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Palin appoints former Planned Parenthood board member to Alaska Supreme Court
The Alaska Standard ^ | March 5, 2009 | Dan fagan

Posted on 03/06/2009 9:15:49 AM PST by EternalVigilance

In a move that should give social conservatives great pause, Governor Sarah Palin has appointed a former board member of Planned Parenthood to the Alaska State Supreme Court.

Palin appointed Anchorage Superior Court Judge Morgan Christen to the state’s highest court on Wednesday. Along with Christen’s former board member status with Planned Parenthood.

There is no disputing Palin’s appointment of Christen will cause the Alaska Supreme to lean left and will ensure a more activist court when it comes to gay marriage, and abortion. The Christen appointment is key because she replaces justice Warren Mathews, one of the dissenting votes striking down the parental consent legislation.

The Governor, who early on won the support of Alaska liberals after she pushed through an enormous, unprecedented tax increase on the oil industry, seems to be back in their good graces with this appointment.

ADN liberal bloggers responded to Palin’s Supreme Court appointment writing,

“Ohmigawd!??The governor's been taken over by space aliens.??What an improvement!”

“Wow. Way to go Palin! I can't believe I just said that. But hey, credit where credit is due.”

“Glad to see a woman in the position to balance out the court. Good for Palin for keeping bible thumper beliefs out of the court system and honoring the separation of Church and State.”

“This is the one good action that Sarah Palin has taken over the past three years. And I have no problem admitting it. Great pick!!!! So even if the wing-nut parental consent bill passes, the state Supremes now have enough votes to overturn it as unconstitutional.”

Granted Palin would have had to put up a fight to block the appointment of the far left Christen to the court. Under Alaska law the judicial council made up mostly of liberal lawyers gets to filter out candidates who do not hold a leftist background. The governor must pick from the names forwarded.

But former governor Frank Murkowski during his term fought the process and at first refused to name any of the names submitted to him. The liberal media beat him up pretty bad over it and he eventually caved.

If Governor Palin would have taken on this fight, it probably would have ended up in court. If she had taken up the fight and asked for all the candidates’ names that applied to be forwarded, it would have brought to the public’s attention that trial lawyers control the third branch of government in Alaska. But with the governor refusing to spend any political capital on this issue, it is sure to disappear from Alaska’s political landscape.

The governor caving into trial lawyers also guarantees an activist court will continue to push its agenda on the people of Alaska. It will continue to stand between you and your child, continue to redefine marriage and block development.

Palin appointing Christen kills any move by the legislature to pass parental consent legislation. The new court with Christen on it will surely strike down any new laws. This is one of the reason Palin’s caving is confusing. Just recently held a news conference standing side by side with conservative lawmakers sponsoring new parental consent legislation.

Refusing to fight for parental consent laws is risky for Palin. It clearly will help her avoid controversy from the liberal media. But conservatives supporting her won't like the fact she appointed a former Planned Parenthood board member to Alaska’s highest court.

Many of the governor’s conservative supporters have ignored her high taxes and liberal anti free market policies. They support her simply because she says she is pro-life and is open about her faith. But the Christen appointment proves that while the governor lives the pro-life message in her personal life, she is not willing to spend political capital on the issue in her political life.


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: judges; palin; plannedparenthood
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Don't anybody way I didn't warn them.
1 posted on 03/06/2009 9:15:50 AM PST by EternalVigilance
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To: EternalVigilance

YIKES!!!


2 posted on 03/06/2009 9:16:35 AM PST by GoCards
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To: EternalVigilance

I don’t trust anything from this source actually on the topic of Sarah Palin.


3 posted on 03/06/2009 9:17:25 AM PST by GeronL (Will bankrupting America lead to socialism?)
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To: GeronL

Try this one:

http://www.adn.com/news/government/story/711378.html

The substance of this piece is accurate.


