Dewey Burchett III endorses Whit Graves

I appreciate the opportunity to say a few words about Whit Graves and why I am supporting him.  As some of your readers may or may not know, my father was a District Judge in Bossier and Webster Parish for 20 years.  It turned out that I knew Whit Graves long before he knew me.  My father and I would eat steaks every Wednesday night together in Benton at my parent’s home.  Most of the time we spent on the porch talking about politics, his court cases, golfing,  (which was an aggravation to both of us), and whatever else came up.  I recall many occasions where my father would recount a case Whit had been involved in and relating how smart and effective he was in the court room.  He explained how Whit was always extremely prepared, and it was obvious to me he appreciated and respected that, not just of Whit, but any attorney for that matter.  Unfortunately, this is the exception rather than the rule.

Knowing my father was a man of great integrity, it meant a great deal to me when Whit sacrificed countless hours (actually both Whit and his wife Robin) to his campaign.  In fact, he spent more time than I did, and I kept myself working very hard as well.  So why is this important and what does it say about Whit Graves?  It says to me Whit Graves stands up for what is good, for lack of a better word.  It is one thing to donate $100 to a campaign, and quite another to participate in every door to door walk, every football game, etc.  Whit did all that and more.

Over time I have gotten to know Whit better, and the more I know, the more I like, respect, and admire him.  Here is a guy that was a highly decorated Louisiana State Trooper for many years, and that saved up enough money to put himself through law school.  No student loans, no parents footing the bill.  If you really look at his history, I see a guy that is public-service oriented, but that realized he had a higher calling as an attorney.    And I believe now, with a lot of time under his belt as both a prosecutor and private attorney, he knows he can make even more a difference as a District Judge.

On one of our recent campaign walks I was teamed up with an old family friend of mine Dale Montgomery, who has worked for the DA’s office a number of years.  He related he has seen Whit pull police officers aside after a case was over to give them advice on making a good case in the future. This goes beyond good ethics and lends to a better judicial system, which is what we should all be shooting for in the coming election.

Whit has the intellect, common sense, temperament, integrity, and independence to be our next judge.  I believe this is a man where justice will be blind, in other words he will hear the small and the great alike.  There is much more to Whit and I wish I was better able to articulate it, but suffice to say I know my father would be a proud man to see him on the bench, as I would.

-Dewey E. Burchett III  

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