Official Press Release from Citizens for a Democratic Judiciary
A majority of Westchester County Judicial Delegates and Alternates oppose Judge Charles Wood’s nomination as a Democratic candidate for the New York State Supreme Court’s 9th Judicial District, which comprises Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess counties. In a poll of delegates and alternates, Citizens for a Democratic Judiciary finds that more than 52% object to Wood’s nomination. This is a significant lack of support for the former Republican who switched parties just four years ago.
The finding represents a deep divide among rank-and-file Democrats, and makes it unlikely that Wood cannot mount a successful campaign with such a large part of the party against him. Along with many local Democratic committees and their chairs, the coalition urges party leaders to identify a candidate who can unite Democrats in advance of the August 10th judicial convention.
More than 1,000 Democratic voters—82% of them from the 9th Judicial District—signed Citizens for a Democratic Judiciary’s open letter opposing Wood’s nomination. Wood’s employment with the State Senate Republican conference, belated change in party affiliation, and rulings in cases involving free speech and privacy were the primary reasons cited in our letter. Since then, more has come to light about Wood’s history with the Westchester County GOP, work as an election attorney in lawsuits against Democrats, judicial decision to knock the Women’s Equality Party off the Nassau County ballot (Donavan v. Cabana, 2015; unanimously overturned), and bullying of two individuals during the current campaign, as well as an upcoming fundraiser hosted by a Republican ally.
Citizens for a Democratic Judiciary also objects to a process that falsely presents Wood as a Democratic incumbent. Wood ran for his current seat on the State Supreme Court on the Republican, Conservative, and Independence lines, and his win came at the expense of the 2009 Democratic slate. An unreasonable expectation set by party leaders for Wood to be treated as a Democratic incumbent has contributed to the current split among party members, and risks dragging down the Democratic ticket in the November 2023 general election.
A time when a radical U.S. Supreme Court is advancing an extreme conservative agenda, state courts are of utter importance. The potential advancement by the Democratic Party of a judicial candidate with no record as a Democrat has divided Westchester County Democrats, and would put at risk Democratic priorities and the rights of all New Yorkers. If Wood were to be elected to another 14-year term, he would be eligible for appointment by the governor to the Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court. Citizens for a Democratic Judiciary urges the Westchester County Democratic Committee to proceed with a different candidate, and with the best interests of the Democrats’ diverse voters in mind.
