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Florida justice warns of assault on the courts ‘through partisan politics’
Miami Herald ^ | September 24, 2012 | Mary Ellen Klas

Posted on 09/25/2012 1:39:45 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

As the secretive campaign against the three Florida Supreme Court justices up for merit retention took shape Monday, one of the targeted justices warned that the future of the state’s independent judiciary was under threat.

"This is the most stressful time I’ve ever experienced in my life,’’ said Justice R. Fred Lewis at a meeting of the Hillsborough County Bar Association. “There is an entire branch of government to protect and defend. We cannot sacrifice fairness and impartiality and the court system to political whims."

Lewis’ remarks came three days after the Republican Party of Florida announced it will oppose him and Justices Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince because of their "activist" and liberal views.

On Monday, Americans for Prosperity, the conservative advocacy group affiliated with the Koch brothers announced a political campaign they have been developing for months to highlight the judicial records of the justices. Starting Tuesday, the group will run television ads across the state chastising the justices for ruling against a 2010 proposed constitutional amendment intended by the Legislature to counter President Barack Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act — the one Republicans dubbed ObamaCare.

“We’re not advocating for the election or defeat of any of the justices what we’re attempting to do is call more attention to them advocating from the bench,’’ said Slade O’Brien, president of the Florida chapter of AFP.

Florida justices are not elected to office. They are screened by a panel of legal experts, and appointed by the governor. They come up for a merit retention vote every six years, with voters asked to decide if they remain qualified for office.

Lewis and Pariente were appointed by former Gov. Lawton Chiles and Quince was appointed jointly by Chiles and former Gov. Jeb Bush. Each has been retained by voters twice before.

(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: constitution; courts; fl; fla; florida; judges; law
Obama 48%-Romney 47% in hard-fought presidential race in
1 posted on 09/25/2012 1:39:55 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: All
Calling on lawyers!

"He urged the Hillsborough lawyers to come to the defense of the merit retention system, put in place under former Gov. Reubin Askew. He had responded to a long history of abuse and corruption in the judiciary when justices were elected to office."

Justice R. Fred Lewis

An ad will air at youbethejudgefl.com that reports on the courts rejection of a constitutional amendment written by the Legislature that would serve as a referendum on the Affordable Care Act on the November ballot and of the misleading court summary and promises on “access to health care services without waiting lists.”

2 posted on 09/25/2012 1:55:18 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
[Art.] As the secretive campaign against the three Florida Supreme Court justices up for merit retention took shape Monday, one of the targeted justices warned that the future of the state’s independent judiciary was under threat.

That would be the "independent judiciary" of 6 Democrats and 0 Republicans on the Florida supreme court that voted 6-0 in 2000 to hand the Presidency of the United States to Al Gore, wouldn't it?

The one that was reversed by SCOTUS, before the gang of journalists recounting the disputed ballots by hand, six different ways, found that you could only get to the Gore win by one rather improbable set of rules for recounting the ballots and accounting for the disputed or unreliably marked ballots.

In short, Gore tried to steal the election, the Florida supreme court tried to hand it to him, and they got zapped by SCOTUS and have been whining about a "stolen election" ever since -- when it was they who got caught.

3 posted on 09/25/2012 2:02:36 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Liberals have caught the ‘thin skinned’ meme. What’s with all these control freaks? They can’t tolerate anyone standing up to them?


4 posted on 09/25/2012 2:07:42 AM PDT by GOPJ (You only establish a feel for the line by having crossed it. - - Freeper One Name)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

...We cannot sacrifice fairness...


“Fairness.”

That’s all I had to read to know exactly what this article was about.

Fairness verses the written law is the poison that has killed our society.


5 posted on 09/25/2012 2:22:20 AM PDT by DH (Once the tainted finger of government touches anything the rot begins)
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To: lentulusgracchus; GOPJ; DH

Exactly!

Well said.


