“Portland-centric Ortega sounded out-of-touch and distant as she spoke in abstract legal theories and data analysis while admitting that she needs to do ‘a better job’ and ‘more work’ – despite having been on the bench for 19 years. In contrast, Judge Day provided insights from his direct personal experiences, challenging trial court examples, and citizens’ input from traveling all 36 Oregon counties during his campaign.”

REDMOND, OREGON —Last night, Vance Day participated in a live-streamed virtual candidate forum sponsored by the Portland Urban League featuring the candidates for Position #3 on the Oregon Court of Appeals. It was the only public forum in which his opponent, 19-year incumbent Judge Darleen Ortega, had agreed to participate. Communications Director Kevin Hoar released the following statement on behalf of Vance’s Campaign

“Clearly, Vance Day shined in front of the Portland Urban League as the judicial candidate with the most relevant, hands-on judicial and life experience to understand the concerns citizens have today with our overly-politicized justice system and is best equipped to begin rebuilding trust going forward. As a former Circuit Court Judge who heard hundreds of cases and who oversaw a Veterans Court that dealt with homelessness, drug, and alcohol addiction, and as an exonerated former criminal defendant who was unfairly targeted with false allegations, Vance made a powerful case that he better understands how to apply the law and guarantee due process to defendants and crime victims alike in a system where legal representation is increasingly unaffordable except to the elites who run it.”

Hoar went on to state:

“Though Judge Darlene Ortega and former Judge Day agreed that it is important to ‘listen to, be curious, and remain close’ to the people most affected by our system of justice. However, Portland-centric Ortega sounded out-of-touch and distant as she spoke in abstract legal theories and data analysis while admitting that she needs to do ‘a better job’ and ‘more work’ – despite having been on the bench for 19 years. In contrast, Judge Day provided insights from his direct personal experiences, challenging trial court examples, and citizens’ input from traveling all 36 Oregon counties during his campaign..”

Vance Day, Candidate for Position 3, Oregon Court of Appeals, added:

“I was proud to make the case that our state’s second-highest court desperately needs the experience of a former trial judge who himself has experienced what our justice system can be like from a defendant’s point of view. My job is not to trust the government but to hold it accountable for following the law under our State and Federal Constitutions so that all branches of government properly do their jobs to protect individual rights and address the monumental challenges faced by the citizens of our state.”

To view the entire forum video, see below:

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ABOUT VANCE DAY FOR JUDGE

Vance Day is a candidate for Position 3 on the Oregon Court of Appeals, a statewide, nonpartisan position. The election will be held May 17, 2022.

Day is a sixth-generation descendant of Oregon Trail pioneers, born and raised in the Willamette Valley. He graduated magna cum laude from Warner Pacific University and earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Willamette University College of Law in 1991. An accomplished trial lawyer, he has tried over 300 bench and jury trials. In addition, Vance served the State of Oregon for nearly four years as the Chairman of the Oregon Republican Party. 

In 2011 Day was appointed to serve as a Circuit Court Judge and was elected to a full six-year term in Nov. 2012. In 2012, Judge Day started a veteran’s treatment court in Salem, Oregon, to target the root causes of veterans’ criminal behavior, such as homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse, by bringing together the prosecutor, the defense attorney, the judge, other veterans, treatment providers, mentors, and support teams to work together to help veterans make a fresh start. While Day was running the program, there was a zero-recidivism rate.

Upon completion of his term as a circuit court judge, Vance Day was recruited by the board of the Christian men’s ministry Promise Keepers to help rebuild the organization, eventually serving as president of the organization. Under his leadership, the organization was revitalized and now ministers to hundreds of thousands of men globally. Most recently, Day travels the length and breadth of Oregon on behalf of the James Madison Center for Free Speech, meeting with various organizations, churches, and community groups to discuss our constitutional liberties and how we can responsibly respond to government overreach.

For more information:

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

May 13, 2022
CONTACT: Kevin Hoar, Communications Director
Media@TeamVanceDay.org | 541-714-3646