(Ohio R.)Chief justice disqualifies entire Cuyahoga County court(Dems)

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-18/112124257479800.xml&storylist=cleveland

7/13/2005, 5:11 a.m. ET
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — All 34 judges on the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court have been disqualified by Ohio's chief justice from hearing a lawsuit alleging corruption by the Republican party.

Chief Justice Thomas Moyer said on Tuesday the unusual move was necessary to eliminate any perception of bias by the court system that's dominated by Democrats. Moyer is a Republican.

Moyer said he will appoint a retired visiting judge from outside Cuyahoga County to the case

Moyer ruled in a lawsuit filed on Aug. 2, 2004, by Cuyahoga County Commissioner Timothy Hagan, the 2002 Democratic nominee for governor...


(This should be BIG)

[liberal N proud]

1. So we disqualify all the Democrats to remove bias?

Yeah that sounds about right for the Right Wing.

[Algorem]

2. been waiting to see something in news about this suit,should be huge

"suit accuses Gov. Bob Taft, other elected Republicans and the Ohio GOP of instituting a "pay-to-profit" system ",

bringing out information about Taft and Ohio Republican corruption that will dwarf Coingate,about huge kickback deals and on and on.Tim Hagan is substantial dude,he's a close friend of the Kennedy's,his wife is Star Trek captain(and "Mrs. Columbo"!) Kate Mulgrew and he should be Governor or Senator.

Tim Hagan http://tim-hagan.biography.ms /

...Hagan grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, as one of seven siblings (including a twin brother, James) and graduated from Ursuline High School. Hagan then attended Youngstown State University (then known as Youngstown State College). He was drafted for military service during the Vietnam War and sent to serve in Germany in the late 1960s. After leaving the military, he worked as a baker and a steelworker in Youngstown before going on to earn earned a degree in urban studies from Cleveland State University in 1975. He then worked as a social worker in Youngstown...

In 1978, Hagan became chairman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party beating Garfield Heights, Ohio ward leader Henry S. Trubiano in a lopsided victory. In that position, he became one of the first Democrats to endorse Edward M. Kennedy in the 1980 presidential election over the sitting Democratic president Jimmy Carter. This was not a lone decision. Prior to his endorsement, Hagan ha been a guest of Edward M. Kennedy at his home in Hyannisport. After he had been appointed County Recorder, then failed to keep the seat in an election, Hagan ran for a seat on the Cuyahoga County commission for the first time that year, losing to Republican Virgil Brown . He ran again in 1981, this time successfully. Hagan served on the Cuyahoga County, Ohio, commission for 16 years (1982-1998)...

Hagan described himself as an avowed liberal, ingrained by his father's politics, and experssed regret at the moderate trend in the Democrat party in the 1990s. He was known to quote Camus in his speeches, a habit that did not earn him the affection of blue-collar voters. But he allowed for compromises with his innate liberalism, agreeing to go along with government funding for the Cleveland Gateway project, which included the construction of Jacobs Field and Gund Arena.

Hagan has received praise from both sides of the political aisle. Republican Jim Petro , the Ohio State Auditor and former fellow commissioner, called him "the most honorable politician I've ever known." He even earned the friendship of former rival Forbes, who, during the 1989 election, had described Hagan as a "pimp."...

http://www.cuyahoga.oh.us/bocc/hagan.htm

[Cobalt Violet]

4. Republican = Abuse of Power

They need to stack the courts I guess. I agree with you it should be huge. I don't think the moron class understands how bad it is to do this and get away with it.

[JusticeForAll]

3. Unreal...I want my country back

Read the end of the article...this action may set a precedent... Greeeeat. :mad:

[Richard Steele]

5. Well, this tells us how CROOKED Justice Moyer is, if nothing else.

It's like we're living in some 3rd world country these days.
These folks simply have no shame, and no fear of being brought to justice.
Just Unbelievable.

[OzarkDem]

16. Ohio Supremes also rec'd dirty money

in the form of campaign contributions from Noe. He should be disqualified from making such a decision.

[starroute]

28. Noe's contributions to Moyer

http://www.ohiodems.org/index.php?action=GetDocumentAction&id=535433

November 11, 1998
Thomas Noe of 3509 Briarfield Blvd, Maumee Ohio contributes $250.00 to Re-Elect Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer Committee.

January 29, 2004
Thomas Noe of 7125 Oak Bluff Lane Maumee, Ohio contributes $500.00 to Re-elect Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer Committee for a January 29, 2004 event.

July 12, 2004
Thomas Noe of 1676 River Road Maumee, Ohio contributes $500.00 to Re-Elect Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer Committee for July 12, 2004 event.

July 25, 2004
Bernadette Noe of 7125 Oak Bluff Lane Maumee, Ohio contributes $2,500.00 to Re-Elect Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer Committee for a July 25, 2004 event.

Thomas Noe of 7125 Oak Bluff Lane Maumee, Ohio contributes $1,500.00 to Re-Elect Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer Committee for a July 25, 2004 event.

[salin]

6. these folks are SO arrogant, and so self-assured

sure, make sure that only republicans review and rule on a case charging corruption of republicans -that will remove bias. The disturbing thin is that unless he appoints someone who really is above reproach (which in fairness, is possible, but more likely in past years than todays GOP climate), that it would again indicate that these folks think that they will never be called on their abuse of powerl, that there is absolutely no accountability.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Didn't Moyer make one of the key decisions

in the Ohio 2004 election fiasco?

[hootinholler]

12. Why yes, he did.

After refusing to recuse himself (because his election was included in the suit).

-Hoot

[DoYouEverWonder]

18. So he refused to recuse himself when there was a direct

conflict of interest, but he is recusing entire Cuyahoga County court just because of their party affiliation?

I think it's time for this criminal to hang up his robes.

[WCGreen]

22. At the risk of being called a freeper.....

It's not because of their party affiliation....

It's because Tim and the other two commissioners, Peter LAwson Jones and Jimmy Dimora control the budget....

Now Tim is a very savy politician. I know. I ran against him for congress back in 1992. He filed this in Cuyahoga County knowing that Moyer would disqualify the whole bench just to get the reaction of people like the gut reaction from everyone here in DU, except me. It's called tainting the pool....

Attorney's do it all the time....

Tim did this on purpose......

It's a great political move.....

Taft and Moyer fell for the bait......

[DoYouEverWonder]

23. You seem to know more about the gory details

then the rest of us. can you explain how this is a great polical move on Tim's part? I don't know enough about this story or the players to get the connections.

Thanks.

[WCGreen]

27. It is casting doubt on the GOP here in Ohio

Precisley when they are being battered from all sides...

This adds to the growing perception that the GOP in Ohio is corrupted....

By making this move, and getting Dem's riled up, time is hoping, I believe, to put a spark under the activists...

Also, if the case looses, Tim can claim bias, as supported by press claims, to keep the whole process moving along and more importantly, in the papers.....

[Algorem]

25. Excellent.It needs the publicity.Only saw one report on it,June 3rd,and it

disappeared.Hope it turns out as big as Hagan and lawyer said.

[OzarkDem]

31. Rank hypocrisy

While at the same time, Repubs in Taft's administration and the Executive Branch are busy "investigating" the Coingate/BWC scandal, funds from which each of them received lots of campaign contributions.

IIRC most of the Ohio Supremes also received campaign money from Noe and others in the "pay to play" scandal.

But Dems, who haven't gotten money from anyone involved in this mess, have to be held to a higher standard because they might cut someone's budget? Shouldn't the entire Supreme Court disband, since it gets its money from the state budget - controlled by Taft and the GA?

:puke:

[Botany]

8. They can work all they want to hide it .....

..... but the dead elephant in the basement will be found ......

Ohio is soooooo dirty.

[formercia]

9. and Moyer gets to hand pick the judge.

Uncle Joe Stalin would be proud.

[ChrisK]

10. Wait a second

Aren't ALL Judges supposed to be non-biased?

Doesn't Chief Justice Moyer see how foolish it is tell other Judges "Your too biased" but then brings in some person from the outside that most likely will be a Republican and think the people will not see Thur the rank hypocrisy?

Come on Justice Moyer, were not all THAT stupid.

A Judge, like say the one in Florida that dealt with the Terri Schiavo case, knows the law and can see past the left-right spin and get to the meat of a case...Just because he (Moyer) would have trouble doing that doesn't mean ALL the Judges on the left would do the same. We Democrats don't have a problem hanging someone out to dry when the evidence shows there in the wrong, unlike some Republicans..not all mind you.

There good enough to chair a normal case but NOT good enough or impartial enough to rule in this case?..Sorry I think its a slap in the face of ALL Judges in Ohio when Moyer did what he did.

The Judges might need to be "blind" to all but the facts...it doesn't mean they need to be stupid as well.

[KittyWampus]

11. Sounds Like An Onion Story. SEND THIS JON STEWART!

[ananda]

13. Geez, can he..

.. really DO that???

That sounds so illegal.

Sue

[Tesla]

17. I don't think they care about what is Illegal anymore.

[WCGreen]

14. I can see why they did it...

But that doesn't make it any easier to swallow....

There are several republicans in that total number of 34....

Tim is the sitting County Commissioneer and I am sure this is standard op..

The case was filed in Cuyahoga County so it will be adjudicated there....

But since Tim is responsible for the budget of the Judicial System in Cuyahoga County, I can see why they are disqualifying the judges....

If you look further into the story....

<snip>
Taft and the other defendants asked Moyer on May 27 to disqualify the entire Cuyahoga County court because the judges' budgets, in part, are controlled by Hagan and two fellow Democratic commissioners.

Moyer noted in his decision that Hagan "exercises considerable authority over the budget" of the court.

"The public could reasonably question whether any judge now serving on the court of common pleas in Cuyahoga County would be able to render a decision based solely on the relevant facts and the law applicable to those facts," he said.
<snip>

[Darwins Finch]

15. La Cosa Nostra

The family takes care of its own business, capice?

[DoYouEverWonder]

20. Even the Cosa Nostra

has moral standards. These guys have none.

[Lindsay]

19. Weeping quietly just before

head explodes. :nuke:

[leesa]

21. Yikes. Moyers needs to be removed from the bench, pronto!

[Oversea Visitor]

24. OK

DAMN BIG FUBAR
Fuck Up Beyond Any Recovery
Bye Bye American pie

Man this is really in your face fuck you very much.

[spooky3]

26. I wish the story had reactions by the removed judges or other Dems

[WCGreen]

30. Well, since all the judges

includng about 5 or 6 republicans were excused......

This was done by Moyer in order to stop potential conflict of interest....

The Commisioners, of Which Tim Hagan is one, control the budget for the Judicial system in cuyahoga County....

Hagan purposely did this in order to make a good political point...

And judging by the reaction of the posters on this topic, he succeeded....

[On the Road]

29. If This Drags on for the Next Three Years,

it could swing Ohio in 2008. Not to mention start a pattern that can be applied elsewhere. It could be absolutely huge.