Snipes loses request to have new judge hear case

The Broward Supervisor of Elections Office says the circuit court judge who ruled against it in a lawsuit brought by a losing political candidate has a conflict of interest involving his own ambitions for a federal judgeship and should recuse himself from the case.

Circuit Court Judge Raag Singhal denied the motion from Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes on Tuesday, which means he remains on the case. In a brief order, Singhal found that the request for recusal and disqualification was legally insufficient.

Snipes, in an affidavit submitted with the motion asking the judge to recuse himself, said: “I fear that I will not get a fair trial or any other determination in front of Judge Raag Singhal.”

Burnadette Norris-Weeks, attorney for the Elections Office, said she and Snipes didn’t learn about what they see as issues with the judge until after he ruled against the election agency on May 11. Once the judge’s ruling received news media attention, Norris-Weeks said people with information — including one of Snipes’ employees — came forward.

“It’s outrageous,” NorrisWeeks added.

Judges aren’t permitted to comment on such motions or rulings.

But Bob Jarvis, a professor in legal ethics at Nova Southeastern University’s law school, said the standard to obtain a recusal is high, and he doesn’t think Snipes and Norris-Weeks met it.