affect our lives and shape our communities. As we dive into the backstories behind what we read in the news, we bring voices to the table that we don't hear from often enough. Well today on Hacks and Wonks, we are very thrilled to be speaking with Justice Helen Whitener today. And Justice Whitener currently serves on the Washington State Supreme Court. She was appointed this past April by overnor Inslee and is running to finish the term of her predecessor which is a term that will last two remaining years. So prior to this, Justice Whitener served as a judge on the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals for two years, followed by five years of service on the Pierce County Superior Court, beginning in 2015. Thank you so much for joining us Justice Whitener. Justice Whitener: [00:01:04] Thank you so much for having me. Crystal Fincher: [00:01:06] So I just wanted to start out and get an understanding of how - what your role was - what your path was to the State Supreme Court. How did you get there? What is your background? Justice Whitener: [00:01:20] Well, my background is very varied. I started in law school, working for the Attorney General's office. I worked for the Department of Corrections, it was called back then. And then it became the Criminal Justice Division. From there, I got to Pierce County working for the Attorney General's office in their DSHS division, and I did dependencies and those types of cases out at Remann Hall here in Pierce County. By the time I graduated law school, I had 25 trials under my belt - and that's jury trials, because I also worked as a City of Tacoma prosecutor, Rule 9 prosecutor we call them - when you're in school and you're under the supervision of an attorney. So by the time I graduated, I had over 25 trials under my belt. I then had a job waiting for me with the City of Tacoma prosecutor's office. But unfortunately there was a hiring freeze that year, so I had to find a job and I found one at the City of Olympia prosecutor's office, but it was a part-time job. So while I was working there - I stayed there for about six months - my supervisor there, who's now a judge in Thurston County, Kalo Wilcox - she had contacted the prosecutor out of Island County prosecutor's office on my behalf. I interviewed with him over the phone, got the job, and literally was driving from Renton, where I resided at the time, to Island County - two and a half hours each way. I decided that was too much, so I moved to Island County and I stayed there for a little over a year working at the prosecutor's office. While there, one of the attorneys I worked against in Pierce County - he was a public defender - contacted me and we were chatting and he said, Where are you? And I said, I'm out in Island County - I'm a prosecutor here. And he said, Are you interested in coming back to Pierce County? But I'd need to do public defense - I'd never done defense work, so I jumped at the opportunity. One, I wanted to come back where my roots were, and two - do defense work, public defense work. Came back, worked there for over two and a half years. I was doing a murder case with one of their top public defenders, Dino Sepe. And we were doing this murder case together. I was then recruited by the prosecutors we were up against - one is now a judge and he is - what is his name? It slips me right now, but it was against him and one of the top prosecutors there, Dawn Farina, and Jerry Costello - that's, that's who the judge is now, but he was a prosecutor then. And I actually went back to prosecution after that murder trial was completed, right here in Pierce County. So I've worked in Pierce County and it's really interesting, Crystal. I have been a prosecutor, a public defender, as well as a private defense counsel, but I've also been a judicial officer on all the trial level courts. So that's Municipal Court, District Court, and Superior Court. Because when I finished at the prosecutor's office - I stayed there for over two years, I believe - I then started my own firm and it was a solo practice for a few years. And then I took on two partners and it became Whitener Rainey Writt, and we handled Class A felonies - actually all levels of criminal matters, as well as some civil cases. And then we also had an appellate attorney. She was the writ in the practice and she was a law professor out of Seattle U Law School, who joined the practice. So I did that for eight years, but while I was doing that, I also pro-tem as a judge - and that is someone who sits in for a sitting judge when the judge takes leave. I was a pro-tem judge on the Municipal Court here in Tacoma, the City of Tacoma Municipal Court, as well as the Pierce County District Courts. So I have the unusual background of having been a prosecutor, defense attorney, and a judicial officer on all three trial level courts here. And then in 2015, the Governor appointed me to the Superior Court, as you've stated. Crystal Fincher: [00:05:55] Well, and that varied experience seems unusual for any kind of justice related to State Supreme Court, the national Supreme Court. Is that unique to have that much and that varied type of experience, coming to the bench? And