Judicial candidate wants to offer new perspective on court

Brobson, with 11 years experience on the Commonwealth Court, was ranked “Highly Recommended” for office by the Pennsylvania Bar Association. That experience, he said, makes him unique in the field of candidates.

“There are only seven seats on the Supreme Court, and I bring a new perspective and a new experience that the judges don’t have on that court, basically being a judge on the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and doing government law, Constitution law and administrative law my entire career,” Brobson said.

The public should and deserves to have faith in the state appellate court system, he said.

“I think a lot of that faith has been shaken. It was shaken in 2009 when I ran with the ‘kids for cash’ scandal, pay raise issues and still people are wondering today if we can get a court today that truly looks at the issues and holds the government accountable and protects their rights,” Brobson said.

The “kids for cash” scandal centered on judicial kickbacks to two judges at the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre in return for imposing harsh sentences on juveniles to increase occupancy at for-profit detention centers.

Today, people may lack faith in the courts for many reasons: the 2020 election and court decisions related to that, redistricting and the Supreme Court’s redrawing of Congressional districts in 2018, and determining what businesses could remain open or would close during the pandemic, he said.

“The courts need to be a check and balance on the government and that’s why I’m running,” Brobson said.

Currently, the Supreme Court contains five Democratic judges and two Republicans. Brobson said it’s not so much about the political breakdown as it is about perspective and experience. He hopes to fill the position being opened with the retirement of Judge Thomas G. Saylor, from Somerset County.

“Most of our appellate court judges are elected from the southwest and southeast part of the state. I am from central Pennsylvania and serve as a president judge of the appellate court of Pennsylvania,” Brobson said. “I think we want another central Pennsylvania judge who can serve on the court with Justice (Sallie) Mundy here from Tioga County.

“I think people don’t want a political judiciary,” he continued. “But they also don’t want a judiciary that all have the same experience, the same mindset. All of us believe the same thing, only one of us will be relevant. I’m trying to bring that added perspective, that new perspective, that fresh perspective to the court.”

For more information, visit www.BrobsonForPA.com.