Amanda Green-Hawkins, the former New Pittsburgh Courier Fab 40 honoree, is running for Pennsylvania Superior Court, and she’s not fooling around.
Evidence? Her campaign finance chair is Eugene D. Pasquale—the state Auditor General. The former two-term Allegheny County Councilwoman also boasts Leo Gerard, International President of United Steel Workers, as her campaign chair and Fred Redmond, USW International VP (Human Affairs), as co-chair.
She is one of four Democrats and three Republicans vying for the court’s two open seats.
“Early in my legal career, after clerking for a Superior Court judge, I had a choice—go to work with a private firm and make lots of money or fight for working families, the underprivileged and civil rights. I chose fighting for working families and civil rights,” Green-Hawkins said in her campaign announcement statement last week. “My passion for the law and public service are powering my drive for this important statewide seat.”
Green-Hawkins, an attorney for the USW since moving to Pittsburgh in 2002, has an extensive and successful record as a labor and civil rights attorney, arguing and winning cases from California to St. Croix. Originally from Jersey City, New Jersey, she is an alumnus of Duke University and Northeastern University School of Law.
She served as the District 13 representative on county council from 2008 to 2014. She is a member of the state’s electoral college and a Democratic Party superdelegate. She will seek the party’s endorsement for one of the two spots this weekend during its Winter Meeting.
Green-Hawkins also serves on the boards of the Port Authority of Allegheny County, the Pittsburgh Zoo, and Pittsburgh United. She is also an advisory committee member to New Voices Pittsburgh.
Others seeking the Democratic endorsement include Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Dan McCaffrey, brother of former state Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffrey, and Allegheny County attorneys Beth Tarasi and Ryan James.
Of the four, only McCaffrey received positive, “Highly Recommended” ratings from the Pennsylvania Bar Association Evaluation Commission. Though it found Green-Hawkins had successfully argued cases at the federal district and appellate courts and is credited by peers and supervisors as having a strong work ethic, the commission said she did not have the experience and preparation to take on the role of a superior court judge and did not recommender her at this time.
The Republican Party has already endorsed Cumberland County Judge Christylee Peck and Lancaster County prosecutor Megan King for Superior Court. Former Montour County District Attorney Rebecca Warren is also seeing the nomination. Her campaign is being chaired by retired Superior Court Judge Cheryl Allen, the last African American to serve on the court.
Judges on Superior Court are elected to 10-year terms, at an annual salary of $191,926. The primary will be held on May 21, and the top two vote-getters from both the Democratic and Republican parties will appear on the November general election ballot. From those four candidates, the top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, will fill the two seats.
Like us at https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Pittsburgh-Courier/143866755628836?ref=hl
Follow @NewPghCourier on Twitter https://twitter.com/NewPghCourier
About Post Author