how do you think that makes a difference in your approach versus others? Justice Whitener: [00:06:21] I think it is unique. You have judges and justices who have done one side, and you may have a judge - I don't think we have any justices - that have done both sides. But what is truly unusual is to have done all three, on all three level trial level courts, which is what I have. And I think the unique perspective it gives me is I have a very intimate knowledge of the trial level courts and what the courts face on a daily basis, having gone through it on both sides, as well as sitting on the bench in those courts as well. And yes, it is unusual, but I think being an immigrant that's probably.. Crystal Fincher: [00:07:06] Well, and it will probably do well right now just to - most people don't have a lot of exposure to the State Supreme Court or to a lot of courts - except for at the Supreme Court level, hearing that there was a major case decided - but they may only catch the headline and not know the details or understand what's really involved with being a justice. So what are you responsible for? What is the job of a justice like on a daily basis? Justice Whitener: [00:07:36] Now I can answer that question, but I will preface it with this. My ascent to the Supreme Court is truly unusual because we're faced with COVID right now. And the pandemic has caused the workings of the court to be a little different. So when I got appointed, I got appointed in a virtual world. So I have not sat on the bench with my colleagues yet, yet I've sat through a term and I'm getting ready actually, we just started the second term. So I literally will be going through one year of being a Supreme Court justice, and never sat on the bench with my colleagues. We hold oral arguments in a virtual world. So my experience right now may be a little unusual and maybe very different than what is considered normal. But in regards to cases, we handle - just about any case comes to the Supreme Court, can come, is whether or not we accept it for review, it has to meet certain criteria. And I'll give you an example. If there is a decision on the law court, the court of appeals - the first intermediary court before you get to the Supreme Court - but it's the court between the trial court and the Supreme Court. If a case is heard in Division One - there are three divisions - and they come down with a decision one particular way. And then in Division Three, a very similar case with very similar issues comes before Division Three, and they come down a different way as far as interpreting the Supreme Court's decision that everyone should be following. Then the court will take that up because it's clear there's a conflict between how the court on the appellate level is interpreting a Supreme Court opinion. That's one very simple example. Another set of cases we hear are personal restraint petitions. In criminal matters, the defendant, after conviction, has a number of remedies available to him or her, but once they've exhausted all those remedies, they still have an opportunity to request a review by the Supreme Court. But then again, they have to meet certain criterias - it has to be done within a year on a number of those cases, if you're going to do a collateral attack of your underlying conviction. So that's another type of case that we hear, but we hear literally just about any type of case that can come before the court - is whether or not it is worthy of review. Is it going to have substantial public import or public interest? Is it going to affect a large section of the community that we are serving? Those types of things. Is it something that is worthy of review - is the easiest way to conceptualize what it is the Supreme Court will look at. So many cases come before us wanting review, but not many get review because they are not meeting the criteria that is necessary for review. Crystal Fincher: [00:10:52] That makes sense and in those discussions, I'm assuming that there are discussions between you and the other justices, do your backgrounds - does your professional experience, lived experience inform how you process what is important, what may be significant, how something affects a lot of people. How do your experiences, and I guess, how do the justices themselves help inform what kinds of cases get chosen or the approach to that? Justice Whitener: [00:11:32] So that's a wonderful question because yes, we get a number of cases, but judges and justices are human beings. We have our backgrounds that we bring to the table - not just our legal backgrounds - but our lived and lived, as you indicated, background. And when we sit and assess a case, we are doing that through our lens, whatever lens that is, we bring to the table. So, and that's your experiences as well. So being a Black woman may be relevant in some instance, depending on the case or the issue before the court. Being an immigrant may be relevant and it may be an experience others don't have - which in this case they don't, because I was born an immigrant. I was born in Trinidad and Tobago, so I am an immigrant. I'm not an immigrant descent. So my perspective may be a little different. LGBT - being someone who is not of the mainstream sexual orientation may my lens may be different from some of my colleagues . Identifying as disabled - depending on the case, I may be seeing it through accommodation eyes, whereas they may not because they don't have that experience. So I think our experiences, whether it's even on the Supreme Court or even on the lower trial level courts or the appellate courts, is relevant in regards to assessing cases that come before the court - because our experiences are different, which means the way a decision may impact a particular subset of the population may be relevant on a particular issue regarding the particular facts that come before the court. So I think it's extremely important. What's wonderful about the Washington State Supreme Court is it is the most diverse court in the United States. When I joined, we became the most diverse court. I don't think it was just because I joined, but I think I had a little bit to do with it. So we have five white individuals - four of them women, one white male. That's unusual because normally the Supreme Court benches are heavily white male. Then we have one Latino male, one male of color. We have one Asian/Mexican 'cause she's biracial and Supreme Court justice. And she's also openly gay. So she brings that experience to the table. We then have one, and the only, Native American Supreme Court justice in the country. And then you get me, the first black female, the fourth immigrant born, the second LGBT, but the only black LGBT judge in the entire state. So the discussions that we have and the depth of the discussion and, and the amount of citizenry we can cover is amazing. And we really work through the cases, trying to make sure we don't leave anyone behind. And what's important as well too, is economics - none of us, or not all of us, were born with a golden spoon, or however they say it. We have gone through struggles, different types of struggles economically, at different points in our lives and some more recent than others. So that is also very important to the discussion because we always try to make sure that we're not leaving anyone out in the decision as much as we can. Because of course, sometimes you just can't cover everyone under the law. But the law was meant to embrace and cover all of its citizenry and that's something we really try to do. And I'm really proud of my colleagues when I got there and saw that's how they approach things. Crystal Fincher: [00:15:55] You're listening to Hacks and Wonks with your host Crystal Fincher on KVRU 105.7 FM. And I appreciate you talking about the composition of this court and the diversity of the court. And I watched the announcement of your appointment live - and a number of people I know did - and there were certainly lots of excited group chats and posts and you know, My goodness, I'm watching a Black woman be appointed and oh my goodness, a new LGBT member! Just excitement across the board. And I've seen similar excitement, like you talk about, having the only Native American justice in the country. And LGBTQ representation. And how important that is to people or why it feels meaningful - I think you talked about - it gives people hope that there will be - that the court will become more accessible, that the court will become more fair , that the law will serve and consider and account for more people, more types of people, the entire community, and ... Justice Whitener: [00:17:10] It builds the trust and confidence in the institution. Having representation at the table when these serious discussions and issues are being addressed, builds trust and confidence in the judiciary, in the legal system. I remember when I was a litigator walking into a courtroom and I'm the only Black person in the courtroom. Or I'm the only woman in the courtroom. Or my client is the only person of color. The jury pool not reflecting who we are. So it really builds confidence in the judiciary and in the decision. Not everybody is going to always get what they want. That is not what the law is about. But the law is about trying to bring well-reasoned decisions based in the law and taking into account real-life experiences so that the decision has useful meaning to its citizenry. That's truly important. Crystal Fincher: [00:18:18] It's critically important. And so I guess, where do you feel like we're at right now in terms of everyone being served fairly and equally by the law, and what can be done to improve where we're at right now? Justice Whitener: [00:18:39] Well, it's not working and it hasn't been working for years. And it probably won't work for everyone for a while. The hope - and that is the end goal - is to be the court or the legal system that truly encapsulates everyone. That is not the reality. And the Supreme Court, after the killing of George Floyd, put out a letter to the community. I don't know if you are aware of that and the letter. Crystal Fincher: [00:19:17] I am aware of it. And it was - I know a lot of people were surprised and heartened by it. It was unique. Justice Whitener: [00:19:25] Yes, it was. And it was well thought out, but what was really important for people to get from that letter - is that all nine justices signed it. Didn't have to - all nine justices signed it. And when we sign something, it says, We believe in it, we support it, and we're putting our badge, our signature, on it. And that is what I think resonated with everyone in the legal community of the judges in other states, who have been trying to get their judiciary to acknowledge, that there is an inequality in how people are treated in our legal system. And unfortunately it has taken recent incidences on our media - different mediums - for our population to see it. People have been saying it for years, but to have it be acknowledged in such a vivid way was shocking. And that is what the law is about - when you see something like that occurring, it is time for change, because it's a systemic issue that has not been resolved with whatever mechanisms we were using before. So now is the time - and the legal system has really jumped on this. I actually, to be honest, was surprised at how much the legal community jumped on this. Because they realize - those who did not work within the trial system, the trial level courts - I think they were surprised at some of the things that had been occurring in the trial level courts. And it is causing the legal system to take a hard look at itself because this is how one subset, and there are many subsets, but this is how one subset - Black people - have been treated in the legal system that has been validated for everyone to see. The question became, What are you going to do about it? You have a responsibility to act. This was not a time to be silent. This was not a time to be complacent. This was a time to act. And the court acted. Well, what we did not envision is the legal community was waiting for that and they are now acting. They're now assessing the system. And hopefully we will have some changes take place and it will not just be for Black people. When people try to make this a Black people thing, that is very disturbing to me. This is a people problem. Unfortunately, it took a Black man losing his life - and Black men and women losing their lives - and this being shown on such a high medium - social media click - oop, everybody's seeing it. It took that scenario to have change, or have the discussion occur. But any change that occurs is going to be helping everyone, because unfortunately Black people, we have been at the bottom of the bucket. So if you help us, you're only making it better for you. So that's the kind of change that I see happening. That's the change I've always wanted to see, even when I was a litigator, but I realize now, as I moved up in my profession, my voice became stronger because I've always been very vocal and visible. My voice became stronger and now I can actually participate in - at the big people table, so to speak. And not only just have a say, but have their ear, because it's one thing to sit at the table - and I've been at many tables where you're talking and ain't nobody hearing, or somebody takes what you just said, reconfigure it, and it sounds like it's just something that just came out of their mouth and you're sitting there going, Am I the only one seeing that they just kinda stole what I just said, but now they're hearing it, whereas when I said it, they weren't. And that has happened to many women as we move up and we're in this room with a lot of men, unfortunately - that's what they like to do. That is changing, you know? So as I move up, I realize my voice is not just being heard anymore. They're actually listening and trying to understand - and I'm doing the same too. 'Cause I'm learning a lot about differences as well, because I'm - in an odd way, I've always tried to see similarities. So for me, this is unique because I'm now seeing differences. And I think that's a good thing for me. Crystal Fincher: [00:24:41] Absolutely. And you're doing this - you talked about your - you are doing the work of justice right now. And also, you are running a campaign and you're going to be on the ballot in November. And so what's that like? And how is your campaign going? Justice Whitener: [00:25:05] Well, running a campaign in a virtual world is different. I've ran one campaign before and that was 2012, but in 2020, in this virtual world, that's different. In 2015 I was up for election - I didn't get an opponent. 2016 - didn't get an opponent. I got out there and I connected with the community anyway, 'cause it's just something I like to do. But this year that's different and I'm having to reach out through Zoom and virtual platforms. And to be honest, that's the correct thing to do right now. It is just too deadly of a virus to take a chance, not just on myself and my family, but on others. So it's been difficult, but I'm connecting. And I'm connecting in a way that I've always connected, which is - if this is the platform, Justice Whitener, formerly Judge Whitener - I'm going to be there, we're going to chat, let's have a discussion. And I love talking about the law. This race is a little different, not just because it's the virtual world, but I have an opponent. Remember I didn't get one in 2015 or 2016, so that's different. What's unique as well is my opponent