judgesonmerit.org

The “Clout” section of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that the Philadelphia Democratic party is working to ensure that this year the party is unified behind its endorsed judicial candidates for the local courts: “Democratic City Committee chairman Bob Brady has cracked the whip on ward leaders, telling them that they can either support the party’s judicial candidates in the May 19 primary or forget about “street money” for Election Day operations.”

Brady apparently has been dismayed by the dilution of the influence of the party endorsement, in large part due to the use of “consultants” who, for large fees, connected candidates with ward leaders to make their own “endorsement” deals.

At the party’s meeting in late March, the ward leaders committed to support the endorsed candidates and passed a resolution under which candidates who run against the endorsed slate will not be considered by the party to fill future judicial vacancies.  One ward leader said, “‘It makes the party brand worth something. . . and it will lower the cost of judicial elections.”

In Bucks County, the political parties are also working to ensure that party endorsements mean something, but with a twist. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the local Democratic and Republican parties have united behind a slate of three candidates, two Republicans and one Democrat, for the upcoming judicial elections.

PMC, when questioned about this, explained:

Bipartisan endorsements, though informative, are not akin to merit selection. . . . “It doesn’t remove problems such as having to raise money from lawyers who come before the judges.”

Why should party politics determine who becomes a judge?  Shouldn’t qualifications, skill, experience and a reputation for honesty, integrity and fairness be the key factors in determining who reaches the bench?  Under Merit Selection, that’s what would happen.  Judicial elections focus on other factors — like fundraising ability, skill as a campaigner, and party politics.  We think there’s a better way.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS