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.

[SoConPubbie]

"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[SoConPubbie]

    Ted Cruz Ping!

    If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.
    Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

    CRUZ or LOSE!

[Paladin2]

Impeach him for lack of proper ethics.

[2ndDivisionVet]

More like Judge Dummkopf.

[Nabber]

Nothing wrong with Proposing an Amendment, Judge Kopf, nothing wrong at all. If it passes muster to become a proposed amendment and then is ratified, it is the Law, and you Judge must support it. So there.

By the way, let’s pass a new Amendment to correct the deficiencies of the Tenth Amendment. Limit specifically what the Federal Govt can do.

[tophat9000]

Judge Kopf...if judges write law from the bench.. then they need to be submitted to a vote of the people

[Darksheare]

Richard Kopf?
Last name means “head”..
Is this satire?

[cripplecreek]

Ted Cruz is right and Judge Kopf proves it for him.

State legislatures should vote on the retention of federal judges. If the states hold the judges fate in their hands, those judges might not be so willing to step on the state powers.

[onedoug]

Windbag judge. Though I suppose he has the right to so howl, but check his actions from his opinions.

[gr8eman]

Probably has delusions of grandeur that one day he could be a rogue judge on the Supreme Court.

[Dr. Thorne]

I was thinking Scheisskopf.

[DoodleDawg]

Personally I wouldn’t mind seeing Kopf try and debate Ted Cruz on the issue. Might even pay money for the pleasure.

[PoloSec]

When a liberal judge says Cruz is not fit to be president you know you have the right man for the job.

Cruz consistently hurting (liberals will soon call it torturing) the enemy within.

Battling the enemy without and within... CRUZ 2016!

[stephenjohnbanker]

LMAO!

[Darksheare]

Probably could get into large amounts of trouble by referring to his name as it is defined..

[A Navy Vet]

"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."

Yet Judge Kopf does. Guess Cruz left a mark on another little god-wannabe. Impeach for not following the Code of Conduct. SHTF, Kopf.

[mulligan]

And you are not fit to be a judge.

[Cboldt]

Are Federal Judges Out Of Control? | Above the Law | Jul 14, 2014

Nine days ago, Judge Richard Kopf wrote an article about the Supreme Court's decision in Hobby Lobby that suggested, "[a]s the kids say, it is time for the Court to stfu."

[Servant of the Cross]

I heard he goes by Dick ...

[RedMDer]

LOL!