“A huge and growing problem for the state judiciary. One of my pet areas of concern.

Outside interests are increasingly trying to skew the process in their favor; even to the selection of the judges.

Minnesota had an interesting canon in place that forbid judges running for office to elaborate or even state their positions on various issues. This was challenged by the Republican party and went to the Supreme Court as a first amendment case: Republican Party of Minnesota v White (2002) where the Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. This of course politicized the Minnesota process.

In Missouri, something akin in terms of politicization:

http://www.justiceatstake.org/contentViewer.asp?breadcrumb=3,570,993

By Israel Insider staff March 23, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama says that a pro-Hamas op-ed printed in his church’s bulletin was “outrageously wrong.” In an issue dated July 22, 2007, in a section titled “Pastor’s Page,” the Trinity United Church in Chicago reprinted an article by Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzook. The article, which originally appeared as an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, justifies the Palestinian terrorist group’s denial of Israel’s right to exist.

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/12732.htm

But although this news gladdens you, since obviously you support someone other than Obama, doesn’t your own political operation-detecter go off a little on this?

Remember when GW ran and oppo-research turned up that AWOL business in Alabama? At that time I was one of the few liberals who were vociferously denouncing the “story” as being irrelevant and slimey. Fat lot of good it did me, as once that kind of horse is let out of the barn, there’s no corralling it again.

We need to break the cycle somehow.

The roaches and other pests will always attack the man who is going to clean house.

I don’t blame you “eoeoeo..” You are a true believer who passes on the talking points and in your own way are trying to do the right thing.

John O. Brennan, president and CEO of the Analysis Corp., advises the Illinois Democrat on foreign policy and intelligence issues, the source said.

Brennan briefed the media on behalf of the campaign this month.

The executive is a former senior CIA official and former interim director of the National Counterterrorism Center.

He contributed $2,300 to the Obama campaign in January.

When asked about the contribution, a State Department official told CNN’s Zain Verjee, “We ethically awarded contracts. Political affiliation is not one of the factors that we check.”

On Friday, the department revealed that Obama’s passport file was improperly accessed three times this year, and the security of passport files of the two other major presidential candidates — Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain — had also been breached.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/22/passport.files /

SOMEBODY BETTER TELL KEITH OLBERMANN & DAVID SHUSTER BEFORE THEY RUN A WHOLE SHOW ON PASSPORTGATE!