Yesterday the Council’s Gender Equity, Safe Communities and New Americans Committee held confirmation hearings for two Mayoral appointees to the Seattle Municipal Court.
The two appointees are:
Anita Crawford-Willis, who would fill a seat vacated by the retirement of Judge Judith Hightower.
Adam Eisenberg, who would fill a vacancy created by the election of Judge Steve Rosen to the King County Superior Court.
Both Crawford-Willis and Eisenberg, if confirmed, will serve until January 2019, at which point there will be an election. It goes without saying that serving in the position for the next two years(competently, we assume) gives them an advantage in that election, which gives the Mayoral appointments more significance.
Both candidates soared through the hearing on Wednesday. Especially Crawford-Willis, who has been a champion for people of color in the Seattle legal community and in the past has been a mentor to both Council member Gonzalez and Council member Juarez. They are both well known and well respected, having each participated in the Seattle legal community for over two decades.
The final confirmation vote will be at Monday afternoon’s Full Council meeting.