Judge Ian Richards Shows How It Is Done
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Attention judicial candidates: The interview below is how to campaign for judge!
County Judge Ian Richards got a 3:55-minute gig on Hot105 recently to explain his job.
I don’t know how he got the airtime. But the interview illustrated one reason why Richards is no push over in this election despite the chatter among some courthouse circles that he is toast.
The questions were softballs thrown by a fawning broadcaster, which was great for Richards.
The judge was engaging. He was forthright.
He even plugged his program for internships, which runs a website. How can anybody knock a guy so involved in our kids’ education?
And he got in a mention of his most famous incident – jumping over the bench to restrain a unruly defendant.
Too many judicial candidates don’t think out of the box. It is the same old reciting their resumes and boring audiences right through to Election Day.
This interview is thinking out of the box. It is finding a new way to reach potential voters with relatively little effort.
(Tip of the day: If your “political consultant” doesn’t suggest new, engaging ways to reach voters, fire them. Hire somebody new with new ideas.)
The interview was a great format for Richards. If I were the judge, I would cut spots using this interview or build ads using a phony interview.
Richards has two opponents. I advise them to listen to this Hot105 interview and learn.
The interview:
April 24th, 2014 at 7:49 am
Judge Ian Richards Was Qualified by Petition
for His 2014 Re-Election
Broward County, Florida – March 25, 2014 – According to the Supervisor of Elections Office, more than 14,000 voters have signed petitions to add Broward County Judge Ian Richards’ name on the August 2014 ballot.
Judge Richards was the first African-American judge to win a countywide election in Broward County, Florida in 2008. He served in the domestic violence unit and currently hears both civil and criminal cases in the Hollywood Courthouse. Since his election, Judge Richards has distinguished himself and earned the respect of our community.
Although Judge Ian Richards might be best known as the Judge who jumped over the bench to protect a woman in court (Sun-Sentinel, 3/25/2009), the progress that has been made during his first term on the bench is noteworthy. Judge Richards was among the top 5% of judges in Broward County for the number of jury trials he presided over in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. Since 2009, he has heard thousands of cases and his decisions have rarely been reversed on appeal (less than 0.1%). Judge Richards and his dedicated staff were able to streamline the misdemeanor domestic violence unit by lowering the active caseload countywide from 1,100 to under 500 cases and reducing the wait time for trial by almost half.
More importantly, Judge Richards and his staff saved lives and made families safer by encouraging mental health and drug rehabilitation for thousands of defendants, while keeping those that sought to do harm to our community off our streets. Not only did they help restore dignity to the victims but they also saved precious taxpayer dollars by streamlining the judicial process.
Judge Richards is an impartial referee and does not seek to write law from the bench. He has earned a reputation for being “very fair” and “very patient.” (Miami Herald, 8/23/2012).
Judge Richards is a loving husband and proud father of three children.
The Committee to Re-elect Judge Richards is committed to ensuring that this experienced, qualified, fair, and unbiased judge is kept on the bench. For more information, please visit http://www.judgeianrichards.com
Contact: Committee to Re-elect Judge Ian Richards
4700 Sheridan Street, Suite J,
Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: (954) 663-0266
Email: admin@judgeianrichards.com
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Judge Ian Richards, nonpartisan for County Court Judge Group 27
Sincerely,
Committee to Re-elect Judge Ian Richards
4700 Sheridan Street, Suite J,
Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: (954) 663-0266
Email: admin@judgeianrichards.com
Website: http://www.judgeianrichards.com
April 24th, 2014 at 8:43 am
Isn’t this the jerk who coined the phrase “vagina justice.”
FROM BUDDY:
Yes, he is the same judge.
I never wrote he should be re-elected. I just highlighted his interesting twist on campaigning.
April 24th, 2014 at 9:33 am
It is sad that old timers in the Courthouse like Mike Dutko and friends appear to be funding and put up Casey Anthony ‘ s lawyer John Kasen to run against Judge Richards.
Why?
All because in a straight up election Judge Richards beat the darling of the Court House Katalina Avalos.
No can say for sure Dutko and Kasen targeted Judge Richards because he was a black who beat a white Hispanic Judge but it sure smells that way.
I am voting for judge richards and I am white.
April 24th, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Rodney Baltimore does a very nice job at Hot 105. He’s come a long way from his old copywriting days at Audiocom.
That was an excellent choice of a radio station. Their ratings are consistently high in the 25 – 54 and they do pretty good in the 18-34 demo too. Their R&B format has huge crossover appeal. They are by far one of the most listened to stations in Broward County. Their listeners comprise a huge variety of people. Whites, Afro Americans, Hispanics. A lot of people listen to Hot 105.