was recently sworn in as an attorney, just when I got appointed to the Supreme Court. So he has never practiced law as an attorney, which means he's never practiced law because to do so without being certified by the bar is illegal, so he has never practiced law. He just passed the bar - in April, he got sworn in - in February, I think he passed the bar. He graduated law school, I think, 20 years ago when I - I graduated in '98 - he graduated, I think in '99 and failed, and then decided to go into education. Why he decided to run now is anybody's guess, but our Constitution actually does not prohibit him from running. To run for an appellate level position, you have to have at least five years of being an attorney. For the Supreme Court, you don't. So it is very important to me, this election cycle, that I inform people of what could happen if I don't prevail. You could have someone sitting on the Supreme Court who has never practiced law, and that can make it rather difficult for the other individuals, but most importantly, what can happen to our law. And I'm very vested in the law - and to make sure that it's held in high esteem, that it should. So campaigning this year is a little different - that's an understatement. Crystal Fincher: [00:27:58] Well, and it certainly is different. If people do want more information about you, they can head over to justicehelenwhitener.com and learn all about your campaign and read more about you. But you bring up a really interesting point about your opponent and that he hadn't practiced law, hadn't been a lawyer before this campaign, and the surprising bit of information that being a State Supreme Court justice actually does not require that, even though other levels do. And especially at a time right now when, I think a lot of people are looking at the people who we are electing and placing in positions of power, and looking at the difference between those who came with experience and a resumé that people were able to look at, and judge the value of similar work, and use that to inform how future work might be. And then looking at people who were elected, who did not have experience , and also seemed to make a decision out of the blue to run, and the consequences of that. That knowledge actually does count and experience actually does count. Lots of things can be knowledge and lots of things can be experience, but it is important to understand the role that you're taking. And so, having none is certainly at the very extreme of the end, but also, as you talked about in the beginning, you are actually on the other extreme - of lived experience and professional experience and the variety of experience , and how that is able to help you see more of the community, more of the impacts and effects of the law , and how important that is. Justice Whitener: [00:29:55] Yes, the law is very difficult. The intricacies of applying the law - it takes experience. If I had just gotten out of law school and tried for the Supreme Court and got onto the Supreme Court, I don't think I would be able to do the job, one. And even if I was to try to do the job, I would be a burden on the system because I would not be pulling my own weight. It really does take experience. It's like going to medical school or going - getting a pilots license - just because you have the license does not mean to say you can fly a commercial flight without an experienced pilot at your side. All professions have that learning curve to get to the highest position. So people can look at that and make whatever decision they like, but also think of the impact it can have on your life. Because most cases that are heard in the State come through the trial level court - family law cases, criminal cases, civil cases, and I've handled all of them - they're complex cases. Asbestos cases with 15 co-defendants - I've handled those. And then when those things go up to the high court for final resolution - because the lower courts may have made a mistake here or there, that's not something you learn overnight. That's not something you get in a textbook at law school either. It really comes from experience. So we'll see what happens in November. Crystal Fincher: [00:31:45] Well, I appreciate the time that you've taken to speak with us today. I could listen to you forever, but unfortunately, we've come upon the time for this show today. So thank you so much for being willing to serve, thank you for all the work that you've done in the community and on the bench, even the virtual bench. And just am excited to see how this campaign unfolds and to see how this new term turns out. Thank you very much, Justice Whitener. Justice Whitener: [00:32:14] Thank you, Crystal. Thank you for giving me the space where my voice can be heard. I appreciate you. Crystal Fincher: [00:32:26] Thank you for listening to Hacks and Wonks. Thank you to KVRU 105.7 FM in Seattle where we record this show. Our chief audio engineer is Maurice Jones Jr. And our producer is Lisl Stadler. If you want more Hacks and Wonks content, go to officialhacksandwonks.com, subscribe to Hacks and Wonks on your favorite podcatcher, or follow me on Twitter @finchfrii. Catch you on the other side.
