PO Box 85 7, Buffalo, NY 14205 Website: www.sdwny.org
2013 ENDORSEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE- ERIE COUNTY FAMILY COURT __ C_r_u... _ ___________ _ __ ___ __ ( Email:__,_: _f\.:...:..f-v _ '--<,_ ,__"'-"_.,____ ___________ _ 7/b. 35 2, Fax: 7/6 <fb1 <65'( l Phone: ---------------- Party Affiliation:_\:> __ <:,_ __ Other Party Lines Sought: Before you continue, please understand that: (Cj_vcfT fi"\, j:h..' {lcr---:t'() e r '1 r c \' .. Stonewall Democrats ofWNY may publicize your responses in press releases and voters' guides, on our web site, and via other channels of communication. Stonewall Democrats of WNY will also identify candidates who fail to respond to this questionnaire. Stonewall Democrats of WNY will hold you publicly accountable for actions inconsistent with your responses during your campaign and if elected during your term in office. Stonewall Democrats of WNY will not consider endorsement of any candidate if they support any tate or national version of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) legislation. Part 1: Please submit your typewritten responses to the following questions on a separate sheet. 1.) Why are you running for a judicial position, and what qualifies you for the position? 2.) Why are you seeking the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats ofWNY? 3.) Do you believe that bias affects our justice system, particularly in areas such as domestic violence and custody/visitation issues involving LGBTQ individuals? If so, how do you propose to eliminate this? 4.) Do any of the organizations, associations or clubs to which you belong prohibit or limit membership on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability, national origin or gender identity and expression? 5.) What is your experience with the LGBTQ community both generally and professionally? As an attorney, have you ever represented clients involved with LGBT issues? 6.) Will you work to insure that gender identity and expression or sexual orientation is not a con ;ideration in your staff hiring decisions? 7.) What kind of support would you like to have from the LGBTQ community ifyou win your primary? 8.) Stonewall Democrats of Western New York strongly believes that candidates have a responsibility to provide voters with truthful, fair and clean campaigns for public office and to conduct her or himself in a manner conducive to a civil, issue-oriented debate with their fellow candidates. Would you be willing to sign a written pledge to conduct your campaign ai:cordingly? Stonewall Democrats WNY- Erie County Family Court. 2013. page 3 Paul V. Crapsi For Family Court PO Box 1381, Buffalo, NY 14213 (c) 716.352.8219 Stonewall Democrats of WNY PO Box 857 Buffalo, NY 14205 May21,2013 2013 Endorsement Questionnaire for Erie County Family Court 1. Why are you running for a judicial position, and what qualifies you for the position? I am running for Erie County Family Court because I believe that Family Court is the most important court in the judicial system. It is the most important court because every case involves a child. In every case, a judge will be presented with a certain set of facts and limitations, and will have to decide what, in this particular set of circumstances, is in the best interest of the child involved. I am proud of my qualifications for this position. First and foremost, personally, I am a family man, married, with four children. I understand the importance of raising children, and also understand the hardships and sacrifices involved. I believe that this life experience is essential in order to make sophisticated and difficult decisions about someone else's children. Professionally, I have been in the legal field for approximately 20 years. I have practiced law in almost all of the courts, and have developed a reputation as a zealous advocate. As an attorney I have handled numerous cases of distinction or first impression, and my cases have been covered by the Buffalo News, the Buffalo Law Journal, and the New York Times. For the last 5 years, I have been an administrative law judge, deciding vehicle and traffic cases. In that capacity I decide over 1000 cases a year, and believe I have developed a professional reputation as a just, fair, and firm decision maker. 2. Why are you seeking the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats of WNY? I am seeking the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats of WNY because I believe that Family Court is important for everyone in our community, and that th,e definition of family should not be limited to traditional definitions. All members of our community are entitled to equal protection under the law, and that includes Family Court proceedings. I am proud of the professional work I have done for equal rights, and would be honored and proud to receive the endorsement of Stonewall Democrats. Additionally, Stonewall members are '""-'""" ''"' '-''-- u v u v ~ , vlll:;10l:;1vu, OIIU vVIIvCIIICU IIICIIIUCJ;:, VI UUI \;UIIIJIIUIIJ align with progressive, positive agendas. 