It takes a very special kind of person to be a judge. You have to wear a lot of hats. You not only need legal education and a law practice in your background, you need some street smarts too. You also need to have been alive for a while. I never understood why anyone under 40 would be elected as a judge. People under 40 just haven’t seen enough to be making those kind of decisions. With age comes wisdom, and I prefer judges that have some age and some wisdom.
Judge Richards is a very good judge. He has proven that. He is very fair and very impartial. You can get a fair shake with him.
FROM BUDDY:
Thanks for the shout out to Rodney Baltimore, who has been around radio in South Florida for sometime and is involved in many local programs to improve the community. He is especially active in the Guardian Ad Litem Program.
April 24th, 2014 at 2:49 pm
They only ones that are toast are Jonathen Kasen and Claudia Estrada Robinson who have targeted Judge Richards.
I predict Judge Richards will easily win this race.
This will show that Dutko, Jeff Marano, Mike ahearn and all that backwards thinking old guard is done in Broward County. Ahearn is running Estrada Robinson’s campaign. She has raised no money, couldn’t even get the PBA endorsement and is clueless as to what she is doing.
Kasen’s true colors come out every time he speaks.
April 24th, 2014 at 4:52 pm
Another example of a candidate thinking outside the box… Stacey Schulman. She’s out at races and charity walks on the weekends participating in a shirt that says she’s “RUNNING” for judge.
While I’m not sure it’s effective (because how many runners actually vote?), at least it’s something different so I give her credit for that.
FRPOM BUDDY:
Very few voters will actually vote. How to reach them personally other than mailers is the age old question.
April 25th, 2014 at 9:47 am
It’s interesting watching politics evolve, particularly in Broward County. We’re lucky to have Buddy covering it for us.
I can remember the days when all one had to do to ensure victory was carry Century Village. I personally know of two judicial campaigns that I worked on back in 1992 where both candidates focused primarily on Century Village. Both candidates won, and both are still judges. Only one has been challenged since then and only once.
Nowadays, I don’t know that one can win an election in Broward just by carrying Century Village.
FROM BUDDY:
Elections can not be won solely in the condominiums anymore.
Half or more of the voters in 1992 have gone on to that Great Precinct In The Sky. They have been replaced by many folks who are either (1) not citizens or (2) not as dedicated to voting. Vast stretches of the former Democratic condominium kingdom are gone like Hawaiian Gardens or the older parts of Sunrise Lakes. Condos remain a big part of the Democratic primary, but a candidate who puts all his effort in the condos does so at his/her own peril.
April 27th, 2014 at 7:44 am
I have to say that as a Judge naming a foundation after yourself and crowing about its accomplishments seems a bit shallow…
I have never heard of the ‘Ian Richards Foundation.’ He pointed to no actual efforts on the part of the foundation. There are numerous groups that already do what his ‘foundation’ does…but those groups are not named after Ian Richards. Also, as an impartial judge I don’t know that he should be deciding that complaining parties are ‘victims’ and helping them when he is sitting in judgment of the same types of cases…I have no dog in this fight but he sounds more like a politician than a judge…
April 27th, 2014 at 9:58 am
Richards spent almost 20k to get on by petition saving the 6k filing fees. Ask al Lamberti getting on by petition means just that ,the petitions doesn’t mean those peoole will actually vote for you.
April 29th, 2014 at 5:24 am
Judge Ian Richards is a great judge.
I am backing him all the way!
May 1st, 2014 at 7:40 pm
One of the best Judges in the 17th circuit. Hard working & honest. Others could learn from him.
May 17th, 2014 at 9:26 am
Dirty politics Robinson a union attorney
FYI, here are the links and press release we mentioned in the previous email. Thank you.
