Adams not fit to be Anne Arundel Circuit judge

Character counts! These two words represent the moral compass by which we all strive to live. We teach our kids this phrase at home and at school. It helps guide us through difficult times, like the current crisis we are all enduring. It also drives whom our leaders should be, importantly, our judges. As citizens, we expect nothing less than judges with the highest level of integrity and unblemished character. Judges must demonstrate these character traits, particularly because as a society we expect them to determine the honesty and credibility of witnesses that come before the court.

That is why Wes Adams is not fit to be a judge. How can Mr. Adams perform this critical function when he himself lacks character and honesty? As previous articles in The Capital demonstrate (“Reformer or ‘Bully,’ competing narratives drive Anne Arundel state’s attorney’s primary,” The Capital, June 13, 2018), Adams does not possess the integrity, fairness, and unblemished character to sit in judgment of others. You need not simply take my word. Consider the opinion of 13 other people – both lawyers and non-lawyers – comprising the Anne Arundel County Judicial Nominating Commission as well as the Maryland State Bar Association Judicial Appointment Committee, whom after examining his character and meeting him, refused to recommend Adams as a judicial candidate because he did not possess these critical character qualifications.

These committees’ sole responsibilities was to recommend the most qualified judicial candidates to Gov. Larry Hogan. This process is extremely thorough, requiring complete disclosures including character letters, writing samples, professional recommendations, and interviews with various legal committees of ethnic and gender diverse backgrounds to evaluate a judicial candidate’s character and worthiness to serve our community in this essential role.

After the citizens of this county voted Adams out as state’s attorney in 2018, he submitted his name to the Judicial Nominating Committee in 2019. The committee did not recommend him to Hogan. Adams was completely dishonest during this process when he said he “would never run against any Hogan appointed judge” to:

■ The Anne Arundel County Judicial Nominating Commission.

■ The Maryland State Bar Judicial Appointment Committee.

■ The governor’s senior staff.

■ Courthouse officials and personnel.

■ Members of the Anne Arundel County legal community.

■ Me.

His untrue words to so many folks demonstrate his lack of character and honesty. Now, Adams is trying to circumvent Hogan’s decision by putting his name on the June primary ballot, hoping that he will “knock off” one of Hogan’s appointed judges. As citizens who already spoke once to Adams when we voted him out of office in 2018, we now need to speak clearly to him again.

Through his four years as a politician in our county from 2014-2018, he demonstrated that he does not possess the moral character and integrity required of a judge. The Capital previously exposed how he bullied and intimidated people in his own office – most particularly women – and more than half of the members of his office quit under his reign. Adams shockingly hired his political consultant – a registered lobbyist and political operative - as an assistant state’s attorney allegedly in charge of “administration” after paying him $80,000 to get Adams elected. He paid this political consultant $333,000 in Anne Arundel County taxpayer money for what amounted to a “no show” job while that lobbyist was still doing outside political consulting and lobbying work.

Adams’ office was even investigated by the Anne Arundel County Sheriff’s Department, based on numerous complaints, concerning his nefarious personnel practices while being paid a salary from the taxpayers. Do your research. Read about his troubled professional past. When you receive your ballot for the June primary, remember, character counts. Do not vote for Wes Adams.

Bruce Bereano is an Annapolis lobbyist and is chairman of Citizens for Honest Judges - Anne Arundel County, a political action committee formed to oppose former state’s attorney Wes Adams, a candidate for circuit court judge. The primary election will be held on June 2.