On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, azcentral reported that Arizona Judge Geraldine Hale had recused herself from the criminal speeding trial of Senator Justine Wadsack, resulting in a delay of the proceedings. The trial was set to address charges against Wadsack, a Republican lawmaker from Tucson, who had pleaded not guilty to allegations of criminal speeding and failure to produce insurance during a pre-arraignment hearing on September 17.
The case had initially been assigned to Judge Hale, but her recusal led to the reassignment of the trial to Judge Lisa Surhio. A new hearing date is expected to be determined soon, as indicated by court documents. The specific reasons for Hale’s recusal were not disclosed, but according to the Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct, judges can step down if there are reasonable questions about their impartiality.
The charges against Wadsack stem from an incident in mid-March, where it was reported that she was recorded driving at 71 mph in a 35 mph zone in central Tucson. Wadsack claimed she was in a hurry to return home, as the charge on her electric vehicle was about to expire. In a social media post, she criticized the City of Tucson for pursuing the charges, alleging that the local government, led by a Democratic mayor and police chief, was using its authority to target political opponents.
Following her pre-arraignment hearing, Wadsack’s attorney, Brad Miller, announced that he was considering filing a notice of claim against the city, which is a precursor to a potential lawsuit. This legal action appears to be part of Wadsack’s strategy to contest what she describes as politically motivated prosecution.
Wadsack, who faced significant political challenges in the past year, lost an endorsement from the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police shortly before the July 30 primary election. This endorsement was rescinded after she referred to her speeding ticket as “political persecution.” Subsequently, Wadsack lost her primary bid to former lawmaker Vince Leach, whom she had previously unseated in the 2022 election.
Judge Geraldine Hale, who has served on the bench for two four-year terms, was reappointed for a third term in 2021 by the Tucson City Council despite a recommendation against her reappointment from the City Magistrate Merit Selection Commission. This commission had raised concerns regarding Hale’s temperament and legal acumen in a memo submitted to the Tucson mayor and city council in February 2021. The commission’s investigation included public comments, audio recordings of Hale’s hearings, and various written correspondences regarding her suitability for the position.
Source: azcentral
