Posted on 09/22/2012 4:20:06 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
TALLAHASSEE -- The Republican Party of Florida waded into a traditionally apolitical fight Friday, announcing it will oppose the retention of three state Supreme Court justices on the November ballot.
In a statement released by its spokeswoman, the party said its executive board voted unanimously this week to oppose Justices R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince in November’s retention elections. The justices do not face opponents, but voters are asked every six years to vote yes or no on whether they should remain on the job.
The party statement singled out a 2003 case by the court as its main reason for its unprecedented decision to oppose the justices. In the case, Quince and Pariente voted with former Justices Harry Lee Anstead and Raoul Cantero to order a new trial for Joe Elton Nixon, who was sentenced to death for the 1984 murder of Jeanne Bickner in Leon County, because of unfair legal representation.......
Nixon, who was convicted of tying Bickner to a tree with jumper cables and setting her on fire, argued during a lengthy appeals process that he never gave his attorney the authority to admit his guilt to the jury, violating his right to a fair trial.
The high court agreed with him in the 5-2 ruling but, in 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court voted unanimously to overturn that decision.....
Supporters of the justices accused the state GOP of using the merit-retention vote, and the case, as a subterfuge to try to seize control of the courts. If a majority of voters reject the justices, Republican Gov. Rick Scott will have an opportunity to appoint their replacements.....
....The decision by the state GOP to enter the debate allows the party to use its fundraising heft to steer money into opposition campaigns.......
(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...
I already planned on voting them all out.
Awesome news!
More of these scumbag “men in black” who make law from the bench - - like that faggot judge in San Francisco who arrogantly refused to recuse himself, and then ruled (”moved the strike zone”) for the faggot lobby - - need to be removed.
That's an excellent point.
These three Marxists, appointed by Lawton Chiles (rat) also found school vouchers to be unconstitutional.
I would hope so. I only wish they'd find other entitlements unconstitutional, but I guess that's too much to expect.
You forgot Claude Kirk, who preceded Martinez by 20 years. The first GOP Governor since Reconstruction.
>>Anstead, Pariente, Lewis and Quince concurred with
“The Petition of George W. Bush and Richard Cheney for Stay of this Court’s Order Pending Review of Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court is hereby denied.”
THANKS! We moved to FL recently and had no idea how to vote re: judge retention. Your post has really helped!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.