Judge stays out of flap over Confederate plaques

Did the old constitutional amendment that funded the Supreme Court building with Confederate Pension funds designate the wording of the plaques or require that words of General Lee or the Battle Flag be posted?

I believe there was an enacting law that specified the location and type of plaques. I'll have to check for certain...not that it would change the court's mind though, since they have apparently decided that enforcing constitutional and statutory provisions are not part of their jurisdiction any more.

as the CHIEF JUSTICE was the responsible party, PING HIM at the STATE GOP Convention!

You mean Tom Phillips? That guy is the sorryest sack of human refuse to ever hold political office in Texas since the days of LBJ. Just before the 2002 elections I overheard him at a political event having a casual conversation with another lawyer. It was about the Republican nominee to one of the open court seats. That nominee was a conservative who beat out the establishment's candidate (and Phillips' candidate) in the primary. The other lawyer asked Phillips what he thought about the possibility that the conservative he didn't want would now be serving with him on the court and Phillips snidely remarked that he anticipated he would not have to worry about it. After overhearing that conservation there is not a doubt in my mind that Tom Phillips voted against his own party's nominee in that race and backed a Democrat over a Republican who was deemed too conservative.

Just found the quote:

"I respect the fact that our building was made possible by the use of the Confederate pension fund, but memorializing that with a battle flag and seal of the Confederacy presented a legitimate problem for people who come to our court seeking relief" - Texas Chief Justice Tom Phillips, aka that leftist dung pile who tried to make the Texas judiciary into an appointment system, Associated Press, June 13, 2000

ALSO FOR THE RECORD: Tom Phillips is one of those judges who fought to maintain restrictions on judicial candidate free speech, claiming judges shouldn't be able to take public positions on political issues. Despite this stance, Phillips PERSONALLY spearheaded a lobbying effort to change Texas' judiciary into an unelected appointment system. He also shoots his mouth off all the time on political issues including the confederate plaques as noted above. In other words, HE'S A FLAMING HYPOCRITE.

Also - In 2002 about a week before November's election day I personally witnessed Phillips engaged in a conversation at a political rally with another lawyer. The lawyer asked him if he was worried about having to serve on the court if Steven Wayne Smith was elected over the Democrat. Phillips laughed then snidely remarked about his confidence that it wasn't going to happen (meaning he expected and probably hoped the Democrat would win). Of all the statewide officeholders in Texas, Tom Phillips is the most hostile to conservatism. If he shows his sorry rear at the state convention this year I firmly believe a round of booing will be in order and invite you to join in.

From the SCV lawsuit about the removal of the old plaques:

"Senate Bill 134 (which became law on June 24, 1955) provided that the first building built, the Supreme Court Building... shall be known and properly designated by the State Building Commission as a memorial to the Texans who served in the Armed Services of the Confederate States of America, and a suitable cornerstone or plaque, or other proper means of designation, shall be integrated into the construction of the building to effectuate this memorial purpose."

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