3. Do you believe that bias affects our justice system, particularly in areas such as domestic violence and custody/visitation issues involving LGBTQ individuals? If so, how do you propose to eliminate this? I believe that bias affects all aspects of our society, including our justice system, in issues involving LGBTQ individuals. Although we have made significant progress, there is still much to be done. I propose to eliminate LGBTQ bias in the following way: I propose establishing a LGBTQ advisory panel to meet on a regular basis for the purposes of advising and counseling on issues involving LGBTQ community and family issues. This would allow LGBTQ community members to advise sitting judges on issues which may be of ongoing concern. This could start as an informal, conversational type meeting, and we could extend the invitation to other judges once we got going. No. 4. Do any of the organizations, association or clubs to which you belong prohibit or limit membership on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability, national origin or gender identity and expression? 5. What is your experience with the LGBTQ community both generally and professionally? As an attorney, have you ever represented clients involved with LGBT issues? I have both general and professional experience with the LGBTQ community. As an attorney, I have represented numerous clients with LGBT issues. My most famous case regarding LGBT issues was the Humig v. Department of Corrections case which was covered by the New York Times. That was the first case in New York State where sexual orientation discrimination was the basis for the lawsuit on a discrimination matter. My client alleged that she was discriminated against because of her sexual orientation. At the time, sexual orientation was a new protected class, but had yet to be tested in the courts. My case was the first case in the state to be litigated on that basis. Not only did I succeed with our lawsuit, my verdict was the highest verdict ever awarded by the Division of Human Rights, $850,000. That award was later reduced on appeal, and higher verdicts have since been rendered, but I was proud of our accomplishments on that case. 6. Will you work to insure that gender identity and expression or sexual orientation is not a consideration in your staff hiring decisions? ...... ............. .... 1 a ,.., c;"l-'' c;;:.;:,u u :::,t:xual Will never ne a consideration in my staff hiring decisions. Yes, I will work to insure that remains the case. 7. What kind of support would you like to have from the LGBTQ community if you win your primary? I would be honored to have whatever large or small support is available. Some possible ideas are handlers to walk me door to door to LGBTQ households and to forage introductions, handlers for LGBTQ events to meet attendees, and any other support your organization would deem appropriate. 8. Stonewall Democrats of Western New York strongly believes that candidates have a responsibility to provide voters with a truthful, fair and clean campaigns for public office and to conduct her or himself in a manner conducive to a civil, issue-orientated debate with their fellow candidates. Would you be willing to sign a written pledge to conduct your campaign accordingly? Yes, I would be willing to sign a written pledge to conduct my campaign in accordance with your specifications as outlined above. 9. If endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats of WNY, will you list the endorsement on all applicable campaign literature (i.e.: all literature listing any other organizational endorsements)? I would be honored to have Stonewall Democrats of WNY endorsement, and would proudly display that endorsement on my website and any other campaign literature listing endorsements. 1 O.lf endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats of WNY, will you attend a LGBTQ community forum to introduce endorsed candidates held prior to the primary election? I would be honored to attend a LGBTQ community forum. 11. Would you knowingly seek endorsement of or advertise on any homophobic/transphobic media? No, I would not seek endorsement of or advertise on any homophobic/transphobic media. literature (i.e.: all literature listing any other organizational endorsements)? 10.) If endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats ofWNY, will you attend a LGBTQ forum to introduce endorsed candidates held prior to primary election? ll.)Would you knowingly seck endorsemeot 'rf or advertise on any homopbobic/transpbobic media? Yes G I attest that this questionnaire represents my opinion of the issues on this questionnaire: Candidate's Signature:____ (JVVY\ l -------- --- --- ----- -------------- ----- ----------------- Date: 5 -2.,1.-- \ Please complete the attached issues surveys, sign below and return questionnaire, surveys and your resume by Friday, May 24.2013 by either by email to faxed to (716) 853-2448 (Attention: Bryan Ball, Stonewall Democrats of\VNY) or mailed to: Attention: Endorsernent Conunittcc Den1ocrat:-c ()f \VNY PO Box :\57 Hdffalo, 142G5 Stonewall Democrats WNY- Erie County Family Court. 2013, page 4