Md. High Court Reveals Contact With Fourth Democratic Senator

Washington Post ^ | May 30, 2002 | Daniel LeDuc and Lori Montgomery

[galethus]

Maryland's highest court yesterday revealed that a fourth Democratic senator contacted a judge about legislative redistricting, broadening a controversy over the political map that will define State House elections for the next decade. [SNIP] Yesterday, Chief Judge Robert M. Bell said he had "overlooked" yet another contact: a March 8 meeting with Senate Majority Leader Clarence W. Blount ([D] Baltimore).

[galethus]

The signs are difficult to ignore: the Democratic leadership of the Maryland General Assembly conspired to make a series of unethical ex parte communications to Court of Appeals judges. All contacted judges should immediately recuse themselves. Otherwise the whole "judicial review process" of the Democrats' redistircting plan is a sham. It's Moscow on the Chesapeake. The Democrat-appointed judges, whose budget is controlled by Democrat litigants, will rubber-stamp the Democrat plan - even though it is unconstitutional.

[Dales]

There is no need to insult Moscow like that.

[Fred Mertz]

ping!

[JustAnAmerican]

Just another day in the life of the Socialists Republic Of Maryland. Just another plus for thinking about moving to VA or PA.

[Dog Gone]

I thought we gave Maryland to Cuba years ago.

[Boss_Jim_Gettys]

"Just another plus for thinking about moving to VA or PA."

I'll second that thought!

[Goldi-Lox]

I just left! (Permanently) I'm in Floriduh! ... and loving it!!

[Catspaw]

I was going to say, "Frankly, I don't think anyone could be this stupid, especially a bunch of legislators," but then I realized it was Dems in Maryland and I realized I was stating the obvious.

[OldFriend]

Maryland where they bowed to pressure from demonrats to indict Linda Tripp.

About that new word from the dems.....accountability??????

[ivoteright]

After 30 years in Oklahoma, I moved to Baltimore. Imagine the horror. Following that, I moved to Charlottesville, Virginia. I can guarantee you that there are as many socialist wannabes in Virginia as exist in Maryland. My conservative views are unwelcome. Perhaps you should consider a move to Oklahoma or Texas instead. I wanna go home :(

[Donald Stone]

This doesn't surprise me at all about about Maryland and especially about the Chief Judge Bell.

In 1998 one of their Court of Appeals judges,was charged with alleged racketeering (for events he was alleged to be involved in prior to becoming a Maryland Court of Appeals judge).

In 2001 the Maryland Court of Appeals judge Lynne Battaglia (former U.S. Attorney for Maryland under Clinton) and her Chief of White Collar Crimes for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Maryland and the Head of the Maryland State Police were being investigated for alleged fraud by the DOJ.

[Timesink]

The signs are difficult to ignore: the Democratic leadership of the Maryland General Assembly conspired to make a series of unethical ex parte communications to Court of Appeals judges. All contacted judges should immediately recuse themselves. Otherwise the whole "judicial review process" of the Democrats' redistircting plan is a sham.

Could a Maryland citizen file suit and/or a criminal complaint to force this? Could the feds be brought in on it?

[galethus]

To Timesink, et al.: The web site for the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission (which sanctions lawyers' misconduct) is at: http://www.courts.state.md.us/attygrievance The web site for the Judicial Disability Commission (which sanctions judges' misconduct) is at: http://www.courts.state.md.us/juddisable.html Look at these site for applicable rules of conduct.

[Donald Stone]

Don't waste your time going to the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission or the Maryland Judicial Disabilities Commission.

The American Bar Association (ABA) defines self-policing equals self-protection which certainly applies to both of the above Commissions when it comes to attorney or judicial misconduct.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I just left! (Permanently) I'm in Floriduh! ... and loving it!!

Welcome to the sweatbox, I mean sunshine state. Whereabouts did you settle? Remember, Florida is a Spanish word meaning 'Land of the Bugs' -- don't let them 'bug' you.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I moved to Charlottesville, Virginia.

Remember, you are in a college town they are pretty much the same around the country. In my experience, outside of the big cities, the DC area, and the college towns, Virginia is MUCH more conservative than Maryland. Just look at the difference in the congressional delegations.

[lowbridge]

I thought we gave Maryland to Cuba years ago.

We did, but Castro gave it back.

Muttering something about the place being too socialistic for his tastes...

[Steve0113]

Remember, you are in a college town they are pretty much the same around the country.

Exactly. The rest of VA isn't like that.

Virginia is MUCH more conservative than Maryland.

It certainly is. I moved to VA from MD 10 years ago and would never go back.

[Drango]

"overlooked"????

Translation: It's only a crime if we get caught....And then it's NOT a crime if we admitt it.

[DelmarvaMike]

As a matter of fact, our local state senator, Lowell Stolzfus, of Wicomico County has already filed suit about the redistricting (read as gerrymandering) in our local district. As of the latest, the Court of Appeals has upheld his challenge. Let's keep our fingers crossed that he will be successful. If not, it forces the two local Republican Senators to run against each other next time out.