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Pay No Attention To The Politics Behind The Curtain

May 29, 2008

Those who believe we should replace the democratic election of state judges with a Secret Selection committee should read The Washington Post’s “Maryland Moment” blog.

Today’s post reveals the nasty politicking that occurs behind the Secret Selection committee’s closed doors. Three members of Maryland’s Judicial Nominating Commission have resigned in protest due to heavy political pressure to appoint the son of the president of Maryland’s State Senate to a district court bench.

Even blogger Alan Greenblatt of Ballot Box, a “merit selection” supporter, had to admit:

“…this just shows, yet again, that an appointment system is no bar to politics playing a role in filling out the judiciary.”

Posted by Dan Pero in the categories: Judicial Elections, Maryland

Comments

One Response to “Pay No Attention To The Politics Behind The Curtain”

  1. Richard Baldwin Cook on May 18th, 2010 11:59 pm

    WHO IS MORE CYNICAL ABOUT JUDICIAL ETHICS IN MARYLAND, GOVERNOR O’MALLEY, CHIEF JUSTICE BELL – OR THE MARYLAND PRESS?

    On January 28 2010, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley appointed the son of the President of Maryland’s senate to a judgeship. The appointment was made only after (1) Thomas V Miller III was initially passed over, in 2008, by the judicial nominating commission, but (2) the governor asked for additio0nal names to be sent up to him and Thomas V Miller III was then recommended, but (3) three members of the nominating commission then resigned in protest, stating that this nominee was not qualified and / or that these judicial commission members had been pressured by politically connected individuals to recommend Miller, but nevertheless (4) Gov O’Malley then appointed Miller to a judgeship in Anne Arundel County.

    This is a million dollar gift of public money to the Miller clan.

    http://rbc-in-md3.blogspot.com/search/label/Thomas%20V%20Miller