4 posted on 03/06/2009 9:18:21 AM PST by EternalVigilance ( TR: "Walk softly and carry a big stick." BHO: "Mince softly and carry a spaghetti noodle.")
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To: GeronL

I hope it ain’t true....I DONT WANT any of our elected officials reaching across to a liberal.


5 posted on 03/06/2009 9:18:43 AM PST by Blue Turtle
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To: EternalVigilance

Here we go again, as always, there is more to the piss poor reporting by the media than appears. See the threads here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2200375/posts

and here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2199866/posts

Surprised how many people see something in the MSM and take it at face value without the slightest thought it may be BS.


6 posted on 03/06/2009 9:19:22 AM PST by mnehring
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To: EternalVigilance

Welcome to the world of politics, where choosing from the lesser of two evils is part of the job description.

Also, it is always important to look under the story and it’s reporter. Often times you’ll uncover a few worms.


7 posted on 03/06/2009 9:20:56 AM PST by This Just In (Support Christian Homeschoolers)
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To: Sarah Barracuda

Ping, let’s see how many people ‘trust’ the MSM on this or have the intellectual curiosity to dig a little deeper.


8 posted on 03/06/2009 9:21:35 AM PST by mnehring
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To: EternalVigilance

Marvelous.


9 posted on 03/06/2009 9:21:44 AM PST by Mad_Tom_Rackham (The inmates are now officially running the asylum.)
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To: GeronL

I’m with you. Trust who!?! The Press? The same paper that’s tried to destroy Sarah since the start?

Come now...

It’s also worth noting that people CAN change (they usually don’t, but they can).

IF this turns out to be true, then it is certainly a dumb movement on Sarah’s part — but I think I’ll see how it all shakes out when I hear from more reliable and principled sources.


10 posted on 03/06/2009 9:21:45 AM PST by patriot preacher (To be a good American Citizen and a Christian IS NOT a contradiction. (www.mygration.blogspot.com))
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To: patriot preacher

Maybe we should trust the ‘pro-life Christian’ group that leveled this charge who is promoting the more liberal, pro-abortion Smith instead of Christen. Ask yourself that question and a whole new world of thoughts open as to the motivation behind this.


11 posted on 03/06/2009 9:23:16 AM PST by mnehring
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To: mnehrling

They take it at face value because they’re just looking for dirt to quote and say, “I told you so!”, in trying to “substantiate” their assumptions.

As a rule, I immediately suspect stories that come from the MSM.


12 posted on 03/06/2009 9:23:27 AM PST by This Just In (Support Christian Homeschoolers)
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To: EternalVigilance; All

“Under the state Constitution, Palin HAD TO select from among the nominees sent to her by the seven-member Alaska Judicial Council, made up of lawyers, public members appointed by governors and the Supreme Court chief justice, currently Dana Fabe.”

I’ll bet everyone here a donut that Mrs. Palin picked ‘The Lesser of Two Evils’ from the stack of leftist appointees that landed on her desk...


13 posted on 03/06/2009 9:23:39 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: mnehrling

Thanks for these links.

I’ll read them and will probably realize that Palin remains pro-life.

But.... in 3 years - as she makes another move toward the WH - this will be used against her by libs who like to slant the news:

PALIN SUPPORTED PRO-CHOICE PLANNED PARENTHOOD JUSTICE


14 posted on 03/06/2009 9:24:44 AM PST by Responsibility2nd
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To: EternalVigilance

The word is “former”. If it weren’t for the “former” Nazi rocket scientist that came to work here after the war we would never have gotten to the moon as fast as we did.


15 posted on 03/06/2009 9:24:47 AM PST by DogBarkTree (Sometimes you have to let it go in order to get a Grip.)
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To: rabscuttle385

ping


16 posted on 03/06/2009 9:24:56 AM PST by BufordP ("I've abandoned free market principles to save the free market system."--George "the Abandoner" Bush)
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To: GeronL

Right. This is an opinion piece from the Palin hating Fagan. It is filled with half-truths and spin designed to get conservatives angry with Palin. Let’s see how many take the bait.


