Citizen Action Endorses Rebecca Town, Joel Moore and Phillip Dabney, Jr. for Buffalo City Court Judge

by | Apr 21, 2021 | Press Releases

Buffalo, NY – Citizen Action of New York announced its endorsement of candidates for Buffalo City Court Judge, including Rebecca Town, Joel C. Moore and Phillip Dabney, Jr., who is running for re-election.

Phil is an established trial practitioner and advocate with more than 15 years of experience in federal and state courts, as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney. Rebecca is a staff attorney in the Criminal Defense Unit at the Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, and has been a defense attorney for more than a decade. Joel is an attorney who has practiced several areas of law over the past 10 years. He is also a leader with Citizen Action’s Western New York chapter and serves on multiple trustee boards of community organizations.

“I am honored to have received the endorsement of Citizen Action in my campaign for Buffalo City Court Judge. My work as a public defender has given me rare insight into the real-life impact of different outcomes in the criminal justice system. I have seen the systemic problems first hand and worked with community organizers, stakeholders and grassroots organizations to implement criminal justice reform in order to build healthier and safer communities. If elected I will continue reviewing court practices and culture with an eye towards delivering justice and reducing racial disparities,” said Rebecca Town, candidate for Buffalo City Court Judge. 

“I’m thrilled to have the support of a community-centric organization like Citizen Action. Through unified collective action we can shape and mold our community into one that works for the betterment of everyone,” said Joel Moore, candidate for  Buffalo City Court Judge.

“I was elated to learn the great news of securing the Citizen Action of Western New York  endorsement for my 2021 judicial candidacy. I am grateful to the party for your support and choice. Citizen Action represents all that is pertinent and impactful in today’s social climate; principles of equity, equality and justice which have been instilled in me. I am impassioned and humbled by this endorsement,” said Phillip Dabney, Jr., who is running for re-election as a Buffalo City Court Judge.

“I am pleased to announce as chair of the Citizen Action Endorsement Committee that the candidates that have been chosen for endorsement by the Western New York Endorsement Committee and Citizen Action members, have shown to represent the values of our community and the shared passion for the pursuit. By endorsing these candidates, the committee anticipates having the ability to build alliances for positive initiatives in areas of policy and advocacy for residents of the City of Buffalo and Erie County,” said Tamea Dixon, chair of the chapter’s Endorsement Committee.

Citizen Action of New York is a grassroots organization with eight regional chapters and over 30,000 members across New York State. We work on issues important to our communities, including fair elections, equitable school funding, housing for all, environmental justice, and ending mass incarceration.