Thomas Whitener recently unseated a 13-year incumbent in a tight election that was fueled by promises of change and cultural shift that was highly sought after across the county. Thomas is licensed Real Estate Agent, entrepreneur, and former interactive systems and balance designer who is making a big impact on Kalamazoo County. He has built his career on openness and transparency and plans to establish a culture of accountability and fairness to all constituents. Thomas joined us to discuss many of the challenges that local government leaders are facing and highlight some of the best insights across the industry. Here's a sneak peek of the episode: · What it was like to run a people focused campaign during the pandemic · The roles and responsibilities of county treasurer · The Delinquent Tax Responsibility and how that was affected by COVID · Resources that helped constituents avoid foreclosure · Budget shortfalls · What recovery look like for Kalamazoo County as we climb out of the pandemic Resources from today's episode: · Host Brennan Middleton, Director of Marketing at Avenu · Avenu Insights & Analytics This discussion with Thomas Whitener was taken from our show, Local Government Insights: Modernizing Government Leadership. If you want to hear more episodes like this one, check us out on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you don't use Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can find every episode here.
Jeff Whitener is a 56 year old professional "Loud Talker". A Christ follower, he's married and has two grown children. He lives in Jefferson County Missouri. Jeff has health and weight issues which forced him out of full time employment in the corporate management world. His disability has been a blessing because it helped him find his purpose in life. Everything he has been through and experienced thus far has led him to this moment, and he's excited to be on a journey of self discovery. Jeff Whitener, Professional AnnouncerBlue Tiger Media & Live Stream STLWebsite link: My Blog - https://whitenerjeffrey.wordpress.com/ LIve Stream STL website (which I write for): https://livestreamstl.tkdssports.com/Social media links: FB: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.whitener https://www.facebook.com/btmfestus https://www.facebook.com/LiveStreamSTLTwitter: @whitenerjeffrey @BlueTigerMe @LiveStreamSTLJOIN THE REVOLUTION!Join our community on facebook at The Obesity Revolution Support Group.https://www.facebook.com/groups/theobesityrevolutionJoin our movement at theobesityrevolution.com
Episode #44Todd Whitener, guitarist from Blisskrieg, was also a founding member of Days of the New, and Tantric. From his home in Nashville he talks to Mistress Carrie about finding fame at a young age, taking a break from the entertainment industry, touring with Metallica, music streaming, and his new band.Episode NotesThanks to DCU & MistressCarrie.com for sponsoring this episode.Check out the custom playlist for Episode #44 hereFind Todd Whitener online:FacebookInstagramTwitterFind Blisskrieg online:WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeFind Mistress Carrie online:Official WebsiteThe Mistress Carrie Backstage Pass on PatreonTwitterFacebookInstagramYouTubeCameoPantheon Podcast Network
Episode #44Todd Whitener, guitarist from Blisskrieg, was also a founding member of Days of the New, and Tantric. From his home in Nashville he talks to Mistress Carrie about finding fame at a young age, taking a break from the entertainment industry, touring with Metallica, music streaming, and his new band.Episode NotesThanks to DCU & MistressCarrie.com for sponsoring this episode.Check out the custom playlist for Episode #44 hereFind Todd Whitener online:FacebookInstagramTwitterFind Blisskrieg online:WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeFind Mistress Carrie online:Official WebsiteThe Mistress Carrie Backstage Pass on PatreonTwitterFacebookInstagramYouTubeCameoPantheon Podcast Network
