In Texas, a Never-Ending Battle Over Judicial Elections
Texas is one of seven states that holds partisan elections for judges, a practice that one watchdog group says can lead to conflicts of interest.
"We have a judiciary at the highest level, the Texas Supreme Court, that gets 40 to 50 percent of its campaign money from the very people who are practicing before that court," said Craig McDonald, head of Texans for Public Justice, a follow-the-money political watchdog.
Audio: Ben Philpott's story for KUT News
He thinks a fix is pretty easy: Move to an appointed judiciary. And he's not alone. Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice ...
Comments (9)
gypsy314 ne
I think the people should always vote all judges in because appointed judges are beholding to the appointee.
I do think when a judge is not on the up and up oath of upholding the law there needs to be a fair but balance way to removing the judge from his seat.
Anyone BUT the Fraud Obama and democrats!
Hollis Morton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rick Perry appoints corrupt judge to the Texas 11th Court of Appeals. http://hm21.wordpress.com
Adam Silva via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Electing judges is among the many things that we do wrong in Texas.
Neil Moyer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
In TX, you pay to play!
Kevin Williams via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Get real! For 'Texans for Public Justice' to call itself non-partisan is like Texas to say it doesn't get hot here! That doggie won't hunt boys! Libs are just p.o.'d that we have a lot of conservative jurists.
Scott Chase via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm surprised it's only 40-50%.
Marnie Tunay via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Political candidates always get money from the people they're supposed to later act impartially towards. The question is, can it be proven if and when they are not impartial? We don't elect judges up here, but I'm not sure that's an improvement on the American system. Our judges are in for life, and you know what they say about power and corruption...
Liz Theiss
Judges need to be elected PERIOD-the downside of this is far less than inevitable cronyism through appointed judges. ELECTED JUDGES BY WE THE PEOPLE!
donald baker
you only have to look at one arrogant unaccountable appointed for life federal judge to favor our present system of electing judges. I will vote against any legislator who trys to change our system