Republican Judges Jumping Ship For Democratic Party

[democracy1st]

Dallas - As many as seven Republican judges in Dallas County are jumping to the Democratic Party.

The judges said the switch is a business decision.

"At this point, it's the right thing for me to do," said Judge Elizabeth Crowder
"Professionally, it's the right decision to make."

She said the most judges would say that politics stop at the courthouse door.

"Most judges do not want to be involved in the partisan process, but we are forced to," said Judge John Creuzot.

Creuzot, who has previously switched his party before, said he has won primaries in and been elected from both parties.

"But the reality is of it is, there are swings in counties, and if you want to continue to be elected and do your job -- hopefully in a nonpartisan basis -- that you need to understand that and be flexible with it," he said.

Republican Party Chairman Jonathon Neerman called the defections "disappointing."

Republicans are angered that the Democratic leadership in Dallas is telling Republicans who are considering making the switch to do it by this November.

"Given the environment that we're under, given the, from what I hear, the strong-arm that they're getting from the Democratic side, it's not surprising," Neerman said.

Judges who spoke with NBC 5 said judges should run for election without party labels. Such a change would require legislative action in Austin.

http://www.nbc5i.com/politics/17374959/detail.html

[tblue]

1. Bwaaaaaahahahahha! Republicans are dropping like flies!

[KingFlorez]

2. No one wants to be on a sinking ship

No matter what the office is, a lot of people want to flee the GOP.

[dkf]

3. Rs are Toxic.

:)

[Mme. Defarge]

4. Texas!

Turning blue?

[magellan]

5. I agree with the judges, party labels are unnecessary for them

If you want to figure out who to elect, study their rulings.

I'd actually like to see our political system run that way.

[Warpy]

6. "Strong arm???"

Bullshit. Try the fact that their party has done what it always does, push its idiotic economic dogma and drive the country and most of its citizens near bankruptcy all in the name of making things easier for a few rich men and their fat cat business managers.

The GOP is toxic. Anyone associated with it will be viewed with suspicion or outright derision.

They're running from it because they know staying in that party will associate them with massive failure, not because they're being forced to by some mean old Democrats.

Too bad their politics won't change, only the label on them.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. What Warpy said

my concern also.
They want to be Dems by convenience, not conviction.

[Selatius]

8. Maybe Texas needs to rework its laws so that people vote on judges based on platform instead of...

party affiliation. This way, nobody would be running either as a Democrat or a Republican for these seats. They'd be forced to run on their own ideas. To make it easier, a public financing mechanism should be put in place so that nobody would have to rely on a political machine of a pre-existing party.

These judges are obviously jumping ship only because of the changing winds. I wonder what would happen if they were forced to put out their own platform instead of chasing after what is popular at the moment?

[PDittie]

9. If you live in Texas

you can see the Texas Supreme Court justices -- all six Democrats and Republicans running on the November ballot -- debating RIGHT NOW, on your local PBS station.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. Judges are just lawyers who wear dresses.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

11. Nothing like a good C.Y.A. parade.

:rofl:

[bertman]

12. Party affiliation versus how they decide their cases. There are Democratic judges who

rule more like they're Republicans. And there are Republican judges who rule with the LAW.

Interesting post.