Who's Next? (or "Judicial Candidates For Dummies")
Well, the Conservatives wished upon a shooting star and somehow it came true. (Or it could be the SCOTUS pick was a horrible one to begin with and the right put up such a stink the nominee was too scared to face the Judiciary Committee.) Harriet Miers decided not to be one of the nine constitutional decision-makers of America. In my opinion, it was for the better. But now that she's gone, the question is now raised - Who's next?
On page 4A of October 28th's USA Today, ten candidates are listed with a brief background of each. I delved a little deeper and here's what I found.
Janice Rogers Brown (58 years old): She went to UCLA for her undergrad followed by getting her JD. at the University of Virginia. She wrote a majority opinion while on the California Supreme Court in a case that ruled against an affirmative action amendment. She voted against parental consent law for abortions and may be liked by the Left for upholding a ban on assault rifles. She is now sitting on the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Edith Brown Clement (57 years old): Clement went to the University of Alabama. She now sits on the 5th Circuit and sat as chief justice of the district court (for nearly a decade) she clerked earlier in her career. She is also big on federalism.
John Cornyn III (53 years old): He went to Trinity University and received his JD. from the University of Virginia. He is a former U.S. Senator from Texas and is opposes same-sex marriage. Controversy may errupt because of his declination to sponsor an apology for not passing anti-lynching legislation. He also has an ethics investigation for casino activity under his belt. I guess one thing he has going for him is his criticism of activist judges.
Alberto Gonzalez (50 years old): Asside from his initials also being that of his title (Attorney General), he is also a Texan. He served as an Air Force officer and got his Political Science degree from Rice University. His JD. comes from Haaavad. Liberals would oppose him because he had more executions under his council to Governor Bush than any other. He has a possible connection to Enron who gave him $6500 for his campaign to win the Texas Supreme Court race. Controversy of detainee rights, Freedom of Information Act limits, and Guantanimo Bay doesn't help his case either. He would also make for another cronie pick.
Michael Luttig (51 years old): This guy is as white as John Roberts. He now serves on the 4th Circuit. His degrees come from Washington & Lee University and his JD. from University of Virginia. He has clerked for Scalia and Warren Berger and served a brief time in the White House.
Maureen Mahoney (50 years old): Maureen has argued in front of the SCOTUS and for affirmative action in college admission decisions. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Indiana and her JD. from the Chicago School of Law. She clerked for Rehnquist and would most likely make the conservative base grumble once again.
Michael McConnell (50 years old): From the picture in USA Today, this guy's funny lookin'. But, he's a Kentuckian and has been on the Tenth Circuit for three years. His degrees come from Michigan State and the Chicago School of Law. He clerked for William Brennan and supports a constitutional amendment banning abortion. On the other side, McConnell criticizes the Clinton impeachment and the case of Bush v. Gore. He is, however, big on blending chuch and state.
Priscilla Owen (51 years old): Hey, another Texan...who would have guessed? She now sits on the 5th Circuit and has 17 years of commercial litigation. She attended Baylor University, a Baptist College, and seems smarter than the average bear. Both her undergrad and law school terms she graduated cum laude. Owen also scored the highest score of the year on the Texas Bar Exam. She helped organize Farm Law 2000 which tries to find ways to keep marriages together and understand the ills of divorce.
Larry Thompson: He's the former deputy Attorney General and the New York Times called him a moderate. He is now general council for Pepsico. Controversy may arrise over the $1 million he made as an ad director of Providian Financial Corporation.
Karen Williams (54 years old): Not too much information on Karen. She has 13 years experience on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has her degrees from Columbia and the South Carolina Law Center.
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What I'm looking for in a SCOTUS justice is a non-crony that takes each case for what it is, doesn't read into it, and decides for that case only. Legislation should be done from Congress, not the Judicial Branch. I also see the Constitution as a somewhat dead document. If it lives, our country dies. Out of these candidates, there are a few that should be nixed immediately:
John Cornyn: Ethics violations are pretty taboo at this point in time.
Alberto Gonzalez (Gonzo): Nobody wants another crony pick.
Maureen Mahoney: The base wouldn't support someone who supports affirmative action.
Larry Thompson: Another corrupt businessman is the last thing we need.
Michael McConnell: I like some separation of church and state and a woman's right to choose. He doesn't.
Out of those not nixed by some random college student from Kentucky, I have narrowed it down to:
Priscilla Owen: She's smart and has experience with the law and being a judge.
Edith Brown Clement: She was already blessed by the base and is big on federalism.
Janice Rogers Brown: She seems right of center, but not right of Rush.
We'll see where things go. Hopefully, Bushie learned from his first mistake - without you're base, you have no one. Stick with the safe picks and don't listen to Reid again. If I had to give my blessing to one candidate, it would be Owen. Hell - Karl Rove for SCOTUS justice. That should be fun.
posted by Rich Vos at 4:57 PM
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