17 posted on 03/06/2009 9:24:59 AM PST by free me (Geez!)
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To: mnehrling

Amazing how so many people on this site latch onto every negative word written or spoken against Republicans.


18 posted on 03/06/2009 9:25:35 AM PST by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: EternalVigilance

You must enjoy being led around by the nose.


19 posted on 03/06/2009 9:28:14 AM PST by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: Deb

They are all RINOs ~ they just don’t know it yet, but they will when we EXPEL them from the party and burn their membership cards in front of them.


20 posted on 03/06/2009 9:29:42 AM PST by muawiyah
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To: EternalVigilance
Palin bucks pressure in Supreme Court appointment SCRUTINY: Selection went against push from Alaska Family Council
21 posted on 03/06/2009 9:29:48 AM PST by BufordP ("I've abandoned free market principles to save the free market system."--George "the Abandoner" Bush)
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To: EternalVigilance

I know, I know, nobody but Alan Keyes is conservative enough.

The fact that the article uses the so-called “tax increase” on oil companies against Governor Palin the way it does (dishonestly and misleadingly) tells me it’s not a reliable source; clearly there’s a vendetta here against the Governor.


22 posted on 03/06/2009 9:29:52 AM PST by xjcsa (Currently shouting "I told you so" about Michael Steele on my profile page.)
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To: EternalVigilance
Posting articles this disingenous do our side no good at all, EV.

Palin had a choice of two leftists as submitted to her by a judicial review board. That's how it works in Alaska. She chose the lesser of two evils.

I truly don't understand you. No one but Alan Keyes is conservative enough for you, and, as a former Keyes supporter myself, I can say without hesitation that he's got infinitely more flaws as a politician than Sarah ever had.
23 posted on 03/06/2009 9:30:18 AM PST by Antoninus (Every time Obama speaks, I buy more silver.)
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To: EternalVigilance; GoCards

More than meets the eye on this one.

Besides, I think her (the appointee’s) judicial philosophy is what is most important, not her personal views about abortion.


24 posted on 03/06/2009 9:30:24 AM PST by Retired Greyhound
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To: DogBarkTree

you got it! LEt’s hear from FORMER Ku Klux Klan member of Congress Democrat Byrd

Speaking of which... has anyoine else seen the photo of him as head kleagle or whatever they call the leadwer of the klan?

He has grey hair~!- exactly how old was he when he ‘repudiated’ his past involvement with them?


25 posted on 03/06/2009 9:31:25 AM PST by Mr. K (physically unable to proofreed (<---oops))
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To: EternalVigilance
However...
26 posted on 03/06/2009 9:32:00 AM PST by BufordP ("I've abandoned free market principles to save the free market system."--George "the Abandoner" Bush)
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To: EternalVigilance; Diogenesis; euram; SolidWood; Jeff Head; All
Your post is out of line since it is out of context. By Alaska Law, she had to choose between a hard core liberal ex-hippie judge and a typical liberal. So she went with the lesser of two evils, the typical liberal.

Christen Named to Alaska Supreme Court

Sarah Palin: Horns of a Dilemma

27 posted on 03/06/2009 9:32:07 AM PST by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin is a smart missile aimed at the heart of the left!)
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To: Deb

Has Palin made the appointment of Christen and is Christen a former board member of planned parenthood?


28 posted on 03/06/2009 9:32:12 AM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (America: Home of the Free Because of the Brave)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Thanks of your clarification.


29 posted on 03/06/2009 9:33:05 AM PST by Mad_Tom_Rackham (The inmates are now officially running the asylum.)
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To: EternalVigilance
" Under Alaska law the judicial council made up mostly of liberal lawyers gets to filter out candidates who do not hold a leftist background. The governor must pick from the names forwarded. "

I'm sure you missed that little tidbit. So Sarah, by law, has to pick a lesser of evils.

Nice try at demonizing her.

