Statistically, across the USA, a large majority of the judges are ex-prosecutors and definitely not "activists." I've personally known dozens of criminal court

Statistically, across the USA, a large majority of the judges are ex-prosecutors and definitely not "activists." I've personally known dozens of criminal court judges and I can't think of a single one that routinely sentences on the low side or would be considered an "activist." Even the defense lawyers I know that become judges usually sentence punitively, as if to show they aren't biased.