[longshadow]

There appears to be some sort of confusion about background of the Judge who ruled in the Dover case; several posters have suggested he was "ignorant" and a "leftist"; in the intersts of accuracy, I herewith provide selected highlights from the qualifications of Judge John E. Jones III:

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Chambers: (570) 601-1497

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

     ENTERED ON DUTY
     August 2, 2002

* 1980-1983 Law Clerk to the Honorable Guy A. Bowe, Schuylkill County    
    President Judge
* 1980-1986 Private practice, Dolbin & Cori, (1983 ) Dolbin, Cori & Jones
* 1983-1995 Schuylkill County Assistant Public Defender
* 1986-2002 Private practice, John Jones & Associates
* 1994-1996 Solicitor, City of Pottsville
* 1994 Co-Chairman of Governor-elect Tom Ridge’s transition team
* 1995-2002 Chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board

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So, we see that Judge Jones served on Tom Ridge's transition team, so we know he's a Republican. Furthermore, we can see that he was appointed to the federal bench on August 2, 2002, which means he was appointed by President George W. Bush.

Those in doubt about his political affiliations will want to read what they say about him over at wikipedia:

In 1994, Jones unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives for the Sixth Congressional District seat and then was co-chair of the transition team for Governor-elect Tom Ridge.

Jones was the chairman of the state Liquor Control Board from 1995 to 2002, a period marked by some controversy. He was part of a failed attempt to privatize state stores, and he banned Bad Frog Beer after determining that its label (a frog giving the finger) was in bad taste. He briefly considered running for Governor in 2001, but was appointed to fill a vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by President George W. Bush in February 2002. He was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 30 and was commissioned on August 2.

So, once again we see Jones was a Republican, appointed by a Republican Governor to the Pennsylvania Liquor Commission, where he pursued a conservative agenda of trying to privatize the state liquor stores.

What more is there to say about Conservative Republican Judge Jones? Oh, yes, for those who care about such things, he's a Lutheran.

[PatrickHenry]

O horrible man! How dare you point out that those who call Jones a leftist are ignorant whack-jobs?

[shuckmaster]

Thank you for posting this. The lie your way into heaven gang seems to be out in force this afternoon!

[kindred]

Yea, the judge who ruled was indeed an G.W. appointed republican who is a Lutheran.
But he is indeed an activist judge, one who changes the Constitution and the first ammendment. He was appointed by G.W., an unfortunate mistake in my mind. Lutheran's for the most part have abandoned the biblical doctrines of Christ and largely follow the world, as most ecumenical orders who were corrupted by Satan do. It is a sign of the latter days.
Believe it or not.

[DBeers]

There appears to be some sort of confusion about background of the Judge who ruled in the Dover case; several posters have suggested he was "ignorant" and a "leftist";

Maybe -but who cares about his background or for that matter his supposed party affiliation -- The ruling IF it is lawful should stand or fall on its own merit regardless the additonal support you feel it needs...

[microgood]

What more is there to say about Conservative Republican Judge Jones?

How about he thinks the Federal Government has the right to dictate to local school boards what they teach in science class? How about he admonished the school board for believing evolution is incompatible with religious belief (talk about prosletyzing)? Maybe he is just a Federal Judge who thinks he is the Pope, or maybe God himself.

There may be a time this judge was a conservative, but it is pretty hard to see it now.