http://olcrpublic.leg.state.fl.us/by_report.cfm?rpt_id=24192&CFID=5290812&CFTOKEN=28377051
http://www.browardsoe.org/CFFilingDetail.aspx?type=expenditure&file_id=5392
Sincerely,
Committee to Re-elect Judge Ian Richards
4700 Sheridan Street, Suite J,
Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: (954) 663-0266
Email: admin@judgeianrichards.com
Website: http://www.judgeianrichards.com
Click to listen to Judge Richards’ interview on Hot 105
On Thu, May 15, 2014 at 10:22 AM, Committee to Re-elect Judge Ian Richards wrote:
Thank you for giving Judge Ian Richards the opportunity to interview with the AFL-CIO, he will attend the interview. However, the committee to Re-elect Judge Ian Richards has a concern of bias. Mr. Alain V. Jean, who is listed as the main lobbyist for the AFL-CIO has just received $10,000 from the Kasen campaign (see Sunshine report and Candidate financial report). Mr. Alain V. Jean, the principle of the August Company, is currently employed by both the Kasen’s campaign and AFL-CIO. We also understand that Metro Broward Fire Fighters, Broward County Firefighters and Paramedics, and Broward County Police Benevolent Association have recently endorsed the two former public defenders seeking to unseat Judge Richards before interviewing all candidates. Hopefully the attached press release about Judge Richards speaks for it itself and Judge Richards will receive your support. Thank you again for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Committee to Re-elect Judge Ian Richards
4700 Sheridan Street, Suite J,
Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: (954) 663-0266
Email: admin@judgeianrichards.com
Website: http://www.judgeianrichards.com
Click to listen to Judge Richards’ interview on Hot 105
http://www.judgeianrichards.com/interview-judge-richards.html
May 17th, 2014 at 10:11 am
Judge Ian Richards has my vote..
May 17th, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Alain Jean the “black lobbyist” again running another white Jewish candidate. With the exception of bobby dubose, name another candidate of color jean has worked a campaign for?
He ran the Satz campaign and in the democratic primary, Jean only won a handful of black precincts. His wife is Judge Porth’s secretary and ran that campaign that never happened. Jean never uses minority vendors for his candidates and spends tens of thousands on mail guy Mike Kaplan. Everone knows he is a cut out for Barbra Miller.
Let’s face it Jean got hired by Kasen so he can say he has a black campaign manager to rebut claims of racism by being encouraged to run by the old guard white establishment to run against a black judge.
FROM BUDDY:
I like Mr. Jean.
May 17th, 2014 at 7:19 pm
FORMER OPTIMIST FOOTBALL PLAYER SEEKING RE-ELECTION…
It amazes me how politics work in South Florida…. I went out to a meeting where candidates were invited to speak for a few minutes and answer questions from citizens who go out and vote…. Ian Richards spoke and honestly he did not say anything to win a vote at all…. He mainly spoke about how he slept on bunk beds as a kid and tried out for an optimist football team where they confirmed to him that he was poor.. I really do not know where he was trying to make the connection with these potential voters.. As he spoke he never looked up and made eye contact with anyone. that my friends is a sign of dishonesty…. Then I read an article that he jumped over the bench to protect a woman as court was in session… I mean he might as well have tried out for the track team..
May 17th, 2014 at 9:51 pm
Jean is also running Judge Rosenthal against jarha mclawrence, a minority. Give Alain credit he has a niche of making money from running rich white candidates challenged by minorities. Hiring Alain allows those candidates to claim diversity against challengers of color. Most times minority candidates don’t gave a lot of money which is probably why Jean doesn’t work with that many of them.
May 17th, 2014 at 10:20 pm
alain jeans wife is on fort lauderdale planning and zoning since 2009
everything before p&z gets approved
May 20th, 2014 at 11:06 pm
I am left without words. From a Rabbi to Jonathan Kasen and to all voters. Vote for anyone but Jonathan. If you have endorsed Jonathan shame on you. Richards is a great candidate along with Robinson. Kasen on the other hand is a disgrace and should not ever mention that he belongs to the Jewish community.
From a complete liar to an attorney who represented and defended Casey Anthony. He has bad mouthed other candidates in his group. He has disrespected other candidates in his group in many ways. As he spoke to me, he left me without words. I have never met someone (a male at that and jewish like myself) that has disrespected a female the way he has. He continuously mentioned that Robinson was not going to qualify because her campaign basically does not have any funds raised. To make things worse, defended and represented Casey Anthony.
I went home one evening and saw that Robinson has qualified and also saw that she is the only female in group 27. I investigated a little more on Jonathan and realized that he did indeed represent Casey Anthony. A liar represented a liar. We cannot put Kasen, a direspectful liar, on the bench. Vote for Richards or Robinson.
August 14th, 2014 at 1:45 am
Sun-Sentinel endorses Ian Richards for re-election:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorials/fl-endorsement-ian-richards-ellen-feld-20140813,0,6315122.story
Miami Herald endorses Ian Richards for re-election:
https://www.miamiherald.com/2014/08/04/4271544/the-herald-recommends.html
August 15th, 2014 at 7:14 pm
we can’t put a disgusting cocky dysfunctional liar as judge,not to mention he screams at young girls and thinks he’s above everyone else, and never admits to being wrong.
August 16th, 2014 at 8:38 am
Signed epstien’s mother
Veronica are you Jonathan’s mom?
September 9th, 2014 at 5:42 pm
Did Johnny or Jonathan win the race?
Who voted Jonathan Kasen?