[b][size=5]Judge Facing Sex Charges Heads for Re-Election[/size=5][/b]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - You'd think that Judge Ronald Kline would have a tough time getting reelected to the Superior Court in California's Orange County what with his being under house arrest and awaiting trials on charges of trafficking in child pornography and child molestation.

 
But even though he wears an electronic ankle bracelet to monitor his movements, you would be wrong: Kline is the man to beat in the non-partisan March 5 primary.

Kline, 61, was indicted Nov. 28 on six felony counts of possessing child pornography. The indictment came three weeks after the primary filing deadline, thus not affecting his name appearing on the ballot nor providing voters with an alternative candidate. If he wins the primary, as expected, his name will go on unopposed in the November election.

The pornography charges were followed in January by charges of child molestation, dating from Kline's alleged relationship with a 12-year-old neighbor in the late 1970s.

In both cases, Kline, who is seeking his second six-year term, has pleaded innocent.

Eleven write-in candidates are vying to unseat Kline, but his is the only name on the primary ballot. Kline is currently on administrative leave from his $136,224-a-year job.

Though voters can request to see a list of write-in candidates at voting stations, political experts say voters are unaccustomed to writing in candidates' names. The write-ins' chances are slim, they say.

"One political consultant told me I'd need $350,000 to give it a go," said Gay Sandoval, 49, a civil trial lawyer who is running as a write-in. "I've raised a few thousand."

The hope of the contenders is that they will collectively draw more than half of the primary vote, forcing a run-off.

University of Southern California political scientist Sheldon Kamieniecki said that, even contests for more visible offices, write-in campaigns are rarely successful.

"When you get down to local races, where the campaigns are relatively quiet and non-partisan, it's very hard for people to know what's going on. Unless they've been following things very closely, it's going to be a lot to overcome," Kamieniecki said.


[b](continued)[/b]

He added that the success of a write-in candidate, whose partisans must actually write in his or her names rather than merely pulling a lever, would have to be based on a substantial, well-financed campaign. "It's a long shot," he said. "If a particular candidate can bring in a lot of money, they might be able to overcome the odds."

100 PORN PICTURES

A federal investigator allegedly found more than 100 pornographic images on Kline's home computer, including pictures of boys in sexual or simulated sexual positions.

According to court papers, U.S. Customs Service senior special agent Harry J. Pettibone found that Kline had used his position as a Little League umpire to "gain access" to underage ballplayers.

In one e-mail message retrieved from Kline's hard drive, Pettibone said in a report, Kline said "he resisted the urge to pat the Little Leaguer on the legs or touch the minor male's skin as the teenage boy sat next to Kline."

The molestation case has been transferred to Los Angeles Superior Court. Kline's Orange County colleagues, many of whom signed his nominating petition, recused themselves on the basis of their personal knowledge of him.

The molestation charges surfaced after news reports about Kline's alleged pornography collection. Kline allegedly had sex with a teen-age neighbor between 1976 and 1978. The state has filed four counts against him.

The Orange County Bar Association said on Monday that it had declined to find Kline either "qualified" or "not recommended" as it customarily does in judges' contests. Association president Richard Millar said the situation was "unprecedented."

"I don't think we've ever had a situation where a sitting judge was up for reelection where criminal charges were pending against him," Millar said. "We felt we were not in a position to evaluate the charges against him."

I might be a bit callous, but it's no more worse than the Mayor of Washington getting busted for smoking crack and winning his position again.

So you don't see any difference between doing drugs, which is a personal choice and victimless crime and molesting little boys? Interesting.......

Then this damn fool better get convicted pretty damn quick!

I'm certain that [u]even[/u] California will not let you serve as a Judge from behind bars.

Well, let's just say I'm pretty certain....

Crap, let's get real, California would most likely let him serve as a Judge if he was molesting little boys on the bench!

In his [u]own[/u] criminal trial!

Eric The(So,WhenIsMexicoScheduledToTakeCaliforniaBack?)Hun[>]:)]

Pardon me, [b]Ponyboy[/b], but is that picture of the 'pernicious weed' gonna be your photo from now on out?

Or just for the purposes of this thread?

Careful now, I'll have to post Monsieur Zig Zag, as mine!

Eric The(BigBambu)Hun[>]:)]

John, I think I have to disagree with you here.  A 38 year old taking naked pictures with a 12 year old is in my mind quite a bit more serious than a adult smoking some rocks.  

To me there is a big moral decision.  One of these cases there is an adult hurting himself and in another I see an adult exploiting a child for sexual satisfaction or impropriety.

Come on over to my house and smoke some rocks and I will kick you out of my house and possibly get the law involved.  Come over when you are 38 and take naked pics with my 12 year old child, you would leave in a bag.

Callous of you, maybe. I would tend to believe that the statement is more rediculous/ignorant.

I personally do not like the fact that Mayor Crackhead was re-elected and hope this scumbag doesn't follow in his footsteps.

Whoops, went back and re-read the post. I thought he just had porn downloaded from the net. Hell, everyone has porn downloaded from the net. I didn't read the part about the twelve year old. My bad.

Yeah, I was surfing and thought it would be a pretty funny sig pic as soon as I saw it. I think I'll let it stay for a little while and then find something else.

I swear officer....it was a total coincidence that I was talking about crack when suddenly this weed leaf popped up by my name.....[8P]

All right, [b]Ponyboy[/b], but don't forget - you asked for it!

<----------- Monsieur Zig Zag, at your service

Eric The(Cheech&ChongGotNothingOnMe!)Hun[>]:)]

Hahahaha! That is great!

By the way, if anyone cares, I don't do any drugs unless you count Jose Cuervo. I just thought the chronic was a good pic.

You were right, ONLY IN CALIFORNIA.  Hence why I turned down a great job out there for financial uncertainty here in NY.  The evil you know is better than the sick twisted legal and political system you don't.

Post from Maynard -

I must respectively refuse to answer that question based upon the grounds afforded me under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Oh, what the heck, of course I par[u]took[/u]!

I was in college and law school in the 70s for crying out loud!

Hell, LSU in Baton Rouge offered such courses as entitled 'Winnowing 101', 'Guide to Bong-cleaning', 'George Washington, Country Squire, my ass! He was Growing Weed! Man.'

The last was a course for students who were nonmatriculating, for obvious reasons!

Eric The(Reformed,HehHeh)Hun[>]:)]

Ahhhhh, but the real question is, did you inhale?.....

Everyone say 'good-bye' or 'abientot' to Monsieur Zig Zag.

Mean evil Gen. Arial(EricTheHun)Sharon will be returning shortly!

Watch for bulldozers, coming to a neighborhood near you!

Eric The(Sassy)Hun[>]:)]

Post from liberty86 -

Not inhale? Why would anyone smoke that crap if they weren't going to inhale to the top of their lungs...oh yeah, that's right, President Clinton didn't inhale...[b]he sucked![/b]

Hell, I'm still holding a toke I took at the Louisiana State Capitol Building in 1977.

It was in the Attorney General's office on the 19th floor!

There, I just released it!

Eric The(WhatA[i][b]Mensch[/b][/i]!)Hun[>]:)]