Not the First Telugu Podcast (NTFTP) is a YouTube first podcast so we highly recommend consuming our content on Youtube but if you're a student with bandwidth constraints or only driving to work appude vintaru ilantivemanna unte ee audio mee kosame! This the audio-only release of our otherwise video podcast - memu emantunnamo maake telidu just go with the flow ======================================= Join our Discord server to stay connected with our community - we have a wide variety of topic based channels and even randomly hang out on video and voice chats with the fam - https://discord.gg/YcUmscBsqK ======================================= In this Episode =============== 0:00 - Introduction 0:56 - Avakai with Sugar and other ajeeb food habits 4:00 - Whitener, Petrol, Nail Paint Remover and other weird smell fetishes 5:13 - Adapa's psycho sensation 10:58 - Mobile phone habits and weird behaviour - water thaganiki reminder app entra? 30:48 - Milk, perugu and meegada mass story 36:40 - Booze Habits - aina ekkale? 55:22 - End + likes and shares begging program Please follow/subscribe to stay up to date with all our releases and if the platform you're on allows you to rate us we would really appreciate a 5 star rating so others like you can discovear the podcast. Click Here to go to our YouTube Channel - Subscribe cheseyandi new episodes every Friday, All Chill Live Streams every Sunday at 8pm! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Episode 30 of Not the First Telugu Podcast - boys get together for their usual sitting Ee episode lo topics: (i) Weird habits - food and cooking (ii) Phone habits and addictions (iii) Beverage Habits - Chai, Coffee nunchi Booze dhaaka Inka enno, come chill with TLV in this episode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Please don't forget to hit "LIKE" or leave us a rating on the platform you're on, it would mean a lot to us and "SHARE" this with your friends if you enjoyed the conversation Follow us at: Instagram Twitter
Welcome to The Jungle! This morning Craig is joined by Tasha Whitener, Founder & Executive Director of Waymark Foster. Today's conversation centers around Tasha's background, why she founded Waymark Foster, the urgent need to reach children and teens in foster care, and how Atlantans can be involved.
Justice G. Helen Whitener is a fascinating person. Her life story, her path to the Washington State Supreme Court, and her extensive experience in law in our state, and lived experience as a Black, immigrant, LGBT and disabled person is worth listening to and learning from. Today, Crystal and Justice Whitener get into why representation matters and the purpose of the law.
Looking to make that next career move? Join Morgan Matson and Anna Whitener, Recruiting and Professional Development Manager at Dykema Gossett. Whitener and Matson have an engaging and frank conversation about important tactics and best practices to guide you through the resume submission and interview process. They cover: Most important items to include on resume besides experience Proper use of parentheticals Explaining gaps in work history How to stand out from the crowd and get in the room What hiring managers look for during an interview Things to avoid during the entire process
This week on the Shift List, Jonathan Whitener — chef and co-owner of Here's Looking At You in Los Angeles's Koreatown. Similar to his cooking, Jonathan's musical tastes are a reflection of his family and surrounding environment. Outlaw country from his father, '80s metal from his brothers, and a love for Glenn Danzig that continues to this day. Since it opened in 2016, Here's Looking at You has appeared on almost every ‘best of' restaurant list around LA — and that's due to a number of factors: Co-owner Lien Ta's laser focus on service and comforting hospitality; top-notch tiki-adjacent bar service; the evolving playlists blending old school hip-hop and post-punk; but it's anchored by Whitener's anything goes approach to cooking. Whitener grew up in Huntington Beach, CA the son of a Mexican mother and a German father. Growing up near Orange County's thriving Vietnamese and Japanese communities, he pulls all of these influences into his “SoCal tapas-style” menu with standout dishes like the shishito peppers accompanied with an tonnato sauce — the Italian answer to hummus — sprinkled with Huamei, a preserved Chinese plum. Or for another example, frogs legs seasoned like Nashville hot chicken with a salsa negra, scallion, and lime. Whitener cut his teeth for three years as the chef de cuisine for Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo's restaurant Animal in Los Angeles before opening Here's Looking At You with Lien Ta, who he met while she was serving as front-of-house manager at Animal.
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