Posted on 01/24/2007 6:29:34 PM PST by SmithL
NASHVILLE — New Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says he plans to have more conservative appellate judicial nominations recommended to the governor through his future appointments to the Tennessee Judicial Selection Commission.
"It’s safe to say I’ll be appointing people who’ll have a little more of a conservative slant than people who’ve been there in the past," said Ramsey of the 17-member panel.
Ramsey was elected speaker on Jan. 9, defeating Democratic state Sen. John Wilder, who had held the post for 36 years. The speaker also has the title of lieutenant governor.
As speaker, Ramsey has power to shape state policy and possibly even state Supreme Court nominations through his ability to name appointees to some 53 state boards and commissions.
In the case of the Judicial Selection Commission, Ramsey and House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, D-Covington, each name eight members while the 17th member is a joint appointment.
But because he will not make any appointments until four positions expire next year, Ramsey’s designees are not expected to have an immediate effect on a pending Supreme Court vacancy.
"I think the public is probably unaware of the power of appointment that the speakers have, that their influence is not just over the Tennessee General Assembly or the flow of legislation, but reaches into a broad number of areas," said David Fowler, a former Republican state senator from Signal Mountain who now heads the conservative Family Action Council of Tennessee.
In one of his first decisions, Ramsey has said he will not reappoint liquor lobbyist Tom "Golden Goose" Hensley to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission, on which he has served for 18 years.
"Enough’s enough," Ramsey said of Hensley. "I just feel like we need some new blood on that commission."
If he’s not reappointed, Hensley said Ramsey has "his prerogative."
"He’s the speaker," Hensley said. "I had a good long run, did a good job, I think, and made some contributions to the environment and wildlife agency."
The commission directs the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which regulates hunting and fishing and also operates state wildlife preserves. Hensley was appointed two years ago by Wilder, D-Mason.
Ramsey acknowledged that a motivating factor was talk that Hensley had played a role in persuading Sen. Jerry Cooper, D-Morrison, to support Wilder again for speaker despite publicly voiced reservations.
But Hensley said he "had no influence whatsoever" in the speaker race.
Cooper said Hensley "had nothing to do with my decision not to vote for Speaker Ramsey, even though I wanted to. The issue was I’m from a Democratic district, and I didn’t want to be the sole Democrat" to vote for Ramsey.
We have some of the worst liberal judges in the country in TN. It's time to take out the trash.
He's not all that bad, I know him personally.
I only know what I've read during his election as Speaker. Is he the real deal?
Can you say "gridlock"?
Yea and some of the ones on Senior status as well cause problems. Judge Nixon stalled many a just date by ruling against the death penalty.
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