Fresno County judges race draws critics of negative campaigning

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- With just one week until Election Day, a Fresno County judges race is taking center stage.

A parade of community leaders criticized Lisa Gamoian's campaign tactics, including Chamber of Commerce President Al Smith.

"It poisons the entire elective system," he said.

Gamoian's campaign has featured negative ads on TV and in the paper, attacking her opponent Rachel Hill. Both are vying for the seat being vacated by retiring Judge Robert Oliver. Oliver announced he could no longer remain neutral in the race and accused Gamoian's attack ads of being an attack on not just Hill, but the courts as well.

"Very directly impugning the integrity of judges in this court and the manner in which they run their court," said Oliver.

Oliver held up two ads featured in Sunday's Fresno Bee as examples of the differences in the two campaigns.

"Look at both of these ads and you determine, you determine who is promoting confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary," said Oliver.

Hill's ad simply lists her experience, but Gamoian's ad rips Hill as someone who "Does not share our values and beliefs." Hill told Action News she isn't sure whose values Gamoian is talking about.

"Everyone who comes to the court should know that they have a fair hearing and that they are treated in an unbiased way, not as an us or a them. I don't know who she was referring to," said Hill.

Later, Gamoian held her own news conference. When asked whose values she represented, she responded, "I share the beliefs and the values of Fresno County."

When asked why she felt Rachel Hill didn't, she said, "She's not born and raised here."

Gamoian claims that in a Facebook post Hill criticized the accuracy of Fox News as an example of how Hill doesn't share Fresno County's beliefs.

"Personal opinions about Fox News certainly it would reflect on someone's value system," said Gamoian.

Hill said the Facebook posts from four years were taken out of context and were not an appropriate yardstick to measure a judicial candidate.

"It's beneath the dignity of the position we are seeking for me to go bit by bit to every absurd allegation that has been brought out here," said Hill. "This is a judicial race. This is not about sarcastic banter between friends. This is about what we stand for, what our qualification are, what we bring to the table."

Both women have extensive experience as attorneys. Gamoian has been a prosecutor in the district attorney's office, while Hill has been both a prosecutor and a public defender.