SC Robe Race Is Tight

By fitsnews • on April 28, 2009

With two weeks (and a day) to go before S.C. lawmakers are scheduled to cast their ballots, Chief Appeals Court Judge Kaye Hearn and Circuit Court Judge John Few are locked in an increasingly tight race to become the next Supreme Court Justice.

Wait, wait, wait … lawmakers “vote” on Supreme Court judges?

They do in South Carolina, where we have a long-standing policy of maximizing the potential for corruption in everything we do.

And trust us, there is nothing more corrupt in Palmetto politics than Supreme Court elections.

Sources tell FITS the race is within “a handful of votes,” despite the Hearn campaign’s contention that their candidate has it locked up.

Wait, did we just say “Hearn campaign?” Aren’t these supposed to be merit-based appointments?

Well, they would be if lawmakers gave a damn about things like merit.

Not surprisingly, the no-holds-barred contest is attracting involvement from all across the political spectrum – as judges, lobbyists, consultants, party activists and other political movers and shakers lean on lawmakers to vote for their preferred candidate.

In fact, S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal is reportedly the most active campaigner of all, reportedly pushing her former colleagues to elect Hearn.

The process? Shameful. The players? Shameless.

The winner?

We’ll know in two weeks …

Comments

By Attorney Tremendous on April 28th, 2009 at 4:38 pm

I hope Chief Judge Hearn is elected. She is the most qualified judge in the race. South Carolina would be lucky to have her as a member of its state Supreme Court. If I were a legislature, I would vote for her.

By scgop on April 28th, 2009 at 7:11 pm

Hearn does not even have Horry County locked up. She and George have pissed off the wrong people. Too Bad!

By newzjunkie on April 28th, 2009 at 7:31 pm

Yeah! Who would have ever thought SC would come to the 21st Century and vote a black woman as the next Supreme Court Justice! Oh no… not even the Leadership from Charleston. This GOB GOP gets on my ever lasting nerves!

Damn state is @$$ backwards now because of the GOP!

By Truth on April 28th, 2009 at 8:38 pm

scgop – don’t know who your sources are, but they wrong. Nice try.
newzjunkie – Jefferson is the least qualified candidate to make it out of the JMSC in any of the last three elections. And believe me, that’s saying something.
Will – you just couldn’t write a post about these elections and not get a dig in about Hearn, could you? If this process were actually based on merit, Hearn would have been elected two cycles ago. A judge since 1986. On the Court of Appeals since 1995, Chief Judge since 1999. No one has more experience. No one respects the rule of law, the constitution, and the profession as much as she. There is a reason Hearn is supported, regardless of political affiliation or agenda, by the most attorneys, judges and people who are actually involved in the legal profession. It IS a shame these elections aren’t based on merit, and not the BS merit you repeatedly pimp and tout on this site. Here’s to hoping true merit wins the day!!

By Speak the Truth on April 29th, 2009 at 8:16 am

Truth is dead on. Judge Jefferson is the most least qualified and was probably voted out b/c she was African American (unlike Don Beatty who was extremely qualified). Kay Hearn has served as a the states top Appeals court judge and family law judge for over 20 years and is extremely bright and will make a great supreme court jurist. John Few is also a bright judge and will likely end up on the high court one day…but you sometimes gotta wait your turn. Our system isn’t perfect, but thank God we don’t have popular election of judges….you want to talk about corruption, just go to MS, AL, FL and see how bad it gets there.

I’m not sure who SCGOP is, but I feel 100% comfortable in saying Kay has the entire Horry delegation locked up and may even have enough votes to win a 3 way race if it were held today. Most of Jefferson’s votes will like swing to her if she drops and then it’s all over from there.

FITS, this really isn’t a story, you just try to make it one because Bruce Williams Campaign (aka FITS) has folded up shop and gone back to being an appeals court judge because he could played politics more than any of them versus merits, when he should have been keeping an eye on his old lady.

By fitsnews on April 29th, 2009 at 8:26 am

“Speak the Truth,”

There is a piece of toilet paper currently swirling around in our toilet that we care more about than this race.

Seriously.

-FITS

By scgop on April 29th, 2009 at 9:15 am

Think what you want but Hearn aint solid with her home team yet. And if she doesn’t get solid with them she will not win.

By Charleston Lawyers for Hearn on April 29th, 2009 at 9:52 am

Chief Judge Kaye Hearn is the most qualified, deserving candidate there is in this judicial election. She has earned her place on the S.C. Supreme Court by her intellect, fairness, pragmatism, and respect for the rule of law. She also began her career as a law clerk in that court, and a lot of lawyers, citizens, and legislators who care deeply about the rule of law support her candidacy. There’s nothing wrong with that!

By Todd on April 29th, 2009 at 11:14 am

Hearn will be the best at saying, “Yes, mam, Miss Jean. Whatever you say, Miss Jean.” All you Hearnites know this is the truth.

By lawyer on April 29th, 2009 at 11:43 am

Fits… I know you have a good scandal scoop in you. How come you haven’t outed Few for few-ing several of his law clerks, with one such affair leading to the end of his marriage?

The position of Supreme Court Justice requires pristine ethics. Judge Fewsaroundalot doesn’t make the cut.

By Columbia Lawyers for Hearn on April 29th, 2009 at 11:51 am

Some of these prior comments have hit it square on the head: Chief Judge Hearn is the most qualified candidate in the race. She should win. It is no secret that so many of us support her because we respect her as a judge. Any legislator should vote for Judge Hearn.