Judge Kopf goes after Ted Cruz

http://gillette-torvik.blogspot.com/2015/07/judge-kopf-goes-after-ted-cruz.html ^ | JULY 7, 2015 | Bart Torvik

[SoConPubbie]

div class='post-body entry-content' id='post-body-54425470890256818' itemprop='description articleBody'> Richard Kopf is a senior district court judge for the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.

Ted Cruz is a United States Senator from Texas, and he is running for president as a Republican.

Judge Kopf does not care much for Senator Cruz.

His dislike stems from Cruz's proposal to amend the constitution to submit federal judges to retention elections. Based on this proposal, Judge Kopf declares:

Senator Ted Cruz is not fit to be President

Judge Kopf seems aware that he at least close to crossing a line by making such a statement:

As a federal judge, I am duty bound not to play politics. However, when a politician makes an extreme proposal to amend the Constitution and fundamentally alter and harm the federal judiciary and the Supreme Court, I have the right as a federal judge, and dare I say the duty, to respond to the proposal.

Judge Kopf's duty not to play politics is set out in Canon 5(A)(2) of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges. It is fairly straightforward: "A judge should not . . . make speeches for a political organization or candidate, or publicly endorse or oppose a candidate for public office."

I think Judge Kopf's blog post can reasonably be interpreted as opposing Ted Cruz's candidacy for president. Although, the bulk of his post is an attack on the merits of Cruz's proposal—which seems permissible—he cannot resist taking specific shots at Cruz's fitness as a candidate for president. Perhaps we can view those shots as mere rhetorical bluster, rather than a serious opposition to Cruz's candidacy. What do you think, Mr. Gillette?

Incidentally, Judge Kopf quotes George Will pointing out that Cruz's proposal is similar to Teddy Roosevelt's proposal, when running for president as a Progressive in 1912, to submit judges to recall elections. Teddy Roosevelt, of course, actually served as president and became so popular that he's literally on the Mount Rushmore of U.S. Presidents. This undercuts Judge Kopf's argument that a person proposing to overhaul the judiciary in this way is unfit to president.

[Vigilanteman]

Scheissen is probably his middle name.

[Darksheare]

His parents must have hated him.

[bkepley]

Any wonder guys like this think they can just change the constitution to say what they want it to say on-the-fly?

[rjsimmon]

As a federal judge, I am duty bound not to play politics.

And yet play it, you do. As do the filth-covered liberals of the SCOTUS. A pox on you all.

[glennaro]

As a federal judge, I am duty bound not to play politics. However, ...

Like so much of what the Left says, the second sentence contradicts the first. In effect, it says "I believe in rules/ethics/laws/decency/honor/etc., but actually I do not believe in rules/ethics/laws/decency/honor/etc. ..."

[katana]

Good catch. The judge’s name does translate as Dick Head. Maybe his parents were clairvoyant.

[Darksheare]

I’m thinking that a name like that may count as child abuse.
Even though he’s now supposedly an adult.

[Fightin Whitey]

Hahaha!

Good ol’ Dick Kopf.

[drypowder]

how funny, a good American patriot proposes a logical law to stop corruption in the courts and this judge goes apoplectic. Corruption has replaced honor and integrity in the US legal system. Proof, this judge and the SCOTUS.

[Peter W. Kessler]

Senator Cruz is, obviously, directly over the target.

GO CRUZ!!!

[Arm_Bears]

Better to just string him up—Solves the problem once and for all.

[Fightin Whitey]

Beyond this piece of crap being named Dick Head, it's worth knowing that he was appointed by the H.W. Bush, and has...

...has received considerable press coverage for abortion-related decisions, particularly for his 474-page opinion striking down a ban on late-term abortions in Carhart, et al., v. Ashcroft.[3] His decision included the apology "I apologize for the length of this opinion. I am well aware that appellate judges have plenty to do and that long-winded opinions from district judges are seldom helpful.... Nonetheless, I pity the poor appellate judge who has to slog through this thing. I am truly sorry. (Wikipedia)

No word of apology to the children who were slaughtered with a skewer through the brain. Murderous scumbag.

[chris37]

Frankly, Dick, I don’t think the proposal goes far enough.

[nd76]

I heard that this judge’s middle name is Scheisse.

[CdMGuy]

The more they attack Ted Cruz, the more I am convinced that Cruz is The Man we need.

As for Kopf, if our Republican controlled Congress was doing its job, this judge would be brought up on impeachment charges. However, I will not hold my breath as Boehner is likely tied up smoking, boozing, play golf and kissing up to Obams.

[chris37]

LMAO :D

[Red Steel]

What? Is this dude a Dem?

[hadaclueonce]

What? Is this dude a Dem?

___________________________________

A fan of the Jebster

[TigersEye]

As a federal judge, I am duty bound not to play politics. However, when a politician makes an extreme proposal to amend the Constitution and fundamentally alter and harm the federal judiciary and the Supreme Court, I have the right as a federal judge, and dare I say the duty, to respond to the proposal.

Apparently Judge Kopf doesn't know what the word 'duty' means. How then could he understand all those big legal words? Impeach him!

[Colonel_Flagg]

As a federal judge, I am duty bound not to play politics.

Bullshit. That's exactly what he's doing. Pardon my French.