Justices on the North Carolina Supreme Court are elected, though the non-partisan races generally don't generate a lot of interest from voters, and the candidates tend to rely on public financing. This year, however, will apparently be quite different.
The seven-member court generally leans to the right thanks to a four-member conservative bloc, but that majority is in jeopardy with Justice Paul Newby facing a credible challenge this year from state Court of Appeals Judge Sam Ervin IV.
To help ensure Newby remains on the state's highest court, a new Republican-led super PAC is getting to work in North Carolina. Raleigh's News & Observer reports the entity, innocuously named the "N.C. Judicial Coalition," is "ramping up fundraising" on Newby's behalf, taking advantage of the ability "to raise and spend unlimited money" (thanks to James Carter for the tip).
Firmly in the conservative camp -- [Newby] raised eyebrows in 2005 when he was spotted attending a rally for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage -- his swearing-in ceremony was attended by some of the leaders of the state's Christian conservative political movement. During his campaign he stressed his conservative views, and advocated judicial restraint.
In 2010, Newby wrote for the court majority in voiding a state senator's adoption of her former domestic partner's biological child, closing an avenue for same-sex couples to adopt. The previous year, Newby also sided with the majority in ruling that the state medical board couldn't stop doctors from participating in prisoner executions, in which they monitor the procedure.
In another case, Newby again wrote for the majority of the court an opinion that said a Durham couple couldn't sue an out-of-state company accused of predatory lending, a 4-3 ruling that upset consumer-protection advocates.
So, the right wants to keep an unabashed, proudly-biased conservative on the bench, and to do so, they're using a super PAC to raise unlimited money, receiving support from all kinds of donors -- some of whom may end up with business in front of Newby and the rest of the state Supreme Court.
Lobbyist Tom Fetzer, the former chairman of the state Republican Party and a leader of this new super PAC, told the local paper, "I happen to think that this election is one of the most important in the state this year."
I'm sure he does.
Perhaps North Carolina, among other states, should pause to consider the propriety of judicial elections themselves? Shouldn't the creation of state Supreme Court super PACs represent some kind of systemic red flag?
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So can we declare that after 236 years that maybe this "checks and balances" idea didn't work?
Republicans-->conservatives-->bullies who think they're better than other people, sometimes they have money, usually white people who look down their nose at minorities have broken the checks and balances of our government.
I don't assume I'd want to live in a monarchy-- but with the GOP it sure is hard to think of reasons why this is better.
Well boys and girls moms and dads , these are exciting times . You will be able to tell your children and grandchildren you were there when Democracy in the USA died . It had been on life support for some time but the Citizens United ruling put the nail in the coffin . It is now a bidding war to see who can spend the most money persuading people of questionable mental abilities to vote against their self interest and elect a cabal of sociopaths who strangely resemble a certain mid 20th century political party located in the European continent (who shall remain nameless)
Those who do not know and understand history are condemned to repeat it.
I hope you don't mind if I repost that to FB later when I get home. That's some great prose right there! (And if you do mind, I may just pull a Richard Land and plagiarize it.)
Feel free, Plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery.
"Plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery"
Why, I do believe you flattered someone with that remark!
;-)
In fact, the earliest use of the line that I could find (in the quick lazy search which was all I was willing to do just now) was by author DJ Taylor in a 2006 article published in the London Independent on the subject of accusations leveled at author Dan Brown - and he, in turn, at least credited Charles Caleb Colton, generally considered the author of the line that inspired this all: "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Caleb_Colton.
Good quip, though - I'd nearly forgotten that one. Thanks!
It's much, much older than 2006.
At this moment, than goodness my ancester had the good, common sense to only go as far south as North Carolina. But where did I end up, Texas (they may as well have just gone on that much further south). From the Great State of Texas I can report, ANY public office can and will be bought by corporate America. One of these days you will wake up and realize the only purpose you serve is that of a cheap workforce, not unlike slaves where were told to be happy with what they got.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform is the name of PAC here in the great State of Texas that now owns most of our judiciary. The highest court in Texas is commonly referred to as The Perry Court - if you guessed it is after our MARVELOUS governor, you are wrong. It is actually for Bob Perry of Perry Homes, the billionaire whose first claim to fame was as a Swift Boater.
The name of this super PAC has shown up on a list of "stealth" PACs that the Koch brothers are funding. I wouldn't be surprised if that turned out to be the case here. Those two are becoming the best argument around in favor of bringing back "termination with extreme prejudice."
Well, he's not any more "proudly biased" than the Supreme Court's justices. Thomas and Scalia regularly show up at conservative events, and Thomas' wife lobbies against health care reform and writes for conservative websites. Bias is on pretty clear display here. And to be honest, it's not as though we thought judges were apolitical. Who on earth believes justices at their confirmation hearings when they say they don't know how they'd vote on a repeal of Roe v. Wade? The difference is only in how up-front different justices are about their bias.
I'm gonna hazard a guess and say Art Pope, NC's answer to the Koch Brothers, is behind this.
Welcome to plutocracy, fellow citizens. That's what you get when you don't stand up to bullies.
(may as well change it now for accuracy)
I pledge allegiance to the flag, and the Conservative States of America,
and to the Koch brothers for which it stands,
a divided nation,
under Rove,
where corporations are people my friend.
I never thought that America would turn into a country like Apartheid South Africa, where the minority is ruling the majority.
Like your analogy
Sam Ervin IV is what relation to Sen. Sam Ervin? Grandson? Great-Grandson? Anyone know?
I Googled him and I can't find any info but I assume he is the grandson because Senator Sam Ervin used Jr. as part of his name.
Thanks. I had forgotten Sen. Sam used "Jr."
The name "Sam Ervin" brings back memories of Watergate for those too young to remember. Senator Sam Ervin Jr. was the lead for Senate investigations of the Watergate scandal. This could be a very interesting election since the Ervin family has been involved in politics for a long time in NC.
Brought it back for me too. :)
I watched every single hearing and when they were not on, then I watched the Gong Show and Sesame Street.
Justice for sale! And not cheap. Those of us who can't afford to buy one will pay a high price for the subversion of America's judicial system.
I keep hearing politicians like Bernie Sanders and others repeating that there is still hope in saving America from the corporations but they give no straight forward solutions. But then again how can they when the house, senate, the supreme court, and the entire political system are themselves corporations now.
FYI:Tom Fetzer is the former mayor of Raleigh and former aide to the late Jesse Helms.
Oh, and a huge turd :)
I can see being bothered by this because it's votes for sale to the highest bidder. But isn't anyone upset by this because of the obscene amount being used to buy positions, money that could be better used to help America get jobs and such again? I keep hearing the amounts being used and all I can think is, if they put this money into a dedicated fund to lower the debt or to help people, we'd ALL be better off. But then again, these are people who don't want to help America proper but just themselves.
Thanks for bringing this PAC to our attention. I'll be making my donation today.