On Friday, October 27, Democratic Jewish Outreach PA (DJOP) announced its endorsement of Wendy Rothstein and Jeff Saltz for Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in the PA General Election being held Tuesday, November 7, 2017. We are taking special interest in this year’s judicial races because of the substantial role the courts have nationally and at the state level in maintaining checks and balances on the executive and legislative branches of government. And even though the Courts of Common Pleas typically receive less attention from voters, they are the courts that state residents are most likely to encounter. Therefore, we decided to make an endorsement in the Montgomery County judicial race.
Democrats outnumber Republicans by over 50,000 voters in Montgomery County. However, only 7 of the 23 judges currently serving on the Court of Common Pleas are Democrats. With two openings on the court this year, Democrats have a strong possibility of reaching nine seats, especially considering Wendy’s and Jeff’s qualifications.
Wendy, a lifelong resident of Montgomery County and one of the top litigators in the county, has practiced law for more than 34 years. She was honored as a “Trailblazer” for women in law by the Montgomery Bar Association and the Philadelphia Business Journal in 2013. Jeff, who was raised in Montgomery County and lives in hometown of Lower Merion, has spent more than 30 years in the courtroom. He has been named a “Super Lawyer” for seven straight years, and has been named to the “Pro Bono Roll of Honor” by the Philadelphia Courts multiple times.
Both Wendy and Jeff possess the experience, wisdom, integrity, temperament, and commitment to equal justice and fairness that are essential to serve as trial court judges. They are well-respected by their peers in the legal profession, selfless, hard-working, and scrupulously honest. In short, they exemplify the values and virtues that are the core of DJOP’s mission. We urge our supporters who reside in the county to vote for Wendy and Jeff, and to encourage their neighbors to do the same on Election Day.
And now, we offer you some words and thoughts from Wendy and Jeff.
Wendy Rothstein
I am honored to be endorsed by Democratic Jewish Outreach PA for Judge of Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas. I am running for Judge because I know that I can make a difference. I have the background and experience—I have worked my entire legal career at Fox Rothschild and have 34 years’ experience as a trial attorney in Montgomery County Courts—to “hit the ground running” as a Judge.
Beyond my experience and the professional recognition I’ve received, I believe it is my view of the kind of judge I aspire to be that distinguishes me. To quote from the late poet Maya Angelou: “I’ve come to learn that people forget what you said and forget what you did. However, they never forget how you made them feel.” When people leave my courtroom they will feel like they appeared in front of a Judge who was well prepared and unbiased, that they were listened to and respected, and that they had an even playing field to present their case. This is the standard I wish to be judged by.
In addition to the support from Democratic Jewish Outreach PA, I have been endorsed by a variety of other noteworthy organizations, including PA State Education Association, National Organization for Women, PA State Police Pioneer FOP Lodge 37, Montgomery County Building Trades, Teamsters Local 830, Democracy for America, and Montgomery County Democratic Women’s Leadership Initiative. I was also recommended by the Montgomery Bar Association. In addition, I have bipartisan support, in that, in the May Primary, both Democratic and Republican voters elected me to be on their ballot in November.
I ask for your support on Election Day and urge you to come out and vote. Every election matters, and judges matter, perhaps more than ever.
Jeff Saltz
I am running for Judge of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas for two reasons. First, I think that I would be good at the job. I am an honors graduate of Harvard Law School and have been practicing law for more than 30 years. The Montgomery County Bar Association has rated me as Highly Recommended, its highest ranking, and I have been named a “Super Lawyer” for seven straight years. In addition to receiving Democratic Jewish Outreach PA’s endorsement, I have been endorsed by the Montgomery County Democratic Party, Montgomery County Building Trades Council, and Democracy for America.
I am running for Judge of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas for two reasons. First, I think that I would be good at the job. I am an honors graduate of Harvard Law School and have been practicing law for more than 30 years. The Montgomery County Bar Association has rated me as Highly Recommended, its highest ranking, and I have been named a “Super Lawyer” for seven straight years. In addition to receiving Democratic Jewish Outreach PA’s endorsement, I have been endorsed by the Montgomery County Democratic Party, Montgomery County Building Trades Council, and Democracy for America.
I have also been named to the First Judicial District Pro Bono Roll of Honor for providing free representation for homeowners to save their homes in the mortgage foreclosure crisis. I understand that legal principles are not just ancient writings in dusty old law books, but rather need to be applied with the knowledge that a judge’s rulings have real consequences for real people.
Second, I am running because of the challenge that faces us as the result of last year’s national election. If we have learned nothing else in the past ten months, it is the importance of judges who will be independent and courageous in standing up for individual rights and equal rights. Those rights are under attack from the highest levels of our government, and the courts are our last line of defense. After last year’s election, President Obama went on TV and said that we shouldn’t cry the blues, but instead should grab a clipboard and run for office—and I decided that he was talking to me.
I am grateful for the support of Democratic Jewish Outreach PA. The values DJOP espouses are especially close to my heart. Let’s send a message on Election Day that individual rights and justice for all are to be respected and protected, and that no one is above these bedrock American principles.
The full text of the endorsement announcement is available here. For more information about Rothstein and Saltz, and the Democratic judicial candidates for statewide positions, click here.