Florida lawmaker says he will consider impeaching Schiavo Judge Greer

Salt Lake Trib/Cox News ^ | March 30 05 | Dara Kam

[churchillbuff]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The state House Judiciary Committee chairman said Tuesday he will consider starting an impeachment investigation of the state judge in the Terri Schiavo case, but said he thought it unlikely that the judge would be impeached. Christian conservatives and advocates of the disabled have launched an Internet campaign and collected more than 28,000 electronic signatures in favor of impeaching Pinellas County Circuit Judge George Greer, who has presided for seven years over the legal battle between Schiavo's husband, Michael Schiavo, and her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler. Greer allowed Michael Schiavo to have her nutrition and hydration tube removed March 18. He contends she would have wanted its removal, but the parents want to keep her alive. ''People have asked me to seek to impeach him,'' said House Judiciary Committee Chairman David Simmons, R-Longwood, which he said was not unusual given his position. Article 3, Section 17 of the Florida Constitution says circuit judges ''shall be liable to impeachment for misdemeanor in office.'' Such a move would require a two-thirds vote by the state House to impeach, and then a two-thirds vote by the state Senate to convict, with the chief justice of the state Supreme Court presiding over the trial before the Senate. ''I think that's a pretty heavy burden to sustain,'' Simmons

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said Tuesday. Simmons said he has received ''numerous e-mails'' asking for an investigation. ''We will look at it and analyze it,'' said Simmons, who is a lawyer. But Simmons added, ''I'm not committing to do anything other than review what any constituent tells me, as a representative and as chairman of the Judiciary [Committee], to look at.'' Stories about the severely brain-damaged woman, appeals for donations to defray legal expenses, and ''Action Alerts'' urging visitors to contact state and federal lawmakers dominate Christian conservative and anti-abortion Web sites. ''She will be a martyr when she dies,'' Simmons predicted. Although it appears that time has run out for the legislature to act in time to halt Schiavo's impending death, Simmons said he intends to work with the Senate to prevent future situations.

[Redbob]

I was wrong, of course:

Alcee Hastings is a U.S. Congresscritter, and as before, a sterling example of how your kids should NOT grow up!

[Saundra Duffy]

If ever there was a guy who needed impeaching . . .

[northernlightsII]

impeachment is completely within the purview of the legislature.

[SedVictaCatoni]

A better fix would be to change the State Constitution to require all non-Suspreme Judges pass a "sustainment" vote. That way the population has the ability to remove not only this Judge but any Judge.

Judges in Florida are elected. Judge Greer has been re-elected repeatedly.

[SedVictaCatoni]

How about bribes in the form of campaign contributions from, Michael Schiavo's atorney, Felos....would this qualify as an illegality... a quid pro quo.....

Realistically, every law firm gives to every judge's campaign. If you were going to apply this standard, nobody could appear in front of any judge.

[northernlightsII]

I think he is legally blind.He cannot drive for example.

[atomicpossum]

impeachment is completely within the purview of the legislature.

And Terri Schindler should be within the power of DCF, by existing law. Greer issued a fiat to overrule that.

[northernlightsII]

Can they all now be starved and dehydrated to death? :)

[demkicker]

More big talk from spineless legislators. Nothing will come of this

I hope you are wrong, but from the evidence of political blustering going on over the Schaivo case, I fear you may be right.

I want ALL lawmakers to be on notice that REAL ACTION, not bluster is what we citizens DEMAND. We see right through their preening for the press and it truly sickens us.

[Cathy]

Do you know that Judge Greer is legally blind? Just thought of that when you wrote "read the papers of the case."

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Added to Terri Bookmark Mountain. FReegards....

http://www.freerepublic.com/~arthurwildfiremarch/links?U=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freerepublic.com%2Ffocus%2Ff-news%2F1371774%2Fposts%3Fpage%3D7

[TAdams8591]

When is anyone going to take a TOUGH STAND against these judges???????????

[ShowMeMom]

Rush just reported that they already have thousands of signatures of county residents on a petition to impeach this monster.

Please, let it be so.

[taxcontrol]

Then I would say that the good citizens of Florida need to make their feelings known at the next election.

[JonDavid]

More big talk from spineless legislators. Nothing will come of this


Right on. They could have saved Terri. A lot of people washed their hands in Terri's case and want to put blame on one person. Sure the Swamp Judge should burn in Hell, but others through action or inaction should are also be held responsible for Terri's State sponsored Murder.

[northernlightsII]

I agree,on that petiton I don't understand where the appellate court in Florida was.They had the power to overturn his creepy order.
There are a lot more judges that need impeaching over this in my opinion.
Right now they are circling the wagons. The legal representation for Terri was probably pretty bad so the early appeals may have had flaws,as the case kept going on and on the courts could probably see the holes in the case but then they would be reversing themselves so they don't do it.

[Nick Danger]

The act that Greer can be impeached for is the order he issued in response to a motion by Felos. This concerned the Governor's appearance on television announcing that he would send the DCF in to take custody of Terri Schiavo.

Greer entered an order that essentially told an elected official that he was not to enforce a Florida statute that the official was sworn to enforce. In doing this, Greer was essentially claiming that the orders of his court in a civil proceeding trumped lawful acts of the legislature.

Regardless of one's position on the Terri Schiavo matter, every legislator ought to be concerned that there is a judge out there ordering the Governor not to enforce laws that the legislature has passed.

Note that this matter does not concern Florida's so-called "Terri's Law" which was held unconstitutional. This concerns long-extant legislation giving the Department of Children and Families a procedure to use in emergency cases. Greer ordered the Governor and the DCF to not do their duty under this law.

This is a perfectly reasonable thing on which to impeach a judge.

[jackibutterfly]

"Not requiring a guardian to adhere to the qualifications set forth in the statutes of the state of Florida isn't illegal?

Not recusing himself according to statute 38.10 when asked 5 different times to do so isn't illegal?"

How about the fact that he appointed HIMSELF Guardian of Terri. He is now judge AND guardian. THAT is against Florida law, and I would say, grounds for impeachment.

[blaquebyrd]

"...he would still survive it since his rulings have in fact stood through the Appeals and Supreme Court levels. Impeach him, and theoretically you would have to impeach them all."

I was thinking the same thing. If the US Supreme Court didn't see fit to overturn his ruling on what basis does this legislator have? Guess that's why he's "considering" whether to go forward.

[Regulator]

Can they all now be starved and dehydrated to death? :)

Only in Florida!