Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"Are Our Courts for Sale?"
Are Our Courts for Sale?by Joe Nocera at the NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/opinion/joe-nocera-are-our-courts-for-sale.html?smid=pl-share&_r=0
"SNIP.................
Hudson, 62, is not a congressional or Senate candidate. Rather, she is a State Supreme Court justice in North Carolina, seeking her second eight-year term. It wasnt all that long ago when, in North Carolina, judicial races were publicly financed. If a candidate spent more than $100,000, it was unusual. Ads mainly consisted of judicial candidates promising to be fair. Any money the candidates raised was almost entirely local.
This ad in North Carolina, however, which aired during the primary season, was a startling departure. First, the money came from an organization called Justice for All NC which, in turn, was funded primarily by the Republican State Leadership Committee. That is to say, it was the kind of post-Citizens United money that has flooded the political system and polluted our politics.
And then there was its substance. We want judges to protect us, the ad began. The voice-over went on to say that when child molesters sued to stop electronic monitoring, Judge Hudson had sided with the predators. It was a classic attack ad.
Not surprisingly, the truth was a bit different. In 2010, the State Supreme Court was asked to rule on whether an electronic-monitoring law could apply to those who had been convicted before it passed. Hudson, in a dissent, wrote that the law could not be applied retroactively.
....................SNIP"
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
5 replies, views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (0)
ReplyReply to this post
5 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
"Are Our Courts for Sale?" (Original Post)
applegrove
Oct 2014
OP
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)1. The incredibly dysfunctional Wisconsin SC has a sold-out majority.
Buying a state Supreme Court is one of the best bargains a corporate cabal can make.
GeorgeGist
(25,318 posts)2. Everything is for sale.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)3. "In the halls of justice, the only justice is in the halls"
cali
(114,904 posts)4. Judges should never be elected.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)5. I absolutely hate electing judges.
What judge facing re-election is going to free a criminal who was convicted based upon an illegal search, for example?