SC

Letter: Reform Judicial Selection Process

“EMBARRASSING METHOD” MUST BE CHANGED Dear Editor: I hope the Charleston County Legislative Delegation will push for legislation preventing immediate family members from being elected by the General Assembly.  Recently the election of a legislator’s spouse to replace a judge who had a good record exposed not only a flawed…

“EMBARRASSING METHOD” MUST BE CHANGED

Dear Editor: I hope the Charleston County Legislative Delegation will push for legislation preventing immediate family members from being elected by the General Assembly.  Recently the election of a legislator’s spouse to replace a judge who had a good record exposed not only a flawed method of election, but an embarrassing one.

I have expressed concern over the elections of people with no apparent qualifications to serve on boards and commissions but have resisted the idea of eliminating family members from these elections.

My reasoning was that there are good public servants within these families.  However, the recent election made me change my opinion.  To think there is not another person outside of family who is just as qualified would be the height of arrogance.

I understand it is not easy to change something that has been in place for decades, and in fact, it would require courage and leadership as there will be some among the membership who will fight this proposal until the end.

I remember how hard it was to tell fellow legislators I would not vote for them for judgeships unless they resigned their elected position.  One agreed with me and I voted for him.  The other two remained in the House; one being elected and the other not.  The one who lost did so by a few votes.

It wasn’t easy, but it was the right thing to do.

Now it is the delegation’s time to do the right thing and change an embarrassing method.

Jimmy Bailey
Charleston, S.C.

SIC SEZ

sic speaking

Rep. Bailey … thanks for letting us run your letter. And we agree with you on this issue – as we’ve stated on several prior occasions.  Anyway, feel free to shoot us your thoughts on any issue when the mood strikes.

Wanna sound off? Send your letter to the editor HERE …

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3 comments

Corrupt Legal System February 13, 2015 at 1:46 pm

South Carolina has alcoholics sitting on the bench. And so does the US Supreme Ct.

“Ruth Bader Ginsburg may be living up to her nickname, “Notorious,” after she admitted that she wasn’t “100 percent sober” at President Obama’s State of the Union address this year.”

“The Supreme Court justice said her imbibing may have been part of the reason why she was caught on camera apparently falling asleep at the televised address.”

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Lobeco February 13, 2015 at 2:30 pm

Toal is the most corrupt of all – and is a drunk and notorious liar. Some of us in the backrooms of the state are watching the legislators who are still Toal puppets – and you are included Tom Davis.

Reply
Lenny Musso February 16, 2015 at 12:15 pm

To arbitrarily exclude members of the political elite is to deny the people the choices of some very fine candidates. Most members of the SC House and Senate are lawyers and may marry other lawyers or judges or have family members “in the biz” so to speak. There is a huge wealth of talent and connections that would BENEFIT our governmental operations.

The ruling elites in this state have always ruled one way or another. That’s why they’re properly called “ruling elites.” DUH! To try to break up that system is to ask for chaos and the rise of a more dissolute class of judges.

We need the “in-crowd” to stay in charge. It’s as if they have an extra degree due to their connections. Some may call it “corruption” but I like to call it “control” properly exercised in order to keep the establishment fascist system safe and secure. After all, sometimes political enemies of the state of South Carolina need to be put in prison and disappear for 10 to 20 years. Having judges with the proper connections facilitates this process and EVERYONE benefits from it.

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