Provost doesn’t regret actions

Dan Kulin

Friday, April 11, 2003 | 9:09 a.m.

John Provost's political enemies went after him for his appearance on a game show, an accidental fax and lawsuit he filed against the city last fall.

Some even lent their names to the campaign of his challenger, Douglas Hedger, who went on to beat Provost by 1,399 votes in the race to sit on the bench in Henderson Municipal Court Department 2.

Henderson's Department 1 Judge Ken Proctor said the endorsement from the Henderson Police Officers Association probably provided the most help to Hedger.

"I think the public really looks at police endorsements, especially with judges," Proctor said. "A lot of people don't know the judges candidates but they know the police."

Hedger, who is now wrapping up loose ends at his job as a chief deputy public defender, agreed that the endorsement was probably one of the factors in his victory. But he said the lawsuit, which Provost and Proctor filed against the city last fall to clear up a dispute over how much of a raise the judges were entitled to, played a "big role" in the outcome of the election Tuesday.

Provost said Thursday, however, that he does not regret filing the lawsuit or anything else he did in the campaign.

"I have no regrets," said Provost, who gave only short answers to many questions about the race, declining to elaborate.

Hedger, 36, received 55.2 percent of the vote in beating Provost, who received 44.8 percent of the vote.

Hedger said during the campaign that many voters asked if he was running against the judge who had sued the city.

But Provost said there wasn't any one particular issue that led to his defeat. Instead, the outcome was influenced by the overall "negative campaigning" that came from his opponent's supporters.

"It was just a combination of things," Provost said.

Provost was criticized for his appearance on the game show "Friend or Foe," and for a campaign fund-raiser invitation that was apparently sent from a courthouse fax machine.

A newly formed political action committee called Citizens for Ethics in Politics went after Provost in a flier mailed to voters that highlighted the game show and fax.

"It was all collateral stuff," Provost said.

Provost, a judge since 1996, said the endorsements might have had an impact on the race. However, he won re-election to the bench four years ago without the backing of the police union.

And he said the lawsuit probably did not have a great impact on the election, and Proctor agreed.

"But I'm sure it didn't help," Proctor said.

Proctor and Provost dropped the suit after being sharply criticized by other city officials.

Whether the lawsuit will affect Proctor in the future may never be known, as the judge plans to retire at the end of his current term in 2007.

"You never say never, but at this time I plan to retire," Proctor said.

Provost said he plans to return to a private law practice.

Meanwhile Hedger prepares to be sworn in on May 6.