Justice Nigro says voters 'irrational' for ousting him (PA Supreme Court voter backlash!)

AP via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Thursday, November 10, 2005

[ellery]

State Supreme Court Justice Russell M. Nigro, the first state-level judge ever denied another 10-year term, says he was the victim of "misguided" outrage over the pay-raise law the Legislature approved in July.

"It doesn't make any difference whether you're good, bad or indifferent -- you're gone," Nigro told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "What (voters) did was an irrational thing. They sent a misguided missile."

The election came on the heels of a dramatic, albeit stalled, effort in the Legislature to repeal a four-month-old pay raise law that has riled voters. With no other state-level officials up for election this year, citizen groups that opposed the pay raise trained their sights on defeating the justices as a way to register public disenchantment with state government.

"I don't know what they thought they accomplished by knocking me out of the box," he said.

[PhilipFreneau]

>>>State Supreme Court Justice Russell M. Nigro, the first state-level judge ever denied another 10-year term, says he was the victim of "misguided" outrage over the pay-raise law the Legislature approved in July. <<<

I am glad the A-Hole is gone.

[Reagan80]

Indeed.

This judge's post-election whining just CONFIRMS THE WISDOM OF THE Pennsylvania VOTERS who ousted this Democrat Philadelphia Lawyer.

This guy was also famous for charging $100 to $200 lunches EVERYDAY to the taxpayers; taking various attorneys and associates to various fine eateries; up to three (yes, 3) bottles of wine apparently sometimes appeared on the daily tab.

Good Riddance.

By the way; the Chief Justice (who was the main offender on the judicial side in the pay grab) is up for his retention election in two years. May the voters stay just as angry until then...

Reagan80

[truemiester]

WHAAAAA!
Does he have a sense of entitlement or what?
The voters knew exactly what they were doing. I guess this guy is a democrat as the voters where just to stupid to understand the nuances of his stance on an unconstitutional pay raise.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Arrogance, thy name is Nigro.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Since Nigro has broken the stunning radio silence of the Court, has Hizzoner, Ralph Cappy addressed the peons, I mean taxpayers?

[ellery]

Newman should have gone too -- unfortunately Tommy Ridge recorded last-minute recorded phone calls urging the voters to keep her.

At least we got one of these common thieves! Up next: the legislature and the executive branch...

[groovejedi]

"Nigro, Please"

That is the funniest thing I've read in a very long time...

My reponse to Nigro's statements on this is simply, ...BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! oh and neener neener neener

[blau993]

Many years ago I had an interesting conversation with a judge in one of the Suburban Philadelphia counties about retention elections. This judge, a former prosecutor, was hard working, highly competent, and well liked by colleagues, lawyers and the general public. I was shocked to hear him express concern about his upcoming retention vote. What he told me is that there is a well documented 40% or so built-in "no" vote for any proposition requiring a "yes or no" vote. It makes no difference at all what the proposition is. It therefore does not take much in the way of actual opposition to defeat a ballot proposition, bond issue, sitting judge, etc. on a "yes/no" vote.

Nigro may not be a great judge, but he was not responsible for the legislative pay grab. I suspect he was simply a victim of the automatic "no" vote, coupled with some real opposition based on a variety of issues.

[Revolting cat!]

Goodbye Justice Russell M. Africanamerican!

[Semper Paratus]

Put some injunction on it!

[IamConservative]

Shouldn't he change his name to Blick?

If you are a Republican, be careful saying his name, you will be assualted by the left.

[dljordan]

"What (voters) did was an irrational thing. They sent a misguided missile."

Yes your most Exalted Lordship, the peasants have gone insane.

[dljordan]

"What an idiot he is. He should have simply said, "I'm proud of my record of service but I accept the vote of the People." End of discussion."

No he couldn't because his mind doesn't work that way. Once you get used to privilege it's hard to get your mind around the loss of it. He's one of the elite and they're just not used to being treated this way.

[jmaroneps37]

When a rat loses an election it is ALWAYS for any other reason but that the voters weighed everything out and rejected them. It's always, the GOP cheated, or people couldn't use a voting system that THEY developed or the voters could not understand what they were voting about or my favorite - THE VOTERS WERE TRICKED BY SLICK ADS!

[KarinG1]

I read the article and comfirmed that I was correct, but it was an easy guess that if people were too stupid to vote for him he had to be a democrat.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"Nigro, please!"

Isn't it politically incorrect to call him by name?

[ArrogantBustard]

What he told me is that there is a well documented 40% or so built-in "no" vote for any proposition requiring a "yes or no" vote.

I'm part of that 40% ... I never miss an election. There might be some sort of tax increase or bond issue luking there, that I need to vote against.

I'm like the guy on the credit-card commercial: "The answer is always 'NO!". What's on your ballot?"

[Sterm26]

Nigro was partially responsible, he was involved in the drafting of the legislation!!!! After the outcry began, he made some remarks similar to these, and now he paid the price.

I proudly voted "NO" to all the judges on the ballot, and I'm glad that the rest of the Commonwealth was able to overcome the knee-jerk Dems in Philly.

[philsfan24]

if you live in the city, its likely that no voted wasnt counted.

[11Bush]

A true 'deer in the headlights' look.