Chief Judge Richard Wygonik Picks up Endorsement
Judge Richard Wygonik
Dearborn’s 19th District Chief Judge Richard Wygonik may not have received the endorsement of Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., for his re-election (the mayor endorsed attorney Sam Salamey), but he did pick up the endorsement of former Chief Judge Leo K. Foran.
The Wygonik re-election team issued a media release touting the Foran endorsement news this week. In addition, team Wygonik said the judge would “soon release a roadmap for future court reforms.”
Foran served 34-years as chief judge of the 20th District Court and one-year as chief judge of the 19th District Court. During his judicial career, Foran also served as a visiting judge in both Circuit Court and Recorders Court.
Wygonik’s re-election team says Foran’s endorsement comes after recent statements by opposing political campaigns that “falsely” tried to link Wygonik to the rocky tenure of former Chief Judge Mark Somers, who is the target of lawsuits by court employees. Wygonik’s election team says he is not a party to the lawsuits and, in January 2012, the Michigan Supreme Court appointed Wygonik to replace Somers.
In their news release, Team Wygonik also noted that the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct requires that candidates for judicial office “should not knowingly, or with reckless disregard, use or participate in the form of any public communication that is false.” They also provided this link HERE
“I was a chief judge for well over thirty years and made decisions concerning the administrative operations of two district courts,” Foran said. “Chief Judge Richard Wygonik is doing an excellent job. We need him to continue to guide the court through difficult times. I’m proud to endorse his reelection,” Foran said.
Wygonik thanked Foran and pledged to continue to serve as chief judge to the best of his ability.
“I’m grateful for the support of former Chief Judge Leo Foran. I’m also proud to have been appointed 19th District chief judge by the Michigan Supreme Court. I will continue to strive for greater efficiency in court operations and to work to protect the rights of those who appear before the courts,” Wygonik said.
Wygonik was appointed to the bench in 2005. Dearborn voters retained him for a full six-year term in November 2006. He is a lifetime resident of Dearborn and a graduate of Fordson High School. He received his law degree from Wayne State University after completing his undergraduate work at Henry Ford Community College and Western Michigan University. Wygonik has been a practicing attorney since 1972.
May 2nd, 2012 at 10:44 am
That endorsement means nothing, as we know how he operated while in Dearborn Hts. The Big Guy knows what he is doing on this topic, and he intends to show the former Judge Foran how wrong he is. Don’t feel that thisendorsement is big for you, because if you do, you will simply be a former District Judge.
May 2nd, 2012 at 10:18 pm
So right. He better back off too or the real issue will come forward and he’ll only wish he was merely linked to Somers. Then no one gets the big paycheck, so be VERY careful with this one.
May 2nd, 2012 at 10:56 pm
Foran’s so senile he probably thinks he endorsed Wronchek. They kind of look alike.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Thats alot a chapstick.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:01 pm
Abbatt or Salamey you can’t go wrong either way, just stay away from Somers’ former buddy Wygonik. Wygonik isn’t a bad guy but watch out — we need an infusion of new blood. Don’t forget what was said about a certain ethnic group in the Heights by Mr. & Mrs. Wygonik a while ago, because we haven’t.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:21 pm
Why not endorse Ficano and Woronchak and proclaim ignorance!!!!
May 3rd, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Might be the right time for Sam to slip in. If he can get the Arab voters to show up to vote for him he should be able to slide on by with Candy Abbot taking some of Wygonik’s base away from him. Will she be rewarded with a magistrate position by Salamey and make a run for his seat when Salamey tries for a seat at the County table in 6 years?
May 3rd, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Agreed except Wygonik and Somers aren’t former buddies. Wygonik is trying hard to get Somer’s verdict paid. Sounds like they’re still buddies.
May 4th, 2012 at 10:42 am
Does Foren know where he is at or who he is endorsing? Wygonik better get some up to date people, whose endorsement means something. Wygonik appears to be a nice guy, so he should run on his own credentials, because I hear the sniping thats going on already.
May 8th, 2012 at 10:19 am
I’m gong to go for Salamey. Abbatt has placed a billboard on Ford Road, west of Southfield, advertising her “law firm”, I think for the first time ever. We all know that it’s really an ad for her candidacy. As a CPA and political junkie, it pisses me off to know that she’s going to claim the cost of billboard as a business deduction. We taxpayers should not be subsidizing her campaign.
May 8th, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Wygonik needs to get another Arab to run to break up Sam’s momentum before it starts.
May 18th, 2012 at 7:25 pm
Hassen, what was said about that ‘certain ethnic group’ by Mr. and Mrs. Wygonik? The story was that an Arab man was unhappy that Mrs. Wygonik had the gall to call a terrorist exactly that. The man sent millions of dollars to Hezbollah – deadly enemies of the USA – and was so ‘innocent’ he ran to Lebanon and never came back. Supporting deadly enemies of America is wrong for anyone living here.