J.A.I.L. News
Journal ______________________________________________________
Los Angeles,
California
December
26, 2004
Waiting For Ethics
Out of
Washington
The Washington
Post has done a good research on just one of the many problems
within our Federal Judiciary, to wit, conflicts of interest. However,
the Washington Post is totally a babe in the woods when it
comes to a proposed solution, i.e., seeking a solution from
Washington.
What would happen if you found out that the judge
hearing your case had taken an all-expenses-paid vacation to, say,
Amelia Island Plantation with your adversary? Sadly, as Carol D.
Leonnig reports, the answer is nothing ["New Rules for Judges Are
Weaker, Critics Say," news story, Dec. 17].
Between 1992 and 1998, over 230 federal judges -- or
more than a quarter of the federal judiciary -- traveled to resorts at
the expense of private interests with a stake in federal litigation.
Under the pretext of "educating" judges about complex legal issues,
some of the nation's worst polluters and their allies wined and dined
these judges in such places as the Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head,
S.C.; the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa in Arizona; and
the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Fla. And the public, including the parties
opposing these companies in court, didn't know about it.
The Judicial Conference has made it clear that judges
are unwilling to police themselves. It is up to Congress to step in and
restore some semblance of responsibility and impartiality among our
judiciary.
JAMES C. TURNER
Executive Director
SUZANNE M. MISHKIN
Associate Counsel
HALT -- An Organization
of
Americans for Legal
Reform
Washington
� 2004 The Washington Post Company
The problems in
our Federal Judiciary goes far beyond conflicts of interest. The
Federal Judiciary is up to its neck in corruption. Obviously, only
the wealthy could afford to bus Federal Judges around the world on
luxury cruses and all expense paid vacations. And why would such
wealthy people reach deep into their pockets to finance these
vacations for Federal Judges. Ah, yes, they have litigation cases
pending before these judges, and they want favorable rulings by
them.
Naturally, anyone
can understand the beneficial potential of wining and dining these
Federal Judges who are hearing their cases, but the greater question
is, why would these Federal Judges accept such emoluments from
litigants who have cases pending before them? Is it because these
Federal Judges are too stupid to realize the impropriety of such
acceptance? I hardly think so. Or is it that these Federal Judges know
that they will not succumb to such temptations? No, I don't think so,
for they clearly know that if they do not perform on these gifts, these
benefits will be shut off. After all, these companies want something in
return, and would not give away their money for nothing. Actually,
merely being alone unilaterally with one of the parties to an action is
unethical, and morally borders on criminal activity.
Don't these
Federal Judges know that if they get caught, it will be lights out for
them? No! They know that no one can, our will, do a thing about it.
After all, they are Federal Judges! They have life-tenure!
That it is more likely that Halley's Comet will return before they
will be called by Congress to answer Impeachment charges.
Hence, their impeachment is the furtherest thing from their minds, and
reason tells us that they are 100% safe. Indeed, in the entire history of
America there have only been three Federal Judges who have
actually been impeached and removed from the bench. Death is more
likely their demise.
It was Thomas
Jefferson who said in 1821: "...the Federal Judiciary; an
irresponsible body (for impeachment is scarcely a scare-crow), working
like gravity by night and by day..."
Already Congress
is receiving so many complaints and requests for impeachments of
Federal Judges, their knees are knocking under the table. They are
merely hoping that this entire mess of the Federal Judiciary will not
blow up upon them.
Anyway, the
Washington Post thinks the answer is Congress. That is, that Congress
is going to have to step in and create Judicial Accountability of
Federal Judges. Yep, they are waiting for ethics out of Washington. Oh,
yes, and perhaps you may have not heard, farmers have now discovered
they can breed a type of pig that flies, so brace yourself for pig
wings to come to your supermarket shelves soon. I understand
that they are much more delicious than chicken. -Ron
Branson
J.A.I.L.-
Judicial Accountability Initiative Law -
href="../../State_Chapters/dc/DC_initiative.doc">www.jail4judges.org
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