30 posted on 03/06/2009 9:34:14 AM PST by Pistolshot (The Soap-box, The Ballot-box, The Jury-box, And The Cartridge-Box ...we are past 2 of them.)
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To: EternalVigilance
The failure here was the process. The Alaska Supreme Court is picked by a slate of mostly left-wing lawyers to hand it over to the governor. The governor must pick from the list of evils. Palin picked her poison. Choice C wasn't an option.
31 posted on 03/06/2009 9:35:46 AM PST by Darren McCarty (Obama = Jimmy Carter II)
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To: rabscuttle385

Read my 26


32 posted on 03/06/2009 9:36:09 AM PST by BufordP ("I've abandoned free market principles to save the free market system."--George "the Abandoner" Bush)
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To: JustaDumbBlonde

Christen was the board member of a group that later became Planned Parenthood of Alaska. When Christen was a member, they where not an abortion promoting group, it was almost a decade after Christen left before they where an abortion providing group.

Why is the so called pro-life group who is leveling this half-truth charge against Palin supporting the more liberal, very pro-abortion Smith. With Christen, it is unclear if she is pro-abortion, the connections are loose at best.. with Smith, it is very clear he is pro-abortion. Ask yourself why this pro-life group (if they are who they claim) is doing this and you will discover the root of the issue.

Just a side note, the Alaska National Right to Life has not condemned Palin for this, only this small, almost unknown ‘Alaskans for Life’ group.


33 posted on 03/06/2009 9:38:57 AM PST by mnehring
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To: JustaDumbBlonde

On Conservatives4palin.com they posted both Smith and Christian’s resume, NO WHERE on it does it mention Christian being a member EVER of Planned Parenthood..looks to be another lie by Fagan and the other creeps out to destroy Sarah. So sad, I don’t get what is going on in Alaska, so many scumbags over there(Not talking about the citizens who live there, but the officials over there) just evil people. Already demeanizing Christian without reading a damn thing about her.

Here is Morgan Christian’s application
http://www.ajc.state.ak.us/Selection/Applications/2009/christenapp.pdf

And here is Eric Smith’s
http://www.ajc.state.ak.us/Selection/Applications/AllBefore98/smith96.pdf
He is a member of many environmentalists groups including:
Board of Trustees, Alaska Conservation Foundation
Member, Trustees for Alaska, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Alaska Center for the Environment, Natural Resources Defense Council, Alaska Marine Conservation Council, Alaska Public Interest Research Group

Meanwhile, Morgan Christian states in hers..

In her application, Christen described her judicial philosophy as “faithfulness to the Alaska Constitution, adherence to the doctrine of separation of powers and the insistence that all litigants be treated with courtesy and respect.”

No where does it mention Planned Parenthood, of course she might have left it out but I highly doubt it


34 posted on 03/06/2009 9:40:45 AM PST by Sarah Barracuda
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To: mnehrling

Yeah and what I have heard about this Alaskan’s For Life group doesn’t sound so pretty. Heck I doubt they are even pro-life


35 posted on 03/06/2009 9:41:42 AM PST by Sarah Barracuda
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

“‘The Lesser of Two Evils’ from the stack of leftist appointees that landed on her desk...”

It wasn’t a stack, Sarah only had two to pick from.

Looks like she picked the less pukey one.


36 posted on 03/06/2009 9:41:52 AM PST by Beagle8U (FreeRepublic -- One stop shopping ....... Its the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: EternalVigilance

You freaking jerk. SHE HAD TWO CHOICES AND I AM GLAD SHE CHOSE THE WOMAN.
THE MAN IS A DEFINITE ENVIRONMENTAL WACKO. I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD BE ON A REALLY REALLY WACKO BOARD FOR PEOPLE TOTALLY OUT OF THE MAINSTREAM. YOU MAKE ME PUKE.


37 posted on 03/06/2009 9:42:46 AM PST by libbylu (Sarah - the light of the midnight sun)
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To: EternalVigilance

YOU FREAK!!!! YOU HAVE NO FREAKING COMMON SENSE, MAY BE NO SENSE. I AM SURPRISED YOU ARE ABLE TO TYPE. OR DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE DO IT FOR YOU?


