A Profile In Courage in Pennsylvania
June 15, 2010
It takes courage for any politician to stand up against elite opinion. It takes even more courage when that elite opinion is backed up by powerful special interests and the checking account of billionaire hedge fund tycoon George Soros. So I’m pleased to announce that the First Annual American Courthouse Award for Distinguished Public Service goes to Pennsylvania State Representative Tom Caltagirone, a Democrat from Reading, PA.
Last week, four Pennsylvania governors put their considerable prestige behind a plan that would strip citizens of their Constitutional right to vote for judges in favor of a “merit” selection system where a tiny tribunal of elites would decide who will sit on Pennsylvania courts. The plan is also favored by legal elites including the State Bar of Pennsylvania and the trial lawyers association – both of which would see their influence over judicial selection heightened under “merit” selection.
But before changing Pennsylvania’s Constitution, the bill must first be passed by two different sessions of the legislature. Which means it must get by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Tom Caltagirone, who recently told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “I would rather have the people decide.”
Rep. Caltagirone says the bill to abolish elections “is going nowhere” and that he doesn’t even plan to bring it up. That means “merit” selection is dead in Pennsylvania – at least for another legislative session.
“Merit” selection proponents are touting a recent poll they commissioned which purports to show Pennsylvania voters are anxious to give up their voting rights. But what the poll really revealed is that Pennsylvanians understand that “merit” selection is simply a scheme to transfer power from ordinary people to elites. In fact, according to the “merit” selection crowd’s own survey, three out of four Pennsylvanians believe “merit” selection won’t take politics out of judicial selection and could even make the selection of judges “more political” (Question 36). And nearly 7 out of 10 say “merit” selection transfers the power to choose judges from voters to “politicians and trial lawyers.” (Question 37).
Three cheers for Rep. Tom Caltagirone for showing the state’s voters they truly do have a friend in Pennsylvania.