Pick up your official State of Utah Voters Pamphlet put out by the Lieutenant Governor's Office, and read the part about Judge Lewis. If you are really good at comparing a lot of confusing ranking numbers — hers with other judges' — you may get a hint that there's something wrong here. She gets substandard grades in two of 15 areas of rankings, but it is difficult to figure that out.

But in the printed description of her education and record of service, including that she was once picked as an outstanding jurist of the year in 1996 by the Utah State Bar, you learn nothing about how this woman can really treat citizens — citizens I may add who are her bosses — in her courtroom.

I may criticize a Deseret Morning News editor from time to time in what he feels is a scathing e-mail. But, darn it, I don't have the power to order a deputy sheriff to "take him back, I don't want to look at him ... let's see how you feel in the holding cell" — as Judge Lewis did to this unfortunate citizen, who sat cooling his heels until the good judge let him out.

In fact, after looking at this video, 3rd Judicial District voters should ask whether Judge Lewis should have that power for another six years.

I encourage you to view the video yourself.

Now on the newspaper stuffer.

The Deseret Morning News and The Salt Lake Tribune jointly own the Newspaper Agency Corp. NAC prints both newspapers and handles marketing and advertising in what's called a joint operating agreement. The editorial sides of both newspapers remain separate.

But in an effort to make some money — which of course we want since it pays our salaries — NAC this year produced a "Utah Election Guide."

The front-page headline shouts that name, and underneath carries the traditional NAC logo, which includes the names of both newspapers. In the upper left-hand corner, in small type, it says that the product is an advertising supplement produced by the NAC.

Advertising supplement indeed. For you see, candidates and political parties had to buy their way into this "voters guide."

No dough, no coverage.

Of course, this would be the worst kind of journalism if it was practiced by a newspaper. And the problem with the "voters guide" is that many readers will undoubtedly believe it is in fact a product of the Morning News and Tribune professional staffs. It is not.

How could voters be misled, one may ask, when the stories written about a candidate carry the candidate's own byline? And the table of contents says "Index of Advertisers?"

But the product also says in one place that you should go online to see in-depth profiles and other good political education stuff, presumably from the newspapers' professional staffs. And there's also an advertisement in the "voters guide" for the Tribune's new online edition of that paper.

Clearly, many readers will believe that the "voters guide" is a product of both newspapers. And it is not.

If you happen to see the "voters guide" this year, please understand that it is certainly not an attempt at journalism, it was not written or produced by either newspapers' professional staff and I apologize for any confusion it may cause.

Take the "Utah Election Guide" for what it is: A piece of candidate advertising.

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Deseret Morning News political editor Bob Bernick Jr. may be reached by e-mail at bbjr@desnews.com.