Labor, Clergy and Grassroots Join Forces to Vote Out Judge Mary Beth Kelly

FSCME's Al Garrett, members of the Clergy, and grassroots organizations such as the Coalition to Restore Justice in Michigan have combined to send a message to Judge Mary Beth Kelly-they want her out!

The groups have sponsored several rallies and protests and have plans to hold a prayer breakfast December 1, 2007 at Sacred Heart Church to gather additional support and provide information. The prayer breakfast will be sponsored by the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity. Apparently a major thrust of the coalitions' effort is to raise awareness on the various Judges' races during the election season in 2008. Typically, voters pay little attention to the Judge races and elect Judges by name recognition only. Approximately twenty one Judges of the Wayne County Circuit Court are up for reelection. Clergy groups, grassroots organizations and the labor community has pledged not to allow Mary Beth Kelly or any Judge associated with her candidacy to campaign in their union halls, churches, or community centers.

The groups have various reasons for wanting Judge Kelly voted out. AFSCME members are perturbed by Judge Kellys' decision to privatize the Wayne County Friend of the Court system. Hundreds of workers will lose their jobs and benefits as a result of the privatization efforts. Grass roots and clergly members of the coalition have expressed concern over Judge Kellys' decision to disallow those accused of commiting criminal offenses from having the right to select a judge or jury. Equally distburbing to these groups is the restriction of the docket of Judge Deborah Thomas who nearly defeated Kellys allies in a bid for the Michigan Court of Appeals.