Judges have to be reminded not to take bribes
Court says judges must avoid appearance of bias
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court ruled Monday that elected judges must step aside from cases when large campaign contributions from interested parties create the appearance of bias.
By a 5-4 vote in a case from West Virginia, the court said that a judge who remained involved in a lawsuit filed against the company of the most generous supporter of his election deprived the other side of the constitutional right to a fair hearing.
“Just as no man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, similar fears of bias can arise when – without the consent of the other parties – a man chooses the judge in his own cause,” Justice Anthony Kennedy said for the court.
With multimillion-dollar judicial election campaigns on the rise, the court’s decision Monday could have widespread significance. Justice at Stake, which tracks campaign spending in judicial elections, says judges are elected in 39 states and that candidates for the highest state courts have raised more than $168 million since 2000.</em>
Maybe I have a very naive view of the world, but isn’t justice supposed to be blind? Meaning, even the potential of the appearance of bias toward a large donor should be enough for people chosen to judge others to step aside. If not, then they really have no business ruling on anything, because their judgment has already been proven to be flawed. But apparently this must actually be spelled out for some people, including the four conservative dissenters, one of which, Justice “I go duck hunting with Cheney while I rule on his case” Scalia blathered: “…that the ruling would end up undermining confidence in the judicial system”.
Yeah, it does. But not for the reason you think, you corrupt sack o’ crap.