38 posted on 03/06/2009 9:43:36 AM PST by libbylu (Sarah - the light of the midnight sun)
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To: Beagle8U

“‘The Lesser of Two Evils’ from the stack of leftist appointees that landed on her desk...”

It wasn’t a stack, Sarah only had two to pick from.

Looks like she picked the less pukey one.

And that’s politics...picking the less pukey one. No one candidate is perfect....wishing it were true does not make it so.


39 posted on 03/06/2009 9:43:53 AM PST by LottieDah (If only those who speak so eloquently on the rights of animals would do so on behalf the unborn)
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To: EternalVigilance

It will be interesting to see where your credibility goes from here.

I assume you looked into this before you posted, I haven’t. Are these other posters correct in that she had to choose between these two people?

If so then I will take a look at both of them and try to evaluate her choice.


40 posted on 03/06/2009 9:43:59 AM PST by ansel12 (Romney (guns)"instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people")
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To: GoCards

She had 2 choices. I am VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE CHOICE SHE MADE. IT WAS BETTER THAN PICKING THE ENVIROMENTAL WACKO.


41 posted on 03/06/2009 9:44:29 AM PST by libbylu (Sarah - the light of the midnight sun)
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To: mnehrling

I posted a thread yesterday:

Sarah Palin: Horns of a Dilemma which will explain the issue in detail and explain the Missouri system of choosing Alaskan Supreme Court Justices. If you want more info go to:

www.conservatives4palin.com


42 posted on 03/06/2009 9:44:37 AM PST by techno
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To: Sarah Barracuda

Who knows, they may just be a tool as well, knee jerk reacting to something that was floated to them. Imagine if someone with unscrupulous motivation floated them this story.. if FReepers, who normally are very intellectually curious and investigate everything, fall for it, imagine some poor little ole pastor who is naive to the slime in politics getting a note about this?


43 posted on 03/06/2009 9:44:49 AM PST by mnehring
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To: EternalVigilance

Gee and I thought she only liked to kill and gut defenseless animals I didn’t she liked the killing of unborn humans as well. Oh well, it is good to find out now.


44 posted on 03/06/2009 9:44:56 AM PST by GinaLolaB (=^..^=)
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To: mnehrling

Amazing.


45 posted on 03/06/2009 9:46:02 AM PST by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: ansel12

By Alaska law, she had to choose from the choices provided to her. It also seems to be doubtful that Christen was ever a member of Planned Parenthood, but rather that she was a board member of a group that joined PP some time after she had left the group.

Fagan’s lying his ass off — again — and dupes like EV who fear a Palin 2012 candidacy are lapping it up.


46 posted on 03/06/2009 9:46:24 AM PST by kevkrom ("The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.")
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To: EternalVigilance

OK, now that this article has been proven false and misleading, what is your opinion?

Where do you fall out on this issue?


47 posted on 03/06/2009 9:46:53 AM PST by SoConPubbie (GOP: If you reward bad behavior all you get is more bad behavior.)
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To: kevkrom

She isn’t pro-life anyway. Like Ron Paul and John McCain, she’s “pro-choice for states.”

The delusions run deep in the Republican Party these days.


48 posted on 03/06/2009 9:47:55 AM PST by EternalVigilance ( TR: "Walk softly and carry a big stick." BHO: "Mince softly and carry a spaghetti noodle.")
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To: LottieDah

I agree. She only had the choice of two and made the best pick of what was offered.


49 posted on 03/06/2009 9:47:59 AM PST by Beagle8U (FreeRepublic -- One stop shopping ....... Its the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: ansel12; EternalVigilance

EV is a good, conservative man who I’ve known here for years.. He may be wrong on this, and knee jerked, but he isn’t a troll.


50 posted on 03/06/2009 9:48:07 AM PST by mnehring
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