Dear Mr. Scott and Members of the Md. Judicial Equality Committee:

    Thank you for sending us your survey. While we strongly support all

efforts to fight bigotry and bias, we are neither lawyers who specialize in family law issues nor judges who hear family law cases. For thoughtful, accurate responses to your survey, the bench and the bar should be the respondents rather than candidates for State Legislature.

    Each of us are incumbent State Legislators who listen closely to

testimony presented in Committee, carefully assess both sides of

controversial, complex issues, and then decide how to vote based on the

evidence presented, research we conduct and the conclusions we reach. It is our objective to legislate only when the public good is served and we endeavor to ensure that public policy is in the best interest of the majority of Marylanders.

    We believe that the electorate should evaluate candidates' voting

records, community service, academic attainments, work experience and

positions on past or specific proposed future legislation to determine

qualifications for public office. However, we do not make final

judgments of support or opposition to future legislative proposals

without first reading a bill. As you are aware, often "the devil's in

the details." Rather than capture the above information, your survey

appears to seek to record personal opinions and often guesses;  it also

makes assertions that can be challenged with information that an

opposing point of view would present.

    Therefor, we hope you will understand why we are not replying to

your survey.

                Sincerely,

Delegate Henry Heller            Delegate Adrienne A. Mandel

Delegate Carol Petzold