Kathi McNabb Welsh: “Throughout my legal career and my career in public service, I have held true to my core values of hard work,
      honesty and integrity.”
     
      J.P. Morgan: “My Christian faith provides the back drop and foundation of who I am...My life’s work reflects a dedication to seeking truth, to seeking what is good and just and seeking what is right.”
     
      Six candidates will be on the Nov. 6 general election ballot vying for the Mahoning County Court seat of suspended Judge Diane Vettori, who sat on the bench in Sebring.
      Vettori has been accused of improprieties in her capacity as a private attorney and is prohibited by the Ohio Supreme Court of hearing cases while charges against her are pending. She did not file petitions for re-election, and has rejected a plea bargain.
      Also on the ballot in uncontested races for seats on the county court are longtime judges Joseph Houser, who sits on the bench in Boardman Court; and Scott Hunter, who sits on the bench in Canfield Court.
      Austintown Court Judge David D’Apolito is also on the November ballot, seeking election to the Seventh District Court of Appeals, where he is opposing Kathleen Bartlett, who ascended to the seat last year when Mary DeGenaro was appointed to the Ohio Supreme Court. Should D’Apolito lose his bid for the Seventh District Appellate Court, he will remain as a county court judge.
      DeGenaro, a Republican, from Poland, Oh., is on the ballot seeking election to her seat and is opposed Democrat Melody Stewart.
      The six-person race for Vettori’s seat includes Kathi McNabb Welsh, 522 Deer Run Dr., Boardman; J.P. Morgan, 4020 Tippecanoe Rd., Boardman; Matt Gambrel, 8542 Ivy Hill Dr., Boardman; as well as Christopher Sammarone, 1680 Gully Top Dr., Canfield; Molly Johnson, 281 Chapel Lane, Canfield; and A. Ross Douglass, 3655 Villa Rosa Dr., Canfield.
      “Frankly, I could live with any of the candidates on the ballot,” one local attorney told The Boardman News.
      Conversations with three other attorneys suggest the most qualified candidates for Vettori’s seat are McNabb Welsh or J.P. Morgan, with Gambrel running with most aggressive campaign to date.
      A. Ross Douglass gets a rap in some circle, citing his inexperience in trying cases.
      Johnson is an unknown factor, with The Boardman News being told “She even has election signs up in Trumbull County, and I’ll bet her campaign will spend a lot of money.” Johnson currently has a misleading radio ad that suggests she would be harsh with child molesters, but the county court judge’s seat does not sentence in such cases.
      Sammarone has not been visible in the campaign with some suggesting he has inherited his father’s problems stemming from his tenure as Mayor of Youngstown.
      The four Mahoning County Courts service the largest numbers of cases among all courts in the county, including misdemeanors and civil cases.
      Information on many of the county court candidates can be found at Judicial Votes Count.
      Kathi McNabb Welsh
      According to Judicial Votes Counts, McNabb Welsh says “As a former assistant prosecuting attorney, I have experience in trying felony and misdemeanor jury and bench trials before the common pleas courts and municipal courts. I have argued cases before courts of appeals and have argued several times before the Supreme Court of Ohio. As Chief Deputy Clerk of Court, I have expanded my knowledge of the law in civil matters, including those handled by the county courts. Every day, I use my legal skills to ensure that the Clerk’s office, including the County Court Clerk’s office, is in compliance with the law and its many changes. Also, I have the unique experience of understanding the administration and operation of the Mahoning County Courts. I have also represented clients in private civil matters.
      She says she is running for the county court seat “because I believe that my unique qualifications and my record of qualified and ethical service to the law and to the community make me an ideal candidate for county court judge. Throughout my legal career and my career in public service, I have held true to my core values of hard work, honesty and integrity. As a school board member with over 15 years of elected office experience, I have served my constituents honorably. I will do the same as judge.”
      McNabb Welsh, 58, is currently Chief Deputy Clerk of Court for the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas..
      J.P. Morgan
      According to Judicial Votes Count, Morgan, 44, says “As a practicing attorney in the Mahoning Valley for 17 years, I will bring a wide-ranging skill set and vast courtroom experience to the bench. My multi-county legal practice has allowed me to see how our area courts can run efficiently and justly. Serving as both a public defender (10 years) and acting prosecutor, I understand our criminal justice system from every angle. My civil litigation experience has given me the experience and knowledge of the law that will be needed to hear and decide those civil cases assigned to the County Court. I have been a trusted member of the bar association having served for 10 years (two as chairman) on the Trumbull County Ethics Committee, a committee that investigates and holds accountable lawyers who violate ethical rules.
      Asked why he is seeking a county court judgeship, Morgan says “Having lived in this valley since a young age, I have seen how corruption and poor decisions by local officials and judges have eroded the public confidence and trust in our government and courts. This is not acceptable to me. I want to serve as a Judge to bring integrity and a restored trust to the bench I seek. Our families and this community deserve a Court that they can trust to fairly, impartially and independently hear their case. A court that will apply the law correctly and now bow to political pressures. My Christian faith provides the back drop and foundation of who I am. Honesty, character and integrity are truths that I have been taught from a very young age. I have learned that integrity is not something you say you have, it is something you do. My life’s work reflects a dedication to seeking truth, to seeking what is good and just and seeking what is right. It is for these reasons I seek to become the next judge of the Mahoning County Court.”
      Matt Gambrel
      According to Judicial Votes Count, Gambrel, 36, says he has “worked on over 1,000 cases over the course of my career. I am very familiar with the types of cases that come through the court. This experience has given me a thorough understanding of all parties involved in the county court system. Because of my experience and understanding, I will make sure everyone before me is treated fairly and with respect and that my rulings will be just and appropriate. I do not believe in blanket policies and absolutes. I think every situation is different and needs to be heard and resolved based on the particular facts of each case. This takes time, patience, and real understanding and appreciation of the cases. My experience as a practicing attorney, actively practicing in the county court system since 2008 qualifies me to be a judge in this court.
      Gambrel says he is running “for this particular court seat because I think I have the experience and commitment to the community to run a fair and honest court...I am a member of the Boardman Lions Club, serving as club president for the past two years. As member have worked to raise money and help provide assistance for those in need in the community. I have chaired committees and worked with the local food pantry to establish a food pantry at the Boardman Center Intermediate School. I believe I can further better my community by serving as a County Court Judge. My professional experience, personal history and priorities, and temperament make me the ideal choice as county court judge.”
      A. Ross Douglass
      According to Judicial Votes Count, A. Ross Douglas says “I have served as Chief Trial Counsel for thousands of criminal and civil matters pending before the Mahoning County Courts located in Austintown, Boardman, Canfield and Sebring as well as the Court of Common Pleas General Division, Domestic Division and Juvenile Division. I have had the opportunity to handle many different types of cases including criminal defense, civil litigation, family law, probate, personal injury and mental health proceedings. Most important to me is that I serve as a Guardian Ad Litem in the Mahoning County Juvenile Court in an effort to protect the best interests of our community’s children.”
      Douglass says “Over the years as citizens of Mahoning County we have had to suffer repeated harm and embarrassment as a result of the criminal actions and ineptitude of so many of our elected officials. As someone who has spent the last 17 years in a courtroom, I have gained the highest respect for the office and I know how important it is for the citizens of Mahoning County to have a qualified judge. Through my extensive experience as a trial attorney, I have proven that I have the integrity to serve in this most respected capacity.”