Editor:

Oneida County is indeed fortunate to have two distinguished attorneys seeking the important position of Circuit Court Judge.

Both District Attorney Bloom and Mr. O’Melia can point with understandable pride at their record, their conduct, their education and their community involvement.

So how does one choose whom to vote for? The answer is clear. Experience.

Mr. O’Melia touts the fact that he has “32 years as a trial attorney.” That is indeed impressive, but a closer examination of that experience reveals that it is almost entirely in the area of the civil practice of law.

A quick review of the cases filed in Oneida County in 2011 showed that of the 7,026 cases filed, only 578 (10.6 percent) were civil in nature.

Mr. O’Melia’s brother, Patrick F. O’Melia was the Oneida County District Attorney for many years before becoming judge, and before that he acted as defense counsel in numerous cases. Judge Mangerson too was a former prosecutor and also a distinguished defense counsel when he took the bench. Judge Kinney, as well, was a former district attorney.

Mike Bloom’s vast experience in criminal law as the district attorney and as defense counsel constitutes a huge separation from Mr. O’Melia in experience. And Mike also has several years of experience as a civil attorney in private practice in addition to his extensive criminal law experience.

Mr. Bloom has the highest ethical standards and impeccable character, having contributed so very much to this community with his involvement in Boy Scouts, the YMCA, and the Rhinelander High School mock trial team.

We know him to be devoted to the very highest legal standards of fairness, accessibility to the courts, and adherence to the Constitution. We simply can’t think of a better candidate for Branch II than Mike Bloom.

Scott Eshelman and Ann Munninghoff Eshelman, Rhinelander