6 posted on 09/25/2012 2:28:12 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

You forgot the barf alert.

“We cannot sacrifice fairness and impartiality and the court system to political whims.”

Yeah. Riiiiight.


7 posted on 09/25/2012 2:53:04 AM PDT by RKBA Democrat (Arms really ARE for hugging!)
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To: GOPJ

What is the big deal? Is there a shortage of lawyers to replace these tyrants?

The people of Iowa booted their supreme court justices a few years ago. It should have served as a lesson to all. This court, which works for the teachers union, also shot down school vouchers.

Taking few judicial scalps now and then is a terrific idea.


8 posted on 09/25/2012 2:58:48 AM PDT by Jacquerie (Exterminate rats.)
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To: RKBA Democrat
You forgot the barf alert......

:)

With "justice warns," "assault on courts" and "partisan politics" all in the title, it says "barf alert" to me!

9 posted on 09/25/2012 3:03:24 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

No. We can’t sacrifice fairness and impartiality to political whim, because its skull has been buried beneath the others burnt on that altar decades ago. Judicial political whims are now called “fairness and impartiality,” and masquerade as its high priests.


10 posted on 09/25/2012 3:16:30 AM PDT by Eleutheria5 (End the occupation. Annex today.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Fairness Fred? I’ll settle for accountability.


11 posted on 09/25/2012 3:17:56 AM PDT by tx_eggman (Liberalism is only possible in that moment when a man chooses Barabas over Christ.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Hanging chad gang is impartial ?

Sack em... Kick em out ...


12 posted on 09/25/2012 3:52:36 AM PDT by Squantos ( Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet ...)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
... assault on the courts ‘through partisan politics’ ...

As in legislating from the bench, surely.

13 posted on 09/25/2012 4:01:35 AM PDT by Amagi (Chief Justice John Roberts is a traitorous weasel.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

It’s OK to have kangaroos at the bench, as long as they are DEMOCRAT kangaroos.


14 posted on 09/25/2012 4:20:42 AM PDT by VRWCRick
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
**** all of you black robed tyrants... you are not a god and you are not assured of your positions... you cannot **** the people and then expect not to be ****ed back... savvy?

LLS

15 posted on 09/25/2012 4:34:38 AM PDT by LibLieSlayer ("if it looks like you are not gonna make it you gotta get mean, I mean plumb mad-dog mean" J. Wales)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I was certain this was satire, but it’s not.


16 posted on 09/25/2012 6:13:32 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Government is the religion of the sociopath.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
“There is an entire branch of government to protect and defend.

Wow, dude, you're supposed to be protecting the people's rights FROM government. Guess you forgot that.

17 posted on 09/25/2012 8:01:46 AM PDT by backwoods-engineer (My game is disruption. I will use lethal force --my vote-- in self-defense against Obama.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Gee, like partisan politics don’t exist? Just look at our Supreme Court and legislatures where everyone takes an oath to uphold the United States Constitution then proceeds to do whatever they please. Government involvement is far too extensive and now threatens to ruin our country by driving out jobs, redistribution of wealth (actually rewarding those who are too lazy to work or lack ambition), etc. I know an immigrant from Romania who came here to get away from what we are becoming. He constantly criticizes Americans for not realizing what they have and protecting same. He knows what we will become if we stay the course and fears the outcome.


18 posted on 09/25/2012 9:53:08 AM PDT by Boomer One
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To: JulieRNR21; kinganamort; katherineisgreat; floriduh voter; summer; Goldwater Girl; windchime; ...

Florida Freeper


19 posted on 09/26/2012 5:47:27 AM PDT by Joe Brower (Sheep have three speeds: "graze", "stampede" and "cower".)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
We cannot sacrifice fairness and impartiality and the court system to political whims

Project we much?

20 posted on 09/26/2012 6:26:29 AM PDT by Old Sarge (We are now officially over the precipice, we just havent struck the ground yet)
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