Jim Walsh: The Judge Who Must Recuse Herself
Rep. Jim Walsh joins John Curley to break down the five Washington Supreme Court races on this year's primary ballot — and the one judge he says absolutely must recuse herself.
Justice Colleen Melody is on the ballot for the first time ever. She was appointed by Governor Ferguson, worked directly under him at the state AG's office, and — according to Walsh — was in the room when Ferguson and Solicitor General Noah Purcell were helping Jamie Pedersen craft the state's income tax law to avoid a referendum.
Walsh points to Washington's Code of Judicial Conduct: judges must be "above reproach" with no appearance of conflict. If Melody wants to be an elected justice, Walsh says she needs to announce right now that she'll recuse herself from any lawsuit involving the tax she helped shape.
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