Marshall apologizes for 'red states' quip

Boston Globe ^ | Jonathan Saltzman,

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The chief justice of the state Supreme Judicial Court yesterday apologized for a joke she made at the beginning of her commencement speech at Brandeis University in May, when she quipped to spectators gathered beneath blue and white balloons, ''No red states here."

The remark by Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall, who wrote the court's landmark 2003 decision allowing same-sex marriage, triggered a confidential complaint to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. The commission released an extraordinary statement yesterday from the state's top jurist, who said she regretted making what might have been construed as a political statement.

''The comment was an unconsidered, spontaneous attempt to connect with the exuberant, celebratory feeling in the audience, reflecting the balloons I had seen," Marshall said. ''The reference to 'red states' was not part of my written, prepared speech. I regret the comment, and I apologize for it. I did not intend to say anything of a political nature."

[trustandobey]

Must I be the first to call for her resignation? Any republican saying such a thing about blue states would have been forced to resign. I say we keep this to the top, call over and over for her to resign and ask to see her past rulings. (As if there is any doubt)

[trustandobey]

Looks like you beat me to it.

[Congressman Billybob]

This bigoted b*tch, who happens to be a lawyer and a judge, gave a speech before a group of homosexual (both varieties) lawyers in Boston encouraging them to pursue their legal claims in court. That was before she cast the deciding vote in the homosexual marriage case in her court.

It was the fault of the lawyers who were afraid to demand that she disqualify herself in that case. But she was clearly in violation of judicial ethics. She is a bigot who allows her bigotry to effect her judicial decisions, precisely the kind of person who does not belong on any bench, state or federal.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column: "What Side is the New York Times On?"

[Verginius Rufus]

I've heard that she is the wife of the long-time NY Times columnist Anthony Lewis, now retired, who was consistently left-wing in his views, so it wouldn't be a surprise to find that she is a partisan Democrat. It certainly doesn't seem to be a Carville/Matalin matchup.