The two women Superior Court Judges that have applied for the vacant DA job, Judge Becton. and Judge Douglas, are just superb candidates.. We have never had a women, or a person of color, hold down the job as elected DA in our county. We have all these great women deputy DA’s now, the DA’s office has become more diverse as well, but the top job seems to always go to white males. You’ve had a kind of old boys network in place for years, The DA will retire and pass the job to his top underling, always a white guy I’d like to see the job go to a women this time, the Board of Supervisors has the power to make this happen, and you have two great women candidates to choose from in Judge Becton and Judge Douglass. The Board, in my view, has no good excuse to not appoint Becton or Douglass, they are just excellent applicants.
If Supervisor Glover and the three women Supervisors on the board pass up this opportunity to appoint a women to the job they will be basically saying, “Sorry, the job of elected DA’s is off limits to women, and women of color”. I’m a white guy myself, but I feel believe strongly in the concept of diversity. Our county, Contra Costa County, is a fabulous mosaic of diverse communities now, I feel strongly the DA’s office should reflect this diversity. We should not have a situation where the top jobs are reserved for white males only. But that’s been the history of this office, you have a glass ceiling for the top jobs. The former DA – Mark Peterson, actually ran against the “old boy network” back in 2010, but after he wins the job he installs all white guys in the top management jobs, it was business as usual.
Because of this history I feel it’s imperative the Board of Supervisors step in and try to change the culture of the DA’s office, which they can do by appointing a women to the job. Some are saying the two women judges lack “experience”, but that’s a false narrative, these women judges that have applied are both incredibly impressive individuals, they both have compelling stories, and they are both known for their toughness and hard work. I urge all folks who want to see diversity become the norm at the Contra Costa DA’s office to write Supervisor Federal Glover and ask them to appoint one of these women. Supervisor Glover, not the old boys network, has the power to break the glass ceiling at the DA’s office.
The two women Superior Court Judges that have applied for the vacant DA job, Judge Becton. and Judge Douglas, are just superb candidates.. We have never had a women, or a person of color, hold down the job as elected DA in our county. We have all these great women deputy DA’s now, the DA’s office has become more diverse as well, but the top job seems to always go to white males. You’ve had a kind of old boys network in place for years, The DA will retire and pass the job to his top underling, always a white guy I’d like to see the job go to a women this time, the Board of Supervisors has the power to make this happen, and you have two great women candidates to choose from in Judge Becton and Judge Douglass. The Board, in my view, has no good excuse to not appoint Becton or Douglass, they are just excellent applicants.
If Supervisor Glover and the three women Supervisors on the board pass up this opportunity to appoint a women to the job they will be basically saying, “Sorry, the job of elected DA’s is off limits to women, and women of color”. I’m a white guy myself, but I feel believe strongly in the concept of diversity. Our county, Contra Costa County, is a fabulous mosaic of diverse communities now, I feel strongly the DA’s office should reflect this diversity. We should not have a situation where the top jobs are reserved for white males only. But that’s been the history of this office, you have a glass ceiling for the top jobs. The former DA – Mark Peterson, actually ran against the “old boy network” back in 2010, but after he wins the job he installs all white guys in the top management jobs, it was business as usual.
Because of this history I feel it’s imperative the Board of Supervisors step in and try to change the culture of the DA’s office, which they can do by appointing a women to the job. Some are saying the two women judges lack “experience”, but that’s a false narrative, these women judges that have applied are both incredibly impressive individuals, they both have compelling stories, and they are both known for their toughness and hard work. I urge all folks who want to see diversity become the norm at the Contra Costa DA’s office to write Supervisor Federal Glover and ask them to appoint one of these women. Supervisor Glover, not the old boys network, has the power to break the glass ceiling at the DA’s office.