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A Look at Fresno's Judiciary as Mangano Takes His Robe
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By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 5 years ago on
June 17, 2019

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Even though he was sworn in last January, Robert Mangano took his black robe at a ceremony Friday, joining his brethren as a Fresno County judge.
Dozens of his colleagues descended upon the event at the Fresno Veterans Memorial Auditorium officially welcome Mangano into the fold. He won election to the bench in June 2018, and is assigned to family law. Formerly a prosecutor in the district attorney’s office, Mangano joked he had no family law experience.

Photo of GV Wire's David Taub
David Taub
Politics 101
The judiciary, like the legislative branch of county government, is directly elected by the people. According to the court’s judicial roster, the terms of 18 judges expire next year and they would be up for reelection.
However, it is extremely rare that a sitting judge is challenged in an election. Mangano won his seat in an open election to replace the retiring Dennis Peterson.
Judicial experts tell Politics 101 they expect all 18 judges to run again. If no challengers emerge, the judges keep their jobs without a formal election.
Fresno County judges gather at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium for the enrobing ceremony of Robert Mangano on June 14, 2019 (GV Wire/David Taub)

Nasreen Johnson’s Future

Nasreen Johnson
Nasreen Johnson, who unsuccessfully ran for two separate offices in the last year, is thinking about it again — for Fresno County Board of Supervisors in 2024!
Johnson ran for the open supervisor seat in April, falling to eventual winner Steve Brandau. That seat is open again next March for the full term.
Why file for 2024? Johnson said “she is keeping her options open.”

Cox’s Local PAC Money

Congressman TJ Cox (D-Fresno) pledged not to take corporate PAC money when he won office in 2018. That doesn’t mean he isn’t taking any PAC money.
He’s collected $131,000 from various committees, including agriculture groups (rice, almonds, dairy), other members of Congress (Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Lee, and Jim Clyburn, for example), and union interests (carpenters, postal workers).
Only two of those political action committees are based in Fresno — the Friant Water PAC which has contributed $1,000 so far in 2019; and the Valley First Leadership PAC, which has donated $2,500.
Friant Water PAC contributed $21,950 to six federal candidates in the 2018 cycle, four of them from California. It donated to Republicans and Democrats.
Valley First is run by Steven Diebert, a man GV Wire featured in a 2016 story for serving as an elector to the Electoral College. He is probate referee, helping determine the values of property that the probate court deals with.
In 2018, Valley First contributed $32,100 to 15 Democrats, including $2,000 to Jim Costa (D-Fresno), according to Open Secrets.

Free Trump Swag at Local GOP Event

Fresno County Republicans will gather Tuesday night to celebrate President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.
The local GOP group will gather at the High Sierra Grill House (2003 W. Bullard in Fresno) to watch Trump announce his kick off his 2020 campaign from Florida.
The county party says the first 45 people through the door will receive free Trump swag.

Will Warren, Harris Visit Fresno?

On the Democratic Party side, Politics 101 is hearing of potential Fresno visits by presidential candidates Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) later this summer.

It’s Never Too Early

District attorney Lisa Smittcamp held a fundraiser for her 2022 reelection campaign last week.
Recently reported donations included $5,000 each from Valley Wide Beverage Company, Triple B Ranch, Donghy Sales, Inc., and her father-in-law Robert Smittcamp.
She won her second term unopposed.
 

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David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

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