A friend sent this to the Kerry and Edwards campaigns yesterday. It makes a great point that has been overlooked in the current furor about "activist judges".
President Bush Calls for a Constitutional Amendment to Protect Americans from Republican–Appointed Judges and a Member of His Own Administration.President Bush has repeatedly blasted the "liberal" the MA Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) for taking an "activist" position on the gay marriage issue. The American people might appreciate knowing that the six of the seven judges in this “liberal, activist court” were put there by two Republican governors: Paul Cellucci (who nominated four of the seven justices) and William F. Weld (who nominated two of the seven judges). Cellucci, who is currently a member of the Bush administration (he is the US Ambassador to Canada, nominated to that position by President Bush), is also the one responsible for elevating the SJC’s Chief Justice to her current position. Listed below are the Court’s members and who appointed them.
Chief Justice Marshall
Appointed 1996 by Republican William F. Weld. Named chief justice by by the Republican Governor, and current Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci. Cellucci was appointed to his current post by President
Bush.
Justice Cordy
Appointed February, 2001 by the Republican Governor, and current Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci.
Justice Cowin
Appointed 1999 by the Republican Governor, and current Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci.
Justice Ireland
Appointed 1997 by the Republican Governor William F. Weld
Justice Sosman
Appointed 2000 by the Republican Governor, and current Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci.
Justice Spina
Appointed October 1999 by the Republican Governor, and current Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci.
Justice Greany
Appointed 1989 by the Democratic Governor Michael Dukakis.
This information was taken from the following web page:
http://www.state.ma.us/courts/courtsandjudges/courts/supremejudicialcourt/justices.html