Thursday, September 28, 2006

Sandra Day O'Connor Stands up to the Far Right!

For a long time, I have been concerned that the far right has been allowed to attack the judicial system with impunity as they went after what they called 'activist judges'. If they don't like a ruling they go out hard and heavy, calling the judges(s) "activists" and call for restrictions on the courts/judges.to me, this was nothing short of an attack on the Constitution and the seperation of powers. There have been a few politicians that have really made an effort to defend the courts from such attacks. What bothers me even more is that fewer still have even pointed out how 'activist judges' have actually been at the forefront of establishing equality in our society. (see BROWN v. BOARD OF EDUCATION, 347 U.S. 483 (1954)
Well, at least until now:
O'Connor, Breyer call for end to attacks on judiciary
From CNN's Bill Mears

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Backed by four of her former colleagues on the
Supreme Court, retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor sounded a deep warning on
"criticism we're hearing today about so-called 'activist judges,'" calling them
direct political attacks on judicial independence.

Speaking at a two-day conference she is co-sponsoring with Justice
Stephen Breyer, O'Connor told fellow attorneys the rule of law is undermined
when judges are threatened with impeachment, legislative oversight, and loss of
independence by lawmakers angry with court rulings.

"The breadth of unhappiness expressed about the courts," said O'Connor,
"shows a level perhaps greater than in the past, a cause of great concern."


http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/09/oconnor-breyer-call-for-end-to-attacks.html


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