Anti-Gay Religious Right Groups Unseat Judges Who Voted for Same-Sex Marriage in Iowa

[marmar]

from AlterNet:



Anti-Gay Religious Right Groups Unseat Judges Who Voted for Same-Sex Marriage in Iowa


Three Iowa judges who voted to legalize same-sex marriage lost their jobs yesterday, after national anti-gay groups pumped thousands of dollars into a campaign to unseat them.

The National Organization for Marriage, the American Family Association and the Family Research Council targeted Justices David Baker, Michael Streit and Chief Justice Marsha Ternus, who were up for a retention vote this year. At the end of a judge's term in Iowa, voters decide whether to keep them or kick them out. Yesterday was the first time since 1962 an Iowa Judge lost his or her seat in a retention vote.

According to Talking Points Memo, the anti-gay groups spent more than $700,000 on ads, text messages, polling, and even a statewide Judge bus tour. Citizens United kicked in $18,000.

-- By Tana Ganeva


http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/315718/anti-gay_religious_right_groups_unseat_judges_who_voted_for_same-sex_marriage_in_iowa/

[Solly Mack]

1. The voice of hate. Delusional garbage.

[Very_Boring_Name]

2. It amazes me that judges are still elected in this day and age

They`re not supposed to be politicians. They`re there to interpret the law, and shouldn`t be subject to the whims of popular opinion.

[RC]

3. I agree

And welcome to DU.

[rurallib]

4. Um - they are not.

Iowa has probably the most highly regarded judicial appointment system in the country. After some problems in the fifties the legislature passed the current process in 1965 I think.
Judges in Iowa are not elected, they are appointed. A non-partisan panel recommends 3 judges for each opening. The governor then selects one of those recommended. That selection is then confirmed by the senate.
However, I believe every state has a vote on judicial retention. In Iowa, every 2 years 1/3 of the judges face a retention vote. Normally this is a vote that few even bother to look at.
So the process was in place and a group of right wingers took advantage of it. There is such a process in every state I have read.

The odd part was that 2 of the judges were appointed by once and future governor Terry Branstad. I believe those were the only 2 left from his long reign as governor. But once a justice is appointed who knows how they will rule.
Make no doubt that now that the process has been politicized, politics will be a much more emphasized point in the next appointments, no doubt with the Teabaggers making their desires known loud and clear and Branstad will listen closely.

Remember that the one decision that these justices are being punished for was a unanimous decision. The opinion was written by one of the Republican appointees. The CJ is a republican.
With a retention vote every two years, it is quite conceivable that Branstad will appoint a whole new court before he is done. The goal of the baggers is to vote each judge off that was part of the gay marriage decision. That will mean another two will be voted on in 2012 and two more in 2014.

Out of all that I believe the ruling will stand, at least until 2015