They may appear as names on a ballot, but in an effort to help voters get to know judicial candidates for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County Office 80, Spectrum News 1 asked them a series of questions.
Both, David Berger and Klint McKay, were asked the same questions.
What work do you currently do, and why do you do it?
David Berger: I am a Deputy District Attorney. I work at the DA's office. I have been with the DA's office for 24 years. I have handled every type of case on the criminal menu, from murders to misdemeanors. I've also been involved in some interesting projects focused on finding alternatives to putting people in prison."
Klint McKay: "I'm currently an administrative law judge, and I represent the Department of Social Services. We decide cases involving people who are below 600% of the federal poverty level. I also do foster decisions as to whether people will be appropriate foster parents for children."
Question: What does justice mean to you?
Berger: "At its core, it's fairness. You can have a law that if applied to a set of facts produces a ridiculous result. You need a judge with experience to know how to navigate around that because it's unacceptable to have someone, for example, go to prison for 25 years to life for stealing a weed whacker."
McKay: Justice means that you treat people with fairness. The purpose of any decision made about a criminal case should be, can we restore this person safely to productive membership in society? That is what it means. Can we do that? For some people the answer is, no, we cannot. For most people, the answer is yes. That's not a prosecutor's mindset."
Question: What is something voters should know about you outside the courtroom?
Berger: “I am a keen aviation enthusiast. I took my first flight when I was six months old. I flew from London via New York to Los Angeles. I think it took close 20 hours. Things have come a long way since then, but I've always remained absolutely fascinated with aviation."
McKay: "I've been to the Sturgis motorcycle rally five times. I've been playing guitars and instruments for 40 years, and I played guitar for Kamala Harris."
Let Inside the Issues know your thoughts and watch Monday through Friday at 8 and 11 p.m. on Spectrum News 1.