Free Republic

For the second time in two years, California lawmakers are pushing a bill that serves the interests of a billionaire who wants to privatize California's system of public courts and limit access to judicial records. The billionaire, Ronald W. Burkle, is a former supermarket magnate and a big contributor to the Democratic Party. --snip-- Two years ago, Burkle was unable to convince a judge to seal most of his divorce records, so he pressed lawmakers to hastily pass a law that would require judges, upon a party's motion, to seal any documents that mention a party's financial assets. That 2004...