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For All Nails #233: Shootout at Black Rock

by David Mix Barrington


Page C1, Black Rock Beacon FN1
Black Rock, New York, N.C., CNA
8 May 1975

Court Candidate in Pildora Pickle

by Cranston Lamont, Beacon staff writer

Defying calls to withdraw from the race, Family Court judicial candidate Marjorie Creola Mix (RJP-Edison) today reaffirmed her criticism of the Conigliaro Bill. Before a large crowd of supporters in Fillmore Square, Mrs. Mix defended her right "to speak out on policy issues that affect the lives of the young people that come before the Court". FN2

Her principal opponent, Wojcek "Willie" Andreyczyk (Lib-Buffalo Creek), asked the Judicial Conduct Board to disqualify Mrs. Mix from the race, while pointedly refusing to state his own position on the measure currently before the Grand Council. The bill, which would prohibit certain family planning measures for unmarried persons, is supported by Andreyczyk's close political allies Mayor Ciepelski and Grand Councilor Stephen Kuratowski, as well as by the Roman Catholic Church.

Andreyczyk's position received support from Judge Patrick Fitzgerald, president of the Judicial Conduct Board. "The canons of conduct for judges apply equally to judicial candidates and strictly prohibit partisan political activity of any kind. Stating a position on pending legislation is clearly partisan political activity."

But Judge Constance Pellegrino (RJP-Fillmore), Supervisor of Niagara/Erie Family Court, disagreed. "My learned colleague is mistaken as to the meaning the canons give to partisan political activity. The Family Courts exercise jurisdiction over all young persons not in intact family structures, and officers of those courts have a role in determining policy that concerns such persons."

"When Mrs. Mix said that more wayward girls will become pregnant if they are forbidden from using the most reliable method to avoid that fate, she was well within the canons. She could have added, though she did not, that the city government's advocacy of this sectarian-minded proposal is part and parcel of its general refusal to face the problems of today's youth in a realistic way. Fortunately, it is the Family Court and not my learned colleague that is charged with enforcing the canons for Family Court elections."

Barring a successful challenge to Mrs. Mix's candidacy, the issue will be resolved by the voters in next Thursday's city-wide election. She is the endorsed candidate of the People's Coalition and the Masonist Party as well as that of the RJP.

An attorney practicing in Family Court since 1964, Mrs. Mix is the wife of former Liberal MLA David F. Mix, a solicitor now in private practice. Though Mrs. Mix was raised in the Waldensian Baptist Church, the couple now attend St. Paul's Church with their four daughters. FN3


Forward to FAN #234: A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Montagu.

Forward to 13 June 1975: Yet More Really Boring Stuff.

Forward to CNA Politics: Paper Trail.

Forward to Barrington family: We're a Happy Family.

Return to For All Nails.

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