Padgett 'just takes up office space,' failed to punish harasser

Editor:

As a resident of Columbia County and someone who votes in every election, I am distraught to see Wade Padgett running for chief magistrate.

Over the last 12 months I have seen firsthand how he runs his courtroom. My teenage daughter was being stalked and harrassed by a classmate. After filing numerous police reports, vandalism to her car, police reports filed at her high school and harassing phone calls at our home, we finally had our day in court. After hearing the evidence he lowered the boom on this young man: "If I ever see you in this courtroom again I will send you to jail for at least 60 days." Wow, what a judgment!

Within 45 days we were back in court because the harassment had continued. Did he send him to jail like he said he would? No! He sent this young man home with yet another warning. Needless to say, the harassment continued.

We need a judge who will enforce what he says he will do and not just take up office space. Wade Padgett needs to go back to handling divorce cases and leave the judgeship to someone with integrity and moral convictions.

Claudia Geeter

Evans