Former justice backs judicial independence

[47of74]

Source: Quad City Times

DES MOINES — Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor today urged Iowans to preserve the system of merit-based selection of judges that protects a fair and impartial court system.

“The bottom line is Iowa has an excellent system in place for selecting judges,” O’Connor told a forum on judicial independence in Des Moines today.

O’Connor, who was the first woman to serve on America’s highest court, said Iowa is going through a stressful time with three top judges targeted for defeat in retention elections this November. She said courts remain “the one safe place” where citizens can get fair and impartial treatment and it is important that judges “be protected from retaliation for their judicial actions.”

The former U.S. Supreme Court justice said campaigns in nearly 20 states that directly elect judges are seeing contributions that range higher than contests for U.S. Senate seats. She said partisan election of judges has “eroded the faith of our citizens” and it is important for Iowa to maintain a system that insulated judges from political influences.

Read more: http://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/iowa/article_5e26167a-bb53-11df-966d-001cc4c03286.html

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And it's the anti-gay activists who are working to get these judges ousted.

[mike r]

1. Bush v. Gore

Judicial independence, my ass.

[asjr]

2. Indeed!

[placton]

3. Please, former Justice who gave us Bush

shut that Arizona piehole. Your bios will read "she sold us out for the GOP"

[hayu_lol]

4. Sandy baby, you tainted your entire career for all time...

when you aided and abetted your fellow partisan judges on the SCOTUS in appointing Bush to an unearned and unelected presidency.

Neither you nor Colin Powell can ever clear the taint from your names.